Randonee sur Mont Sainte Victoire

On Sunday, Nick, Lindsey, Matt, Caroline(Lindsey’s roommate) and I climbed the local “mountain to top all mountains”, Mont Sainte Victoire. The range is visible throughout all of the Pays d'Aix and familiar to any who know Cézanne's paintings. He painted it over 80 times! It's one of our favorite landmarks too.



It was a nice day, low 70's, light breeze although a bit hazy due to brush burning in local village farmlands. This ascent has become an annual event/challenge for Nick and I and today, the day after the climb, I’m proud to say we’ve made it three for three, although it seemed harder this year than last. Hmm...

The route we took started in St.Marc de Jaumegard at the dam of Lac du Bimont, an important water supply for Aix and Marseille. Our destination, the most Western peak with the Croix de Provence on top has an elevation of 3103ft (946m). We hiked through forests, open trails and rough terrain. Also on the mountain that day, were about a hundred students from the Lycee Militaire d'Aix en Provence. Here you can see one group of them; a line of blue uniforms on the trail...



Nick looking toward the west, you can barely make out the blue water of the dam where we started our climb...


We climbed over rocky ridges, traversed many switchbacks and rested here and there...

In just under 2 hours, we finally made it to the cloister of Notre Dame de Ste.Victoire. This small church was built in the 17th century and was used daily by the monks who lived on top of the mountain.



Another 50m and we'd made it to the very top of the mountain at the Croix de Provence. Built between 1871 and 1875, thanks to the tenacity of a campaign priest, Father Meissonnier. Building funds were collected from parishioners throughout the diocese of Aix and Arles and the names of the 22,000 donors are still kept in copper container embedded in the monument. The pedestal has a height of 11 m and the metal cross is 7 m high. Struck by lightning three times between 2002 and 2003, the Cross was so badly damaged that restoration was seriously questioned but local commitment and architectural value weighed heavily in the decision to rebuilt it.




Right at the foot of the cross we found a good spot to rest and enjoy our well deserved picnic lunch...

The 360 views seem to go on forever despite the hazy skies...

What looks like snow in the distance of this photo is actually the limestone covered summit of Mt. Ventoux in the Luberon Mountains to the north...

Directly below us, we marvelled at the rugged mountain range surrounded by the rolling terrain of farmland and vineyards...

After lunch it seemed like everyone had the giggles....

Lindsey and Caroline posing for their Tri-Delt newsletter...

After admiring the scenery and resting a bit longer, we made our descent in about 1 ½ hours. The downward leg takes less time and is easier on the lungs, but it can be killer on the knees, ankles and feet. But as they say, “no pain no gain” and we were all glad to have made the trip...and also very happy to stop for a candy bar on the way home!

A source for the St Victoire info and also an interesting site about the small villages surrounding Aix:
http://www.provence-hideaway.com/219.html

La classe de poterie

The Bates family is doing something new and different....we're taking pottery classes! Our friend, Caren, gives private classes in her studio at her wonderful, quintecentially provencale bastide just outside of Aix. A few weeks ago, Nick, Lindsey, Sarah and I went for our first lesson. It's doubtful any of us have touched a piece of clay since grammar school but what fun we had. While doing our projects, we are entertained by jazz music on the radio, Caren's 3 adorable dachshunds and occasionally her husband, Jean, who took these photos. This day, Nick made a peanut bowl, Sarah a dauchshund, Lindsey started a nude a la Pamela Anderson and I worked on an angel figurine.


The following week when we returned we were almost all able to finish our projects and start some new ones....



We'll keep you posted on any great future masterpieces!

Rentree encore!

It's nearly the end of our first month in Aix and it sure has been a busy one! For a variety of reasons we've felt our third rentree has beene most difficult one so far. Moving into an apartment, adjusting to 'city' life, difficulties setting up communication all contributed to the process. We are just now feeling mostly settled into the apartment and are no longer living out of the boxes. We got the internet line up and running last Friday and this morning our land line has also finally started working!! Yes, you can now phone us (33 44 260 0182)! To some, living without these modern day 'conveniences' might seem like a welcome change, but living over here, the internet is our lifeline to the outside, English-speaking world, not to mention how Nick does business. Lack of an internet connection is my excuse for writing but one blog entry since we arrived so now I’ll attempt to catch up on what’s been going on.

The entire month of September is all about the “Rentree”. There are rentree parties, rentree lunches, rentree sales(especially for back to school supplies) and more. In general, it’s when everyone “re enters” life as they knew it before summer vacation. The most common use for 'rentree' is for 'back to school'. This year, Sarah is in the 'quatrieme classe' equivalent for US eighth grade at The International Bilingual School of Provence (IBS). Here she is on the first day of school with several of the girls in her class.



The parking situation at school has a particularly bad and well deserved reputation. On the first day of school, minus Antoine, the traffic director, it was a 'catastrophe'! Pure grid lock for about 30 minutes, which gave all the parents extra time for some rentree reuniting.





'Rentree' is definitley a time to reconnect with friends who you haven't seen all summer. We’ve been busy getting together with friends for lunches, dinners, a swim or a hike.

Hilary and Dom had us over for dinner to their new and first apartment! Lindsey's friend, Caroline, also studying here this semester from College of Charleston, came along.

Fabien and Cecile has the Bates and Jones families over for an al fresco rentree lunch. We had a chance to meet the newest addition to their family: Douglas, an adorable ,11 week old, King Charles Spaniel, with whom we all fell instantly in love!

Caroline really seemed to enjoy the day!

Darrin got a big laugh out of her!

Julie, Cecile and I were thrilled to be reunited.

Nick and I have gone on two beautiful hikes with the International Hiking Group of Provence. The first, to the southeast to the lovely, coastal town of Bandol, and the second to the southwest to the smaller and a bit more rugged, coastal town of Niolon.

Bandol...







Niolon...

Julie Butler emerging from one of several tunnels we passed through...












Off the trail, we've also enjoyed being right in Aix this month. The town has been alive with rentree street festivals nearly every weekend. One festival seemed to be all about modes of transportation and another all about movement be it dance, roller blading or scootering. It is a treat to be promenading on the Cours Mirabeau without any cars. Nick was fascinated by all the dancing in the street. We thought perhaps Nick was going to sign up for salsa or belly dancing classes!







Last but not least, this past Thursday was our first Women's Monthly Luncheon, called what else? the Rentree lunch!






That's all for now. See you in October!!!

Salut! Rebonjour!

It's been a while since I've posted anything on the blog so not only do I have lots of catching up from the summer, but I need to get going on the events of our first 10 days here as well. So, here goes....

Nick, Lindsey, Sarah and I departed Duxbury, August 31 and flew to MRS via Frankfort. Lufthansa flight was a disappointment in comfort, food and amenities but it was on time and we arrived in Marseille at 9:45am on September 1. Despite lack of sleep and the fact that it was really only 3:45 in the morning EST we were bright, chipper and SO happy to be in France!! Our realtor, Rebecca, met us at the airport and brought us and our mound of luggage to 30 Victor Hugo #S3, our new home in Aix for at least the year.

Arriving in Aix and seeing the fountain at La Rotonde, just one block away from our apartment, was exhilarating for us all! Right in the centre ville, our with a few doctors’ offices and an American study abroad office(not Lindsey’s program) on the ground floor. We parked at our building, an older, 5 story greystone, and schlepped our luggage and bags up to our 3rd floor apartment in the tiny 3 person elevator (many trips!) but at least we didn’t have to do all of it by stairs! The owners, Dr. and Mme Sacco met us at the apt and, together with Rebecca, we went over the lease, signed a contract and were shown a few things about the property.




Darrin and McKenna Jones met us at the apartment with keys to our car which they had kindly kept for us over the summer. That allowed us to drive Lindsey up to Marie Françoise’s house where she will be living for the semester. Her friend, Caroline, had already arrived from the airport and the girls had a wonderful reunion. Marie Françoise was also happy to see all the other Bates again and invited us all to stay for lunch! What a “first meal back in France” we were treated to! She just “whipped up” a salad of fresh garden tomatoes tossed with olive oil, basil and balsamic, individual bowls of chilled, cooked, aubergine(eggplant), zucchini and red peppers, an aubergine caviar and of course a fresh baguette. Following this first course, we had hot spaghetti tossed with homemade pesto and parmesan cheese, to which of course you could add any of the above mentioned delicacies if you had any room left in your tummy!

After lunch, Sarah, Nick and I left Lindsey and Caroline to unpack and we returned to our apartment to attempt to do the same. It will take quite a while to fit all our things into this space but with time and careful organization I’m hoping it all fits.

The apartment, owned by a retired Aixois couple, is decorated in the art deco style and is truly lovely. With high ceilings and large French doors and windows in every room it has great light all day. The tile and parquet floors, custom painted walls(the hallway is painted with a special paint from nearby Roussillon), many fine crystal chandeliers, period leather and other furniture pieces, art work, all give it a very sophisticated feeling. We certainly haven’t found this in our last two rentals where IKEA furnishings reined supreme.






We have 6 rooms and a large center hallway. The sunny living room opens into a good sized dining room where the sideboard contains a large set of formal china, linens and every kind of formal glassware you can imagine. There are 33 dinner plates! I envision many dinner parties, not to mention a Thanksgiving feast, ahead. The kitchen is rather small (maybe those big dinner parties will have to be pot luck!) but will function just fine. A large, second informal dining/family room will function as library, music/game room and nick’s office-obviously not all at the same time. It also has a small twin bed for an afternoon nap or maybe a single guest. The apartment has 2 bedrooms. Funny story, we almost didn’t take this place because the master bed was too short for Nick but the owners removed the foot board and now he does fit but with not an inch of mattress to spare. Sarah’s room has two twin beds, a desk, chest of drawers and an armoire so she has plenty of space. It is bright and cheerfully decorated; perfect for a 13 year old girl. We have two bathrooms but only one WC which, like apartment living, will also take a bit of getting used to but will be fine.

On our second day here, we had the unpleasant task of retrieving ALL of our other belongings from the house we lived in last year. Fortunately, Darrin and Dom came to our aid and brought the church van along to help. Miraculously, we able to load everything into the van and our Peugeot wagon so we only had to make one trip. We were glad to close that chapter of our lives and move forward. Getting all the stuff up to the apartment was made easier by the assistance not only of Darrin and Dom but Lindsey, Caroline and our friend, Aia, as well. Now, several days later, we are still surrounded by boxes and bags but day by day we are chipping away at the mess and trying to find extra storage beneath beds, in cupboards, closets and corners. No sense spending all our time doing work when the weather is hot and there are friends to see, things to do places to go!!

a bientot!