Ruins, aqueduct, wine and sunset: Another full day
Our first destination for the day was Les Baux de Province, a hilltop village with Roman ruins. We had too little time and too many ambitions for the day to truly do it justice. We were trying to do Rick Steve's one week tour of Provence in one day. We still made time for cafe au lait and crepes in the village and vowed that we will be back. The castle ruins were impressive.
Then it was off, by convoluted GPS route, to Pont du Gard. The driver and the chief navigator have hit every back road and alley in Provence. Today Ken had to collapse the side mirrors to get down the alley the chief navigator directed him through. It was very exciting and quite funny, but then I wasn't driving! Ken might choose a different way to describe the experience. And since Ken was at the wheel, you know none of it was in slow motion. We felt like we were in a car rally.
Once at Pont du Gard it struck us that the Romans knew a thing or two about aqueduct building, and we were fascinated by the museum and film which explained the process. Keith and Ken would still be in the museum if Val and I hadn't taken action. Even Val and I were absorbed. The engineering is a marvel. It is also an absolutely gorgeous sight. We hiked around and across the aqueduct and took many, many pictures.
Then we made a beeline to Chateauneuf du Pape to taste wine. The first cellar we went to was The Best Vintage Cave where we sampled a variety of whites and reds. We then proceeded to a second cellar, but the name escapes me. I wonder why? We purchased wine in both places to savour with dinner.
Another high speed rally had us enjoying wine and watching the sun set in Crillon le Brave before returning to the villa where we ate the steaks purchased in the afternoon, and tried to finish every last tasty morsel in the fridge. What a feast. It is a good thing we are back on the ponies tomorrow, but only as far as Avignon. It will take a few days riding to wear off the calories consumed tonight.
And who should we meet at Pont Du Gard? Roger, from London, who is a distant cousin of Coen in Victoria. He was very pleased to be our Chien of the Day, although he protested that he is British, not French, so should therefore be Dog of the Day.
