July 2017
Provence, France

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We’d love to hear from you!
Why not join us on our newest tour in September – Bordeaux and Dordogne

What’s new in Aix? The bell tower of the cathedral is now out of its scaffolding, pristine and gleaming in the summer sun. Under the dust of years, it was never apparent that the crown on top is a paler stone – now it’s clearly obvious!
The market is calling…and the most-photographed stall of all is as eye-poppingly gorgeous as always!We’re here long enough this time that we can create a window box or two, and what fun it is to choose just the right blooms for the bedroom and study windows.A bit of blue, white and red for France’s national day hits the spot!This is the first time we’ve been in town for the Festival d’Aix, and in addition to the operas taking place in several venues (sometimes we can hear the music from the adjacent Archbishop’s Palace Garden) there are musicians involved in the operas and award- winning string quartets playing in the courtyard of a nearby historic building – one evening was filled with Turkish influenced Greek music – unique!Every Sunday night open-air movies are projected in one park or another, and we stroll through the rose garden of Pavilion Vendome, spread out our blanket, and take in a show as night falls.

How about a lunch date in seaside La Ciotat? Kristin, of French Word a Day, discovered a great little place in the center and has reserved a table for us in a pretty square.Corey and Yann, who we’ve visited in Cassis a few times, and Jean-Marc and Kristin meet us there, and we savor one delicious course after another, lots of laughter and fun interspersing each bite. Back in Aix, it’s Open Gallery night, and we walk from one to the other, sipping the wines, sampling the snacks, and appreciating the art – the swaths of aqua ink in this gallery were among my favorites. One morning we bump into a neighbor on the edge of town, and happily accept his invitation for lunch in the seaside town where they’re housesitting. From their hillside abode in Carry-le-Rouet, the views across the water to Marseilles are superb – I can’t take my eyes away!
Change into your suits, we’re instructed….no need to ask us twice! Apero by the pool, lunch on the patio of the lovely home, then hours relaxing in the sun…oh this must be vacation!