Voyages around France: Brrrrrrr....someone is ready for spring....

Actually my first winter in France has been relatively painless although from all the reports back home it has been a very mild winter there. Only one snowfall here in the valley and that was no more than an inch which had melted by the afternoon. Mr Weatherman is calling for a chance of snow the next few days with lows in the 20's....I hope the snow stays in the mountains where they need it.

Sunday we jumped in the car (minus Rudy) and headed for Monteux where we stopped to pick up the grandkids Kiara and Naomie. From there a drive north to the small town of Beumes-de-Venise which partially gets its name from all the caves in the area.
The first record of the town is from 933 A.D. but the caves in the area were inhabited long before that. The cliffs appear to also have been chiseled into which would have provided at least minimal protection from the elements.

Sitting atop a ridge above the town are the remnants of an old fortress which we decided needed to be explored. We marched up through the winding streets which then lead us to a very small and overgrown trail that took us all the way around this ridge, but to only the west side of the ruins. Still, we were rewarded with some nice views of the town below.

It's amazing how many little towns and villages you can pass through when traveling just a few short miles. You can exit one village, maneuver around some hairpin turns and you're entering another with its own unique characteristics. Our trek Sunday was no different which means we will be returning to the area to explore some of the places we were only able to drive through.