According to the forecast for this weekend, which is for rain, our wonderful spring weather won't be as glorious as it has been for the earlier part of this week. It has been amazing to see how the plants are pushing the reluctant Spring into bursting upon us. I noticed a green tinge along the fronds of the weeping willows that line one of the streets where I walk and there are some glorious pink blossoms presaging summer fruits. I've noticed some forsythia plants that seem to be further along than my own, but my own is trying valiantly and should burst into blossom any day now. I put out some
viola cornuta, which most people I know call "Johnny-Jump-Ups," on my terrace this afternoon, in my preferred dark blue and yellow colors, cleaned off the dusty table top and brought out four of the chairs that have been in storage for the winter. Friend D will have a place to sit and admire the view for the very short time that she's here. I'll put my favorite
nappe provençale (tablecloth) on the table; it's one that's been specially treated so that it's easy to keep clean and, whether it's raining outside or not, the bright colors lift my spirits enormously.
When we were in Provence in 1995, after about three days of pedaling around on our bicycles ... and having a marvelous time doing so ... we decided that we should finish up our stay by travelling to see several villages by car. We were no doubt helped in this decision by a brisk
mistral that began blowing right around the same time. Battling headwinds while riding uphill is not a cyclist's dream.
We had visited the beautiful village of
Lourmarin on our 1993 bike tour, but a day excursion there from Gordes on our bicycles was a bit more strenuous than we wanted in the circumstances, especially because we also wanted to visit a couple other villages in the area.
When we had previously visited Lourmarin, we had the pleasure of staying in the beautiful
Moulin de Lourmarin hotel. It was the first place where I had ever tried one of the regional specialities,
les calissons d'Aix, which were left beside our pillows instead of chocolates. For our second visit, we merely drove to the village and walked around, remembering how we had loved our first view of the place. Of course, we couldn't miss having coffee on the terrace of our former hotel.
From there, we meandered around driving and stopping as the mood struck us. But we decided that a visit to
Lacoste was a must. The village of Lacoste has nothing to do with
René Lacoste of polo shirt fame, and everything to do with its most infamous resident,
the Marquis de Sade. Sade's best-known contribution to the world is the word "sadism," derived from his scandalous and libertine lifestyle and his alleged habit of abusing his partners in this lifestyle. His castle in Lacoste was burned and sacked by angry mobs during
the French Revolution. He ultimately had to sell it in its ruined state. Here is an ominous-looking photo of this former abode of ill repute.
When we were there in 1995, we visited the ruins. It was true that not much was left at that time. Since then, however, much has changed. In 2001, the castle was acquired by the fashion designer
Pierre Cardin, who
has renovated it since, while still trying to maintain its "karma."
Lacoste is now a trendy and fashionable part of Provence. One friend even has a lovely
mas (farmhouse of provence) nearby and loves to spend summers there with her family.
It's a far cry from the "old days" and one wonders what the Marquis would think of all this!
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