31st October, Vaison-la-Romaine

Both the regions that we have lived and toured and adventured in, of the Rhône-Alpes and Provence, have seen visits, occupations and colonisation from the neighbouring Italians or, to be more precise, the Romans. When the Empire collapsed they left relics and reminders of their presence and we have mentioned in this blog some of those that we have visited in Vienne and Le Pont du Gard for example.

About 8 kms from Sablet is the former Roman city of Vaison-la-Romaine, now a thriving modern Provençal town with a medieval old town hovering above it. But it also contains the largest Gallo-Roman site in France. This "open air museum" is spread over  large areas of this relatively modern town.
Its discovery came with the excavation for urban development in the 19th century when the population from the medieval town began migrating towards the lower town and onto the site of the now buried Gallo-Roman city.
Discoveries were still being made as late as 2010, when during renovations to Le Place Montfort, the large central open space of the town, surrounded by its shops and cafes, the remains of the former city were found to continue under this heart of the contemporary town.

Remains of a Roman villa 

Roman bridge and the only one in France 
still in normal traffic operation today

Place Montfort

However, we did not come to Vaison (as referred to by the locals) for the history - we came to go shopping. Not grocery shopping but proper shopping.

One of Vaison's proper shopping streets and all to ourselves

The Vaison area also has a reputation as having a fine array of Provençal potteries and we sought them out to find something different. One of them, a  rather large pottery, is the Poterie de Crestet and if  Ann cannot find a delicatessan or a gold shop, she will settle for a decent poterie. The array of pots, vases, garden ornaments, plates, dishes, bowls and outdoor pizza and bread ovens was amazing, colourful and so inexpensive. We could have gone crazy with the credit card here but we have to get these things home. Excess baggage or postal charges would have exceeded the purchase costs.

Ann going "potty"

The ultimate outdoor pizza/ bread oven 
with BBQ for just 2,350€

Rows of garden ornaments

We had an unusual "menu de jour" lunch in a smal back street at a traditional Breton crêperie of galette with ham and egg and a crepe with caramel sauce - absolutely fantastic for 10€ each. We met the lady at the next table and after discussions in French and English she invited us back to her place at the foot of Séguret (see earlier blog) for drinks on the way home. How delightful and we accepted. 

Our lunch time crêperie, La Fleur de Sel

Today was Halloween and it's big here. With school holidays on the kids were out in force at lunch time in their costumes and scariest of faces and they caught us at lunch and for a photograph or two they were each rewarded with a kangaroo stick pin. I don't know who was more excited - the kids, their mothers or me.

Bob with the scary witches and wizard

After lunch we visited the medieval town over the Roman bridge and again it was different to those visited previously. The biggest difference was that it appeared empty - there was nobody there, although the place was clean and tidy. There were "for sale" signs up everywhere and no sounds coming from the houses. Normally one can hear voices and radio and music but not here. An enquiry to a local told us that a lot of the houses were owned by other European country owners who only visit on holidays. There were though a lot of art galleries and boutique hotels and restaurants, most  closed, but we can imagine that it becomes pretty busy in the summer.

Medieval town scene

View of Vaison-la-Romaine from the old town

On the way to our new acquaintance's house we stopped off at a Cave de Vin (wine cellar) to top up our vin rouge supply and were amazed to see a wine filling station where you could fill your own or the cellar's containers of up to 20 liters of the wine of your choice and they were not just any old wine. The French love their wine.

Wine filling station

What a great and varied day it was!