Vence to Castellane - Cols Everywhere.

Before we left Vence we took breakfast outside the hotel and walked up the street further to discover the Matisse Chapel. It explodes with colours of Provence and just invites you to take photos. Pleased I discovered it.

The colours of the Matisse Chapel become more brilliant as the Provence sun rises.

We thought yesterday was scenery to die for but today it was scenery the you could have died for if you weren't careful on the roads. The road from Vence took us further into the high country to Grasse where Sue needed to experiment with a perfume that was designed for her. Now I have to tell you that this is all lost on me. I don't understand perfume or jewellery - these are girl things.

BUT, Grasse was an amazing town way up in the hills. Much the same as Vence but different!

Grasse is known for its perfume industry and as Sue was in the little perfume shops, I was out taking pics of the amazing medieval architecture of Grasse mixed with a little of what works today for Grasse in the art shops. We came into Grasse from the old town side and didn't realise that most tourists come in from the modern city. We emerged from the historic town to see a Casino and trendy hotels catering for the visitors to this town famous for its perfume.

One of the several Grasse museums.

The main streets of Historic Grasse cater for souvenir buying tourists.

But its the back streets and up high that I find more interesting.

After leaving Grasse we took the road to Castellane. I love these roads - they are on top of the world at 1100 metres above Sea level. I can imagine Le Tour coming through these areas and Velo battles being fought. We saw many cyclists on the road masquerading as Tour de France stage winners. They were mostly my age - want to be and has beens but enjoying their passion. Harsh but true, however I'm sure that their grimaces turned to smiles as they recounted how they conquered Col such and such!!!!

I wish I could have joined them.

How I would love to ride these roads - with scenery and weather like this!!!

We arrived at Castellane mid afternoon and went directly to the Tourist Office for a local map. Not knowing a great deal about Castellane, we were pleasantly surprised. Take a step back to when we were driving towards Castellane - on a rocky outcrop high above was what we thought was a building of some sort. It was naturally a building of religion, a chapel.

Our hosts, Alfonse and Hilda who have retired from Belgium to France with their Harley Davidsons. This picture is for my friend Ellen who with her partner Chris own big BMWs.

Our B and B was on the outskirts of the village, owned by Hilda and Alfonse, a couple from Belgium who decided to take their Harley Davidson's to St Tropez for the day to meet other Harley riders. There was a note on the door to let ourselves in, which we did. Just by chance we discovered that Castellane had a Citroen Museum. I'm not sure if many of you know but including Alfas and MGs, Citroens have played a big part in our life. Traction Avants were my first real cars and we still have a Citroen Xantia. SO! We (I) needed to check out the Citroen Museum. Some very unique examples were on view taking in the gambit of SM, CX, GS, D, 2CV, H Van, Traction Avant and their derivatives.

This one is for Simon and Susan in the Loire.

Being very relaxed (tired) from our several hours of driving in the high altitude winding roads, we decided an indoor picnic was in order for tonight's dinner. So off to the local Super Marche for a baguette, some strawberries, Camembert de Normandie and a couple of bottles of wine, a rose from Val de Loire and a 1/2 bottle of red from Saumur. We had some pate that completed the meal. Might wander back into the village for a coffee and a digestif.

Dinner tonight was a picnic in our B&B at Castellane. Pate, strawberries, a baguette,  some cheese and wine from the Touraine. We did however drive into town for desert, a digestive and an espresso.

Yes, we did go into the village and glad we did - met the  new owner of the restaurant and learned that he'd just taken on the business in the last few months for the coming summer. He grew up in Cannes. My desert was sorbet drowned in Vodka and Sue had meringue, ice-cream, chocolate sauce with Chantilly cream. Espresso and a digestive helped us sleep well.

See you tomorrow as we drive the Canyon Verdon to Aix de Provence.