Lourmarin

As I mentioned yesterday, if you go south from Bonnieux, through the Luberon mountain range, you come to the village of Lourmarin on the other side. The village sits between the mountain and the Durance River below. Needless to say, picturesque Lourmarin is a popular tourist destination.

Lourmarin between the Durance valley and the Luberon mountains. Digitized color slide, September 2001.

We stopped in town for a quick walk around the center and a few photos. I think we sat in a café for a drink, but we didn't do much else as we were on our way to other places.

Bonnieux

I'm pretty sure that this is Bonnieux, one of the famous villages perchés in the Luberon region of Provence. It's at the north end of one of the few roads through the mountains, connecting Bonnieux to Lourmarin and Lauris in the Durance valley to the south.

Bonnieux, Provence. Digitized color slide, September 2001.

Yesterday, I received my ballot for California's primary election in March. As as an overseas American citizen, I'm eligible to vote in the last US jurisdiction I lived in. In my case, that's in San Francisco, so I can vote in local, statewide, and federal elections in that district.

Another wrought iron belfry

This one is, I believe, in the village of Lacoste. The town is perched on a hilltop between Ménerbes and Bonnieux on the northern flanks of the Luberon Mountain. Lacoste's château is famous (or perhaps infamous) as the former residence of the Marquis de Sade. Today the largely restored village is home to a campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Belfry atop the campanile in Lacoste, Provence. Digitized color slide, September 2001.

The days are getting longer and it's noticeable. I'm happy about that. Our mornings are still cold (but above freezing) and the afternoons can feel quite pleasant if it's not windy or raining. The ground is still too wet to do much yard work, but that will change. I hope.

Silent Sunday

Somewhere in the Luberon, Provence, September 2001.

At the meeting of the lines

I realize that these lines don't meet. They're rows of grape vines in the vineyards below one of the villages perchés in Provence. I'm sure that there's a very logical explanation for why the vineyard is laid out like this. Drainage. Access. Because they've always done it this way. Whatever the reason, I thought it made for an interesting photo.

Grape vines, Provence. Digitized color slide, September 2001.

Our warm spell feels like it's over. We're at 2.5ºC this morning. And it's my turn to walk Tasha.

Marianne

Marianne is a symbol of the French Republic. She's the personification of many virtues, most notably the French revolutionary ideals of liberté, égalité, fraternité (freedom, equality, brotherhood). Her image (which changes from time to time) can be found on certain French coins, postage stamps, and official documents. Statues and busts of Marianne are common, particularly in government facilities. According to Wikipedia, the figures were modeled after famous French women starting in 1969.  Among them, Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve.

Marianne in Provence. Digitized color slide, September 2001.

I saw this bust in Provence in 2001, probably in the village of Ménerbes. The inscription carved below the bust is "R F" (for République Française). I don't remember if it stood outside the village hall or elsewhere in town.

Door within a door

I liked the shadows on this (these) doors. And the weathered paint. Windows and doors frequently make for interesting photos.

I wonder where it leads. Digitized color slide, Provence, September 2001.

I'm getting itchy for spring now. We passed the one third mark for winter this week. Only two months until the vernal equinox. I'm even looking forward to spring cleaning, both indoors and out. For example, the windows desperately need washing and the yard is littered with fallen sticks and branches (we've had a lot of windy storms this winter). It's too early to get started, but I'm making mental lists.