A Saturday afternoon in Gignac.....

Yesterday the sun was shining with a very strong sense of spring in the air. Naturally it was a good day for a trip down the road to the little village of Gignac. Evidently there is more than one town called Gignac in southern France but I would imagine this is the smallest one as it has no post office, restaurants or shops.  The village does have some nice architecture with an old church, the town hall and a very nice and large chateau that sits at the top of the town. My guess is that the chateau is still a private residence, however it's one of those places you just wanted to walk up to,  knock on the door and ask for a tour.  For some reason I couldn't convince Alicia to do that.

One of the many arches in Gignac with a nice iron gate keeping us out of the courtyard. 

Bridge leading into the village...not much rain here lately 

Gignac at sunset 

The chateau  

Well preserved church near the center of the village 

While on our way to Gignac we spotted a hanglider coming in for a landing.  

Told you spring was in the air....drying clothes the old fashioned way.  

Another residence I would like to take a tour through. 

City Hall - "Mairie" 

Little park on the edge of town.  The late afternoon sun creating a glow on the trees and countryside. 

There is at least one walking trail that leads you south out of the village which has some nice views of the surrounding countryside. Kiara and Naomie were with us and they enjoyed running and playing in the small park next to the village. From the outside Gignac is one of those places you imagine that not much has changed over the years. Quiet and peaceful....a good place to visit and spend an afternoon in.

Writer's cramp.....

Yes, I must be suffering from a small case of writer's cramp since my posts have been few and far between lately. Not sure what could be ailing me but I've heard that all great and prolific writers suffer from this affliction.....from time to time.  :-)

There is just a hint of spring in the air here with the sounds of a few more birds singing and a very slow increase in temperature. March will be here soon and at that point it will be just about time to say good bye to winter here....I hope.

The snow in the valley has been gone for awhile but yesterday we took a trip to the highest point in the Luberon range where some of that snow was still hanging on. It's still hard for me to decide if the Luberon and Vaucluse ranges are mountains or just really big hills. We were close to the summit yesterday which checks in at around 3690 feet so I guess you could call it a small mountain. Regardless of the label, these hills / mountains provide some great views in all directions.

We started our ascent on the mountain from the north on some very curvy and narrow roads. We decided to take the long way back and make our descent on the southern exit into the valley below which wasn't nearly as steep as the north side. It wasn't long before the valley opened up before us revealing some nice villages in the distance and alot more green than I was expecting....I think spring might come a little earlier on the south side.

We stopped in the little town of la Tour d'Aigues to view this massive structure that stands right in the middle of the village which is called Renaissance Castle. You immediately notice the architecture which is more elaborate and detailed than most other castles in the area. Many parts of the castle have deteriorated and collapsed over the years, but much still remains. They have started the process of renovating the structures which will take years and many euros to complete.

The back side of the castle. Lots of renovating left to do.

Part of the entrance....a touch of Greek or Roman architecture 

Renaissance Castle - front 

Time and weather has taken its toll on the old place. 

Hibernation.....

The thermostat here in southern France is definitely in need of repair or at least some adjusting. The cold spell continues and it seems to be putting everyone (including myself) in a hibernating kind of mood. My landlord Bernard says that the cold we've been experiencing is very unusual and has lasted much longer than normal. It has definitely put a damper on my outdoor and picture taking activities which I hope to resume......as soon as it warms up.

The house we live in has been warm all winter long with the exception of the last couple of weeks. The rock walls are at least a foot thick and they have been absorbing all this cold which in turn radiates inside, or at least I think that's what is happening. In any case, the radiant heat we use here is working overtime  in an attempt to keep these rooms warm. Lately you'll find me wearing a sweater inside and throwing an extra blanket on the bed......HURRY up spring!!!

Okay, enough of me whining about the weather....some are probably wondering if I want some cheese with my "whine."  :-)

I'm posting some photos below that were taken in November of last year.  The locations were in the tiny villages of Sivergues and Lincel.

Sivergues - Many of the houses are built right into the rock formations. 

Sivergues

Church in Lincel 

The "Tin Man" ready to light the way in Lincel

Really cold....

Just arrived back from French class in super cold Cavaillon and it appears tomorrow will be a carbon copy of today. Although it hasn't been as brutally cold here as it has been in eastern Europe it is still a numbing and chill you to the bone experience.  Definitely a dangerous kind of wind chill in Cavaillon and the coldest day I have experienced since my arrival. It's about a 35-40 minute drive back home and when I arrived I could immediately tell a difference in the temperature. Not as much wind here and the temps coupled with a much less severe wind chill made it feel at least 15 to 20 degrees warmer. Tomorrow will find me dressed much warmer as today I was totally unprepared for this winter blast.

We didn't get out much this weekend as Alicia has caught a strain of the flu that has been making its rounds in the area. Her daughter Katie and her 2 girls came Saturday and stayed until Sunday which made for a full house,  plus I got some free French lessons from 5 year old Kiara....she finally gave up on me... :-)

I'm posting some remaining photos I took last week after it snowed. Right now the snow remains and I expect it to stick around for awhile until some warmer weather returns....which might be awhile.

Large farmhouse east of Villars  

Snow covered vineyards below the village of Villars  

Looking northeast from Villars

Old Man Winter in southern France...

It's official, I now know first hand that Old Man Winter can definitely make his presence felt in southern France. The last few days have been a mixture of snow, fog and very cold temperatures that have reminded me of the winters back home in the states. The smell of wood burning fills this little Hameau as many have put their fireplaces to good use during the drop in temperatures.

My Tuesday French class was cancelled due to the snow but yesterday I figured we would probably resume the learning process....that is, until I looked out the window to see more snow falling. It was a light snow so I got myself ready to make the drive to Cavaillon. My attempts to contact the instructor to confirm we were having class were in vain so I headed out anyway. Of course when I arrived the place was locked up tighter than Fort Knox so I made a leisurely drive back home for a day of self teaching. I think my home schooling skills need some improvement as I was unable to get my full and undivided attention for the remainder of the day. Today I will require myself to even stay after class if some real progress and learning is not achieved... :-)

I did get out, although not far from the house to take some photos of the winter scenes here in the valley.  I ventured into the tiny village of Villars which provides some nice views of one of the numerous "mini" valleys we have here. From there I drove east on some very narrow and rural farm roads which were still snow covered and slick. This was especially true around curves and where the trees had shielded the road from any type of melting warmth from the sun.

You don't see alot of abandoned homes or buildings in the area as most are used for homes, vacation rentals or for farming purposes. During my countryside drive I did discover what seemed to be the remnants of a very old church minus the roof. Not far from there I passed by an old abandoned farmhouse  that was sitting in the shadows of the Vaucluse range. I have no idea how old this farmhouse was but one could imagine that it provided warmth, protection and comfort for many generations of families.

Abandoned farmhouse with low clouds in the distance

No going inside to warm up as I'm sure it was as cold inside as it was outside

Built to last with very thick walls

Church - side view 

Church entrance

Remnants of the old church which I'm sure is hundreds of years old.