We are wondering whether August 31/Sept 1 is too late to enjoy the lavender fields around Sault as we plan to drive from Aix en Provence via Manosque & Sisteron to Sault.

Actually we can drive to Sault from Carpentras in 40 minutes, unless Sisteron & Manosque are worth the extra hour drive. The question still stands whether we can still see some Lavender bloom that late in the summer. Anyone? Stu ?

We were in Sault one year at that time and there were some fields not harvested. It's lovely ariound there, lots of Romanesque architecture in the villages that hug Mount Ventoux,
The Lavender festival in Sault is usually around August 14 and 15.
The first flowers appear in June and gathered in july or august. Those that are left in the fields will start to fade in color. but it's worth the trip. Sometimes the lavender farmers will burn the stumps when the earth is depleted of needed nutrients and the scented smoke fills the air-it's heaven!

I've never seen any blooming in Sept. I imagine that if any is left, it's because they choose not to harvest it. My Lavender here in California is not colorful in Sept.

The area around Sault is quite picturesque - lavender or no lavender.

Stu Dudley

ttt

Really appreciate your opinions, I think we will include Sault in our itinerary. Now the question is whether it's worth driving through Sisteron & Manosque (100 minute drive from Aix vs 40 minute drive from Carpentras). Has anyone been to Sisteron, Manosque or surrounding area?

yes, that's the Forcalquir& Lure mountain area close to salt and the harvest there can be til early September.
I've always wanted to take the bird's eye view of the lavender fields from the baloon trips available in Forcalquier.

We've been to Maosque a couple of times & stayed overnight in Sisteron once. If you're planning on visiting Provence for more than about 4 days, a trip to this region would be nice. When we were in Sisteron, there was some sort of a fair going on with loud speakers everywhere playing obnoxious music and advertising - it really spoiled our visit there. I think it was some sort of an auto show. Manosque has a nice weekly market, and it's an interesting town to wander through. Visit Forcaluier also. We enjoyed the Rochers de Mees - an interesting rock formation north of Manosque about 2/3rds the way to Sisteron. There are some cute small villages in that region, and Ch Sauvan also. See the Michelin Green Guide for the French Alps to help plan your excursion. We're actually staying overnight in Manosque in late June this year.

Also in that general area is the Plateau de Valonsole, where there is lots of lavender & poppies in June - lavender seems to bloom early there. Riez is a very interesting town with a great Saturday morning market. Just a little further is Moustiers

Stu Dudley

Cigalechanta:Thanks for your good lavender news, I realize the key word is "can be" depending on the weather. I didn't know salt plays a role in lavender blooming time.

Stu: I think we'll follow your Lavender Route instead, since we only have a week btw Aix & Chateau Talaud. Could you describe the wine villages that you've been to? Which one has the most charm/appeal btw Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise, & Ch du Pape. Even though Ch Talaud is so close to the wine villages, we only want to spend half a day in the wine villages so we have to choose carefully. Thanks for entertaining my questions.

I think you may be expecting too much from the wine villages. They are not "dolled up" for tourists like they are here in the Napa & Sonoma valleys - they are more "functional".

Seguret is by far the cutest, but there is not much commerce there at all, and I don't recall seeing any tasting facilities in town. A visit will only take about 30 mins max.

Chateauneuf du Papes is much larger and has lots of wine tasting places in the center of town. However, most of the wine oriented stuff in town is just tasting - winery tours are usually out at the wineries which are not in the center of town. There may be a few in town, however, but I did not visit them. The tourist office has excellent material about the wineries. You may need an appointment to tour a winery. The first time we visited Beaucastel, we did not have an appointment - my tour book did not mention that I needed one. Their tours were already booked up, and so was every other tour for that entire week - this was the first week in July. When we were there again in Mid Sept, we made an appointment. Some people arrived without an appt, and they joined the tour.

Gigondas is an OK town, with a good wine tasting facility where you can taste & buy many of the top name wineries. Gigondas is quite small - you can do the town in about 10 mins. My favorite restaurant in the region is there - l'Oustalet (www.restaurant-oustalet.fr) They have a very nice outdoor dining area set up in the small "square" in town, with plane trees, etc. It would be a great place for lunch. I found out about the place (it's new) from a Patricia Wells article.

Beaumes de Venise is smaller than Chateauneuf and larger that Gigondas. It is actually a nice town to explore for 40 mins or so. There are several tasting places in town.

If you have a half day, you can actually visit all the ones you mentioned, plus Seguret. Except for Chateauneuf, they are only about 10 mins apart. I have driven through Vacqueyras many times, but we've never stopped for a visit.

Stu Dudley

Other dining suggestions.
Gigondas, Les Florets,
Seguret, Mesclun,
Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau des Fines Roches.
If you do go to Sault, best Nouget is made and sold at the beautiful old shop of Andre Boyer.
If you see the Cavaillon mellon served with Beaume de venise dribbled over it, you are in for a treat!!

Thank you for the details! I was hoping they are like the wine villages in Alsace or Burgundy; nevertheless, it would still be nice to see the Rhone wine landscape & villages. We don't take wine from southern Rhone as seriously as from Burgundy/Bordeaux so we may just skip winery tasting. Has any of you been to Vaison la Romaine to desribe it?

I very much appreciate the restaurant recommendations as we will be staying in Chateau Talaud for 3 to 4 days. Is there anymore special places for dinner that anyone has been to? Reading Stu's description of Carpentras area actually makes me want to reduce our length of stay there. It's just that we've been to Avignon/Uzes & the Luberon twice but never been north of Gordes.

no matter where you go that is new to you, It will be through YOUR eyes and so no expectations but new and maybe joyful times.