Peddling through Provence: Arles, Point du Gard, and the Cote du Rhone

Provence now is in stiff competition with the Dordogne for my favorite region in France. In reading Rickey Stevey, I had a really difficult time getting a sense for the region and it's activities. Well suffice it to say, our first intro -- Arles -- set the mood. Though Arles is hot, slightly dirty, and crowded, it has a certain je ne sais quoi; it's streets and squares inspired van Gogh for gosh sakes! That being said, cities our not really our scene, so we enjoyed, we took in, and we quickly moved on.

For two nights, we stayed in a lovely gite, the MAS DE LAS CROIX, 10 minutes outside of St. Remy de Provence. If after meeting the solicitous proprietor Jordane and her dog Ethon you are underwhelmed, I would proudly assert that you are without a soul! The setting, appropriately rural, was splendid.

That afternoon, we headed to Pont du Gard, to visit the famous Roman Aqueduct, which stands only six feet shorter than the Colosseum. After hiking around for a bit, Charis and I swam in the River below, experiencing for the first time an introduction to the culturally shocking European views on "swimwear," or lack thereof.

The next morning, we geared up for a day long tour of the Cote du Rhone valley, hopping between small picturesque towns and tasting wine at the vineyards from which these towns draw acclaim. Though most most wine still generally tastes the same to me, I feel like a classy mofo when tasting.

Jordan and her dog, Ethon