Return to Venasque....

Vineyards below soaking up the last rays of sun.

One evening last week we decided to take Alicia's mother to visit the small village of Venasque that we had visited before. Although the town does draw in visitors it's somewhat off the beaten path for a large amount of tourists. When we arrived the few shops were already closed with only the restaurant open for business. We took our time taking a leisurely stroll along the length of the town, stopping to look, admire....and of course take some photos.

The late afternoon sun was providing some nice shadows and contrasting colors on the buildings and  the Nesque valley below. Nightfall was rapidly approaching when we departed and the western sky was glowing with color as the sun was disappearing below the horizon. We traveled a couple of miles east of Venasque before turning around and heading back home. At this point on a ridge we stopped the car on the side of the road and just enjoyed the final moments of sunlight and the colorful display it was sharing with us.

This past weekend we finally traveled to an area on the Mediterranean Sea near the old fishing port of Cassis which is next to what is called the Calanques. You won't find much level ground there with most of the landscape filled with towering cliffs dropping almost straight down into the ocean below.
I'll write about that trip in my next 2 entries.

Hmmmmm....a storage building or a VERY little one room house.

Lots of cats in Venasque....guarding this car or watching over the village...or both.

Meet Morris....director of village security.  

What remains of the fortress walls on the east side of town.  

Memorial honoring villagers who died during WW1. Nearly every French village will have  a memorial like this with most including those lost during WW2.  

Looking towards that brilliant sunset with Venasque to the left. On the horizon you can barely see the steeple of the 12th century church in the village. 

Mother Nature used some nice colors with this sunset.