Return To Fontaine Vaucluse

We were just there is 2017, but it's picturesque, the spring is France's largest and the fifth largest in the world, by flow, and it was on the way to L'Isle sur la Sorgue, whose Sunday brocantes/antiquites show we'd been planning on for some time. As in 2017, we couldn't figure out where the camping-car parking was, but lucked out elsewhere. Previous, more informative posts from Fontaine Vaucluse are at https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2017/10/fountain-vaucluse-spring.html and https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2017/10/fountain-vaucluse-town.html. Oh, "Vaucluse" means "closed valley," which in Montana lingo might be "box canyon," to which I can indeed relate. Fontaine Vaucluse is indeed a box canyon.

The springs are the source of the beautiful Sorgue

Up really high huge caves...land rising? glaciers receding?

Old fortress overlooking

The water really is this color, due to the vegetation beneath; or ample use of green
dye #4

We interrupt this touristic visit for the following environmental message

Overhanging limestone cliffs, some hundreds of meters above

The spring that day, even lower than in 2017

What the fontaine looks like in March, the flood time of year

Back in town, passing by a dying shopping center, thinking again I could really
get into mannequin painting

Inconceivable!

Conceivable!

Wrapped dumpsters in Fontaine Vaucluse; we'd seen similar in the Cote d'Azure;
sooooo French

Aix-En-Provence

We visited Aix-en-Provence in 2017 and were impressed, despite the lack of parking facilities. This time we stayed in a campground, using the CamperContact app, and enjoyed the city at a more lesiurely pace. Posts from our 2017 visit were:
http://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2017/10/aix-en-provence-1.html,
http://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2017/10/aix-en-provence-2.html, and
http://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2017/10/aix-en-provence-cathedral-of-saint.html.

Attempted artsy-fartsy shot of Cezanne beholding the Rotonde and the Fountain
of the Three Graces

All our plans went out the window when we found an absolutely huge street
market radiating off from the Rotonde; here, the lonely tripe wagon

Food section

Sand artist: "...writ in water..."

In the market, mostly clothing, looking back some blocks to the Rotonde and
the Fountain

Love those ghost signs

We looked around but went back to our 2017 favorite,
Charlotte, a two-person operation (he cooks, she serves) that
is glacially slow but authentic and good; served outside in a
walled-in garden

My ossobuco

Her steak and frites

Shoppe scene

France is littered with beautiful cooking and cookware stores; here's one in Aix,
individual raclette and fondue makers

Our wanderings took us to the cathedral square, where there were booths and
programs celebrating Europe Day; we came away with nice little "Je sui Eropeen"
bracelets; probably won't wear them in Britland

Inside the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral

Curiosity of the day: interesting structure in the stern starboard of the main nave,
like a little skybox; but there is no entrance, no exit, no stairs; the wall is actually
part of the original Roman forum; a mystery to be solved...

Outside the cathedral was a group of Bulgarian dancers

Dancing

More European solidarity

As I commented before, wherever he sat or spat or pissed or shat...

Clock tower in beautiful main square

Afternoon, looking toward the Rotonde...no evidence there was ever a massive
market here hours ago

Ars longa, vita brevis

Brignoles and Sainte Baume

After Nice, we were undecided what to do next, the mistral was blowing, so we resolved to hunker down somewhere on the way to Aix en Provence, do an administrative day, plan, and try not to get blown away. We ended at Brignoles, a small town, staying at a welcoming Casino (supermercado) (same as we had stayed at in 2017) along with several other campeurs. We did the wash, reorganized, did some research and blogging, and also did a couple walks. After Brignoles, we decided we would take a look at the Massif of Sainte Baume, a big ridge and pilgrimage site nearby, famous because St. Mary Magdalene spent the last 33 years of her life here. Yeah sure.  Isn't interesting how just about all the apostles, et al., ended up in Europe? Sainte Baume, I presume was the "discovery" that knocked Vezelay off the Medieval pilgrimage sites itinerary (see http://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2013/09/vezelay-abbey-church-of-st-mary.html), safeguarding it for future generations, including ours.

Old Brignoles is a town of interesting murals...

New Brignoles has a Picard...

A Flunch, a LeClerc, an Intersport, and so much more; the
Flunch offer is pretty impressive

Part of the Sainte Baume massif

It was an interesting drive up a 1.5 lane mountain road to get this far, well below
the summit

It is said the angels carried Her every morning to the oratory on top to pray; note
cliff dwellings below

Thus

And thus; reminded me of Mesa Verde

The Hostellerie and resto in the valley below

Chapel

Helpful, etc.

Summit hike; not this day...

Vicki said don't miss the Calvary by the cliff dwellings...

Wait, there they are, center...

Further on, the Chapel of of Sainte Magdaleine

Well, not that old actually

Looking to more of Provence and another massif

A road warning prevented us from driving higher, so we headed on to Aix; here,
a sign hanging in a tree by a carpark...the giles jaunes have been here

Still processing this one