Provence Summer 2013

Summer in Provence! It is where everyone wants to be, the air is fresh (and very hot) with a scent of lavender in the air. Last summer we went to Provence in search of the lavender fields and left just a little disappointed. We did not find the super saturated purple fields that you see on calendars and in coffee table books, but that was likely due to arriving several weeks early before the fields were in full bloom. This summer we returned a few weeks later and were rewarded with some spectacular views of lavender fields in full bloom. Now we know where the pictures on the Provence calendars come from, not “photo-shopped” as we originally suspected.  

If you do an internet search of where to see lavender fields, you will be directed to the areas around Mont Ventoux, Sault, Apt, Gordes and Saignon. We headed northeast from Montpillier and came to the area around Mont Ventoux where the fields start. In and around Sault, the capital of lavender in Provence, we saw some of the most vividly colored fields. When you walk around the fields and in between the rows, you hear a low hum of honey bees and see the sway of the blossoms with their movement. Another favorite spot to take pictures is the Senanque Abbey near Gordes. Many a calendar photo is taken of lavender fields in front of the 12th century church. Today the monks living there grow lavender and tend bees to support their livelihood within the abbey. After a day of taking photos in the hot summer sun, you tend to get a little thirsty. So we headed south to one of the wine regions of Provence.

Chateauneuf du Pape, “the Pope’s new castle” is an AOC in the Rhone wine region in Southeastern France. In 1308, Pope Clement V moved the Papacy from Rome to Avignon France and stayed for the next 70 years. The group of popes known as the “Avignon Popes” had a reputation as wine lovers, in particular Pope John XXII, originally from Cahors, who did much to promote the wines of this region. Pope John XXII was responsible for building the castle which is now the emblematic symbol of the appellation. The appellation, Chateauneuf du Pape was the first AOC created in France. The reason for the creation of the AOC in 1923 was to combat rampant wine fraud in the region. Chateauneuf du Pape AOC created protocols for guideline development of appellation rules and regulations throughout all France. They were first in setting vineyard boundaries, limits to harvest per acre, types of grapes and minimum alcohol by volume. The types of wine bottles were also standardized, with extra heavy glass and an embossed label, making it harder to counterfeit.

The wines have recently gained international popularity due to Robert M. Parker Jr. giving them high scores in his “Wine Advocate”. Not only have they become more popular, but also more expensive. There are three distinct terriors: The North with round rocks and pebbles resulting from the ancient Alpine glaciers which were later smoothed by the Rhone River. The rocks absorb the daytime sun and keep the grapes warm overnight allowing for faster ripening. The East is characterized by sandy soil while the South has a grittier make up. Grenache is the dominate grape with 72% of the plantings and adds a sweet jam-like flavor to the wine. Syrah accounts for 10.5% of the grapes and adds color and spice, while the third most prominent grape is Mourvedre at 7% adding elegance and structure. There are 10 other grapes allowed in the region, but make up less than 10% of the plantings. Overall the red wines are described as having earthy, gamy flavors with hints of tar and leather. They can be tough and tannic in their youth, but allowing them to can cellar for years they can become more rich and spicy as they age.  

White wines from this region make up only 5-7% of the total wine produced and Rose is not permitted to be produced within this appellation. Since it was a very hot day, we were offered samples of the white wines which we found to be delicious. The grapes used are Grenache Blanc and Roussanne for fruity and fatness; Bourboulenc, Clairette and Picpoul for acidity and floral flavors. These white wines are a bit unusual, in that some can be aged 7-8 years to develop exotic aromas and scents of orange peel.  

After an overnight in the town of Orange, we drove to another region of Provence that was most surprising, The Camargue. The Camargue area is between the two arms of the Rhone River as it enters the Mediterranean Sea. It is known as a wetland of international importance covering 360 square miles. Over one third of the area is lakes or marshland making it a habitat for birds. In the central area is a National Park where over 400 species of migrating birds take refuge spring and fall between Northern Europe and Africa. Some of the star attractions of the area is the pink flamingo along with 9 species of heron. Not only are there birds here, but the area is famous for its black bulls and white horses. The bulls are particular breed which are used for fighting, many going off to Spain. The horses turn white as they age and ridden by the only European cowboys known as “Guardiens”. Other products from the area are rice and salt. The salt has been harvested from the sea for centuries and in the Middle Ages, Cistercian abbeys controlled the salt commerce, hence the term “Salt Abbeys”.  

The biggest town in the area is Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The plural in the name goes back the three women who were at the tomb of Jesus at the time of his resurrection: St. Mary Magdalene, St. Mary Salome and St. Mary Jacob. Legend has it that after Jesus returned to heaven, these three women along with Joseph of Arimathea escaped from Alexandria Egypt and ended up here. Another traveler with this group was St. Sarah who was an Egyptian servant of the three Marys. St. Sarah is the patron Saint of the Romas and every May they arrive in town for a religious celebration. The day we arrived, there was a festival and horse show. The “Guardiens” rode their white horses into town, while the women and girls were wearing traditional clothing. It was interesting to see the cowboys in colorful shirts arriving to the square in front of the church where the girls were lined up ready to go inside. The church building itself was fortified in the 14th century to be able to with stand the attack of pirates. This is probably the most remote and wildest part of France and although off the beaten track, well worth the effort to get here.