Springtime in Provence: A Sequel to Carpe Diem

By Jo Anne Wilson
Sun correspondent
SAIGNON, France (March 18, 2004) — It’s the middle of March and I’m in Southern France. I needed a break after a bitter Northern Michigan winter. Here, the climate is mild and the sun shines three hundred and twenty days a year. Serious snowfall happens a couple of times a season and may amount to three inches. After this month of rest and relaxation, I’ll return to the States.

In July, I’ll leave my two cats in Michigan, follow my dreams, and come back here to live for a year. I’ll reside in one of five stone cottages on the Domaine de Claparèdes, an old restored lavender farm. Fields of lavender surround the cottages, and the original farmhouse is now called Les Lavandins (Lavender House). Each cottage serves as a vacation destination and I’ll be acting as the guardienne. I’ll oversee the running of the property and have the unique opportunity to meet guests from all over the world. Claparèdes literally means “rocky pile” and there are a lot of them around. Many of the stones remind me of Lake Michigan beach stones. I suppose a geologist could tell me why, but I’m content with them as reminders of my Michigan home.
The property sits on a plateau above the medieval village of Saignon. It’s a five-minute drive or a half hour walk down to the village. The road twists and turns through fields of lavender with spectacular views of the Luberon Mountains and Mt. Ventoux in the distance.
There’s not too much in Saignon: church, school, post office, bakery, a couple of small restaurants and the Auberge du Presbytère. The Auberge, a small hotel, was an old monastery and is listed in the Hôtels du Charme. I go to the bakery each day for a fresh baguette and buttery croissant. Most of the village sleeps in the winter and comes alive during the summer tourist season, much like Glen Arbor.
For groceries and other needs, I drive an additional five minutes into the valley and the town of Apt. Apt has 3,000 fewer inhabitants than Traverse City and is settled around an 11th century cathedral, not a bay. One section of the town has a cobblestone street constructed over an old Roman road. Apt is also the site of a large outdoor Saturday market, which goes on year ‘round. The town has supermarkets, restaurants, bakeries, a superb art supply store and plenty of cafés. Even in mid-winter, it’s possible to sit outside in the sun and enjoy an espresso.
Looking out of my window, with its blue shutters, I see yellow forsythia. The almond trees are in bloom and their blossoms create a pinkish haze against the sunny provençal sky. It may only be March, but it’s already springtime in Provence,
Readers are invited to explore Jo Anne’s website www.meetmeinprovence.com and the Claparèdes site www.provencecottages.com.