Friday, March 8, 2013

Olive Oil and an Uphill Climb in Les Baux!

08/03/2013

Bonjour mes amis!

It's the end of another week, and I hope you are well.  I hope I didn't exhaust you with our "walk" yesterday, because I have a "hike" planned for today.  You can just rest over the weekend, okay?

Well, let's start out easy and drive to...
Castelas in Les Baux-de-Provence
and experience an...
Olive Oil Tasting!


We thought it was worthwhile to do an Olive Oil Tasting, since Olive Oil is a staple in French homes, and we actually use it ourselves, most days of the week.  You do an Olive Oil tasting much like a Wine Tasting...smell the oil, take it onto your tongue, and move it around in your mouth, allowing yourself to taste the flavor all over, even out to your cheeks.  Amazing, the different flavors in different parts of your mouth!

I found out about Castelas online while researching for our trip to Les Baux-de-Provence.  The French Owners of Castelas had lived in Arizona for some 15 years prior to purchasing the Olive Grove in Les Baux, so it was really nice to speak with the Owner in English.


We purchased some Olive Oil, of course, and are now happily enjoying it with bread and on soup.  The Owner told us that they have a distributor in the U.S. and they are (or soon will be) selling their products through Central Market, so yippee for us, we can even purchase their Olive Oil in Dallas!  (Don't you just love to purchase something when you can picture yourself right where the item is grown?  Makes it so much more personal then!)


As we head to the Village of Les Baux-de-Provence, notice the Olive Trees, on either side of the road...


Okay, soon you'll need to be ready to hike...this is the goal!


And, here is the challenge...don't worry we'll get you part of the way in the car...


First, a drive to the other side of the Mountain to view the Village...sorry, it's a bit hazy this morning!


On to the Village...Les Baux-de-Provence has been named one of the most beautiful Villages of France!


And now for the uphill climb...look back at how far we've come already...such a pretty Village...



Keep on, keepin' on!


Now, wasn't that worth it?  Olive Groves, Vineyards and Mountains, oh my!



The Final Goal is in sight now...


Enjoy the views along the way...









We made it!




All of this is the remains of Château de Les Baux-de-Provence!  We, of course, got to listen to the Audio guide for all the History...





Isn't this Village just beautiful?



Let's head back to the Village...




I just heard the Bells, so let's check out the Church...

(Let me just segue for a minute...speaking of Bells...this is one of things we love in France...hearing the Church Bells chime.  On Christmas Eve, the Church Bells in Orléans chimed for a full ten minutes!  I LOVED IT!)

Okay...on to the Church...






There was a little Chapel, too!


Thanks for coming along with us today!  It's all downhill from here...


Wasn't it fun to see those Olive Grove views from on top of the Mountain?  Such a peaceful scene!  Now that we had an Olive Oil Tasting, tomorrow we should go on a Wine Tasting.  What do you say?  Meet me back here...same place!

Have a "Jewel" of a day!
Jan



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