The ollie that got left behind

The little people of Provence - traditional figures, santons de Provence

It's no 'Bah, Humbug'!!



La Cure Gourmande

Stack of ginger biscuits.

La Cure Gourmande

Boxes and boxes of delicious biscuits

La Cure Gourmande

Calissons are the traditional sweetmeats of Aix-en-Provence, being made primarily of almond and fruit pastes. They have been made in the traditional way for centuries and even Fortnum and Mason sell them. But buying and eating them in their city of origin is a bit special.


La Cure Gourmande

Famous biscuiterie in Aix-en-Provence, La Cure Gourmande

Favourites!

Stonework

Windows of Provence

'La nuit lentement cloutait le ciel'  René Frégni

Which roughly translates as 'The night will slowly nail down the sky' - maybe!
Found painted on a wall in Place de Saint-Sauveur, Manosque.

This simple campanile is on the clock tower of the village of Lurs. This place used to be the summer residence of the Bishops of Sisteron in earlier days, but was all but abandoned in the twentieth century as it had no electricity or mains water. In the second half of the century a group of graphic designers led by Maximilian Vox saved it and it survives today as one of Alpes de Haute Provence's pretty hilltop villages.

The belfry of L'Eglise du Saint-Esprit, Aix en Provence dates from 1677. It is also one of the more intricate designs.

The Tour de L'Horloge with it's lacy campanile is in the Place de l'Hotel de Ville in  the old centre of Aix en Provence. The tower was built on Roman foundations in the sixteenth century and an astronomical clock was added in the 1660s.

This simple campanile sits on the tower of the Soubeyran gate, Manosque. The gate is situated at the northern part of the mediaeval town and was known as the portali superior as early as 1216. The clock was added in 1834 so that the townsfolk living in the northern part of town would know the time. The gate was completely rebuilt in the 19th century as it was in such a poor state of repair.


With thanks to L'Occitane Foundation for this information.

Le Campanile de L'Eglise Saint-Sauveur, Manosque.

Dating back to 1725 this campanile was created by Guillaume Bounard de Rians in 1725. It was commissioned first of all as the belfry for the town hall, but in 1868 it was reinstalled as the bell tower for this church when that town hall was demolished. It is considered to be one of the most finely worked campaniles in the Mediterranean area.


With thanks to the L'Occitane Foundation for this information.

See how they run!

Ceramic rainbow

Beautiful bowls

Camel for only €15

In the market

The centre point

Vins fins

Good honey - or maybe it was mead - found here

'It's just down there'

Shepherd and his flock

Shadow lamp

Nature's sign

Glass artist

Me and my shadow

Snowflake star by day and night

 

Festival of the Three Kings or Los Reyes Magos

Dashing thru' the snow on a one horse open sleigh - - -

Bringing in the New Year

Then he ran away barking!

The little dog laughed to see such fun!

Setting sun lights the mountains

Sunset over the sea

Cactus goes surfing

Christmas tree, cooling fountain of light

Escape or oblivion

Flames get hotter, snake moves faster

White snake slithers by the fire

Green dragon with forky tongue