why we need to have guests...

During the summer I usually have many visitors passing through and other than the fun of catching up with friends and family, the thing I enjoy the most is showing them this region of Provence that has become so close to my heart. When you live in a country for a length of time it is easy to start taking her beauty for granted - it is not an intentional habit - but it is natural to blindly run through the day to day. I do try and follow all those sensible sentiments that make us aware of ourselves and our surroundings but life often stops us in our tracks and takes our mind of the main gain.

This is where the guests come in. They make me open my eyes, they make me view Provence as if it is my first visit and they make me explore places that I always mean to venture to, but never quite seem to make. This summer I am having a little love affair with the Luberon. The Luberon region is both a range of mountains that runs between the towns of Cavaillon and Manosque  and a national parkland; a picturesque part of France not only for the natural landscape but also for the villages perched precariously on the hillsides.

It is some of these villages that I have begun to take a closer look at in the last month, thanks to the curiosity and excitement of my friends. Gordes, Menerbes, Bonnieux, Lourmarin and Cucuron......I have become enraptured with their loveliness and smitten by their charm. They are my favourite day out.....for the moment. xv

image of the village of gordes - me