One day last week we decided to return to the Abbaye Notre Dame de Sénanque in proper daylight to explore the abbey and the lavender fields surrounding it.
Stone house in the Luberon
Looking down at the abbey
Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque
One of the small lavender fields next to the abbey
Sea of lavender . . .
We weren't the only ones enjoying the lavender
Another one of Larry's brilliant hand-held self portraits
After leaving the Abbaye, we made a quick stop at Chateau La Canorgue (known as Chateau La Siroque in A Good Year) to try to get a better view. Not much luck. We were amused by the “Beware of Serpents” sign though.
The best shot we could get of the chateau
The actual 'cav' where Chateau La Canorgue sells its 'bio' (organic) wines
Serpents!
We drove through some other nearby towns before stopping to explore Menerbes. Menerbes became the most famous of all Luberon towns the minute Peter Mayle published his book. It’s the town he lives near and wrote extensively about.
Menerbes and one of its spry residents
It’s yet another gorgeous hilltop town, complete with colorful residents of both the people and animal variety. As we were walking up the road towards the 12th century church, we were greeted enthusiastically by a Jack Russell terrier who took it upon himself to be our personal tour guide up the road, constantly looking back at us to make sure we were still following him, until he had to stop for more pressing business – to have an argument with a nearby shrub. Apparently they had quite a history, and he lost this battle, as he gave the bush a piece of his mind with several growls, and then scuttled back down the road.
Up the road with our new tour guide
The brawl
The vistas from the top of the town were just beautiful. It was peaceful, and poetic.
Looking down below
The Mairie (Mayor's Office)
One of the many pretty houses
Self portrait up on the terrace
Panorama of the valley below
Another self portrait
Remains of some of the old fortifications
Finally, as we drove home near dusk we stopped to take a picture of one of the many fields of sunflowers we drive by on a regular basis. So majestic.
Sunflower field