Wow! Provence has always been one of my favorite places here in France, but Vaison la Romaine is off the charts!! Everywhere I looked I saw beautiful sights and experienced that wonderful light and fragrance so particular to Provence. It is certainly one of the many "I could retire here villages" I have found along the way! Vaison la Romaine is especially interesting because it is really an area of three distinct historical periods. From a distance one can see a medieval castle ruin on a hill with the beautiful Ouvèze River mountains in the background. At you enter through the medieval gate you wind up through the narrow streets decorated with street fountains and creeper covered houses. We stayed in a beautiful B&B, L 'Evêché, a former Biship's residence. It was great to have our breakfast out on the terrace overlooking the valley below; the modern district of Vaison la Romaine. The third and most remarkable part of the town reflects the Roman Era. There are 37 acres of Roman ruins, and, therefore, is one of the largest archaeological sites in France. If the cities of Nimes, Arles and Orange are famous for their buildings, the ancient Vasio, as it was called almost 2,000 years ago, is celebrated for its private dwellings. It was wonderful to visit the Musée Archaéologique and then wander through some of the major ruins.
Another delight in the area..... the most southern Côte du Rhône wine region; Gigondas and
Châteauneuf- du -Pape. We just happened along a Salon du Vin where 75 wines were available for tasting! All in all...a superb week-end!
