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.

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.

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.

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.

The vistas from the top of the town were just beautiful. It was peaceful, and poetic.

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.