M is for Mt Ventoux: another 30 year memory

Fred and I so enjoy watching the Tour de France each year and Mt Ventoux in Province is one of the outstanding challenges that face the cyclists,  it is known as the Beast of Province.

It is windy, bald, bleak and coming back after 30 years it is still a remarkable giant of a mountain at 1912m and I am in awe of anyone running or cycling up its steep switchbacks.
Even sitting in the car tired me out.

Summit in sight on Mt Ventoux.

M is Manosque: the home of L'Occitane

L'Occitane, Manosque. Boutique, factory and museum and garden.

This wonderful brand has become a firm favourite. I first came across the shea butter range, especially the hand cream, when Shawni and I flew across to Australia some years back and L'Occitane was the business class hand-out.

So I went searching for where I could find the story of this French company, seeing that I was in Province. And find it I did, it was our first destination this morning. A museum telling the story of the 40 years, a huge factory. Learning that the face cream I like - Immortelle, the bright yellow everlasting flower, is a crop from Corsica; my almond cream, the almond trees come from around Manosque on the Valensole Plateau.

Subtle pleasure indeed and a bag full of purchases.

Shopping and loving the L'Occitane success story.

F is for Fields of Lavender: Haute Province

We have packed up and left the Alpes-Maritime and the wish for the road trip today was to see fields of lavender.

The harvesting starts from mid-July but the season ends late August, so off we went, firstly to the famed Valensole Plateau, at 500m in the Haute Province, where the fields are legendary.

But harvesting had happened, we saw the rounded but very green remains of the shrubs. We did see some very young bushes though but the effect is not the same.

Breathing lightly through disappointment we moved on.

As it happens and when least expected, en route to Mont Ventoux, the lavender was still in full bloom around Sault!

Beautiful.
Iconic.
Haute Province.
Happy.