Our France Vacation 2015 - Bandol Again!!!: Lourmarin & Menerbes

This morning I decided to return to my favorite running route in Lourmarin/Puyvert. I thought it would be fun to run by the old house we rented on our last visit. Not to mention we are here a whole month and half earlier so the scenery should be much different with more growth. I left our hotel and headed past Chateau Lourmarin toward Puyvert on a perfect morning. It is hard to believe that it will be 35 degrees C today as I am running in a long sleeve shirt this morning.

Views during my run

The village of Puyvert. The house is just beside the bell tower.

This is not a view I see often in Dallas

This hill traumatized me 2 years ago and I was finally able to make it. The picture doesn't do it justice, but it's a steep one.

Seriously, running in the hills of the Luberon is quite different than Dallas!

OMG - These hills didn't get any easier to run! I'm DYING but it was worth it.

We discovered that there was a Thursday market in Menerbes and since we didn't make it there on our last visit it seemed like the perfect road trip for today. So we packed up and drove through the narrow roads with insane cliffs to Menerbes. (I still don't care for those roads!)

Menerbes is very quaint little town and the market was cute but small. I think everyone that visited with us last time read one or more of Peter Mayle's books on Provence. Interestingly enough his 'A Year in Provence' was written while he lived in Menerbes. But he has since moved and lives just on the outskirts of Lourmarin. Smart guy!

Stopping for a cafe and a little patisserie treat for breakfast in Menerbes

While walking around the market in Menerbes, we met a group that was from New York that was doing a bike tour through Provence as their vacation. I cannot imagine - that must be a new approach to a 'fat camp' because they must go home 20-25lbs lighter after riding 60 miles per day in 90+ degree weather through the mountains! It is not a vacation that appeals to us but best of luck to them!

The views from Menerbes were beautiful

Perhaps this is the way to go for Meteorologists - a chalkboard instead of a green screens!

Once we walked through the market we discovered the restaurants that we had read about. One that seemed amazing was the Cafe Veranda and it certainly lived up to its reputation and reviews. We both took advantage of the plat du jour - a red tuna steak with provencal vegetables which was cooked perfectly. Quite honestly we could have shared one it was so big.

What fun is a french meal without having a proper dessert and cafe. London selected the profiteroles and I think we were all glad that she did. They were as delicious as they were beautiful.

Once we returned from Menerbes back to Lourmarin we took a table at the famous Cafe Gaby on the main street/corner in Lourmarin. This cafe is always packed with the only purpose to people watch. Some of the local artists have used this corner in their paintings/artwork to show the provencal way of life. Have a cafe (or rose wine) and watch the world go by, literally.

The town was a buzz because Cafe Gaby had stated that they were going to have TVs outside for everyone to watch the World Cup. But in true french fashion they were not ever able to get anyone out to install them in time. (Honestly our dreams of buying a house in France and renovating get more and more intimidating as we spend more time around french contractors/workers.) But even without the tvs it was an enjoyable afternoon.

French EZ Messenger Partner - Haha

More dessert???? London can never pass up an opportunity for glace

Upon leaving Cafe Gaby we headed over to the playground for London to run off some of that sugar she had just inhaled. We took a seat on the bench that is known in our family as the 'Pappy Time Out Bench.' Check out how much we have grown! Again, we need Pappy in France. Look at the difference from 2012 to 2014!

London on the 'Pappy Time Out Bench' in 2014

London & Pappy on the 'Pappy Time Out Bench' in 2012.

There are so many shops around our hotel that I loved exploring. They take their displays quite seriously and changed them out daily. This one is possibly my favorite. Perhaps they were trying to emulate Karl Lagerfeld's Metier d'Art from the Paris-Dallas 2013 show???? I sent this to Lindsey to see if this is what she had in mind for a gift from France. Sadly, she said no.

After a much needed nap, we happened up this gem in Lourmarin that I have NO IDEA how we missed for the 6 weeks we spent here in 2012. 'The Terrasse' is this amazing upstairs tapas/champagne bar that overlooks Lourmarin. It was a rainy evening so I wasn't sure if we would be able to sit outside. Fortunately it just sprinkled a bit and we took advantage of the couch-like seating. We were trying to figure out dinner plans when London decided to fall asleep. With such a large lunch we weren't really hungry so a few small plates of charcuterie and fromage with a bottle of champagne seemed just about perfect. Sweet dreams, my little love. This was possibly the most relaxing evening of our trip so far! Don't worry about London, once she woke up we stopped at the next door pizzeria on the way back to the hotel.