Keith's Globe Trotting Blog: ROAD TRIP FROM MALLORCA THROUGH FRANCE - PART 2 PROVENCE

Mount Ventoux

Nr Gorge de Verdun

Villars - The Luberon

PROVENCE

The hotel really was foul (the price was a giveaway I guess!), but I didn’t help when after concocting a magic virus remedy (suggested by Dr Katie) of turmeric, pepper, ginger, honey and lemon….I used the microwave to simmer, and it overflowed all over, out and down the front of the furniture - leaving a curry stain even after a amazingly chilled desk manager cleaned it all up.😂

Suffice to say, the remedy was predictably bollix.🤷‍♂️

Coincidentally the previous night, I went to an Indian restaurant in the centre of Avignon, which was very nice and historical….the city, not the curry shop!

Leaving Avignon, and still on driving / photo duty only, I drove over the nearby infamous Mt Ventoux - dodging the throngs of cyclists, most partaking in some sort of event….surprisingly a fair number were walking very early on, long way to walk in bike shoes?!

Heading south east to the Luberon, I stayed one night near Apt / Gargas…..with rolling countryside, very rural with lots of Lavender fields….which became a theme across Provence. Using Komoot I plotted a 20km evening ride….but it was tougher than I expected!😅

Moving on again, I was further east than I had initially anticipated, getting very close to the Italian border….and south of the Alps! I needed to check out the Gorge du Verdun (The Grand Canyon of France)….and it was quite impressive….although a long day in the car again…😍🙄

I then made the decision to head north, affectively back towards home….but firstly into the Alps.🗻🗻

So that was almost the end of Languedoc and Provence….not overly impressed, but then again was that due to my mental state….and my virus. This was the first of my travels where I’d had some bland lethargic days….or had the novelty of travelling wore off!?