We met in the hotel lobby at 9am with our backpacks and a touch of trepidation, ready for our first real hike on Provencal soil. The temperature had already
reached
85o F as we piled into two modern air-conditioned vans and drove to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, some 7 miles north of Avignon. The Chateau was built in the 14th century as a summer palace for Pope John XXII. It is said he was very fond of the grapes grown in that region, well known for making some
of the best wines in the area.
We explored the ruins of the old chateau, before making our way downhill
through the vineyards toward the famous winery, Cave of Château La Nerthe – Cave
in this instance meaning cellar. Since the temperature had now risen to about 98o F, we were more than delighted to visit the interior of the winery
where it was temperature-controlled and cool.
The winery itself was quite impressive, filled with large oak barrels and
long dark corridors, so it was not a surprise the wine tasting was also excellent. This was one of our favorite stops on our walk through the vineyards.
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| gorgeous grapes in the vineyards |
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| vineyard kitty who followed us for miles |
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| Château La Nerthe |
All too soon we had
to return outside to the heat and an uphill trek back through the vineyards to
the vans. Before we attempted the hill again, Charlotte and Pierre prepared a charming picnic for us in the woods, just past the winery. The food was both ascetically
pleasing and delicious. These enchanting hillside picnics became one of our
favorite events throughout the trip.
After our
picnic, we continued up the hill through the small town of
Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
As we approached the top of the hill, we planned an afternoon “apéritif”. Apparently this is a famous French tradition in which one imbibes in what is cutomarily an alcoholic beverage while taking a short break in the afternoon. Excited to join in and honor this great tradition, we stopped at a café where the group tried everything from diet coke (“coke light in France), café, lemonade, and of course the occasional glass of wine.
Once re-hydrated, we were easily able to complete our hillside climb, and returned to our air-conditioned vans (thank goodness!) for the drive to Vaison La Romaine, our stop for the night. There were two hotels scheduled here - Hostellerie Le Beffroi, and just down the way, the Hôtel la Fête. Maria and I stayed at this second hotel along with the 2 guides. Everyone else stayed at Le Beffroi. Apparently neither hotel could hold all fifteen of us.
To get to these hotels required climbing a very steep stone staircase which led up to the old city at the top of the hill. Looking up from the bottom of the steps, it appeared quite a formidable task – especially after a long day of hiking in 900 heat. But somehow the promise of dinner and soft beds was enough to motivate us.
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| Chateanuneuf-du-Pape |
As we approached the top of the hill, we planned an afternoon “apéritif”. Apparently this is a famous French tradition in which one imbibes in what is cutomarily an alcoholic beverage while taking a short break in the afternoon. Excited to join in and honor this great tradition, we stopped at a café where the group tried everything from diet coke (“coke light in France), café, lemonade, and of course the occasional glass of wine.
Once re-hydrated, we were easily able to complete our hillside climb, and returned to our air-conditioned vans (thank goodness!) for the drive to Vaison La Romaine, our stop for the night. There were two hotels scheduled here - Hostellerie Le Beffroi, and just down the way, the Hôtel la Fête. Maria and I stayed at this second hotel along with the 2 guides. Everyone else stayed at Le Beffroi. Apparently neither hotel could hold all fifteen of us.
To get to these hotels required climbing a very steep stone staircase which led up to the old city at the top of the hill. Looking up from the bottom of the steps, it appeared quite a formidable task – especially after a long day of hiking in 900 heat. But somehow the promise of dinner and soft beds was enough to motivate us.
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