Classical and ancient heritage

Vaison is your first stop for things Roman: its ampitheatre and its museums. Further afield you have Orange, Nimes, the Pont du Gard and Arles.

Going further back, how about visiting Le Pegue, the archeological museum dedicated to the celts and the greeks in Valreas. See http://museearcheoloepegue.com.

The collection comes from an archeological dig at Saint-Marcel from 1956 - 1985. The dig found the traces from 6000 years ago, and an abundance of remains from the Iron Age (725 bc). The museum is open saturday and sunday 14.00 - 18.00 the first weekend of each month in the winter; and everyday 14.00 - 18.00 except Wednesday June - September.

Markets

The Saturday Times last year declared Nyons market to be the best in France. Every Thursday morning. And there are often specialist Sunday markets - crafts, brocantes, books etc.

Look out also for the evening markets in the summer time in the villages around. And you'll find an abundance of "Vide-Grenier" (literally, empty the attics - what we'd call a car boot sale) village sales over the summer. It's worth getting there early for the bargains.

If you can't make the Thursday market, here are some of the other ones around.

Monday
La Motte Chalancon (july and august)

Tuesday
Crest, Grignan, Vaison

Wednesday
Buis les Baronnies, Remuzat

Friday
Dieulefit, Taulignan, Visan

Saturday
Buis les Baronnies, Montbrun les Bains

Flea Markets and Brocantes:
Art market 1st Sunday of the month (Vaison)
Brocantes 3rd Sunday of the month (Vaison)

And Isle Sur la Sorgue is well known for its 160+ antique shops and regular markets; plus an extended easter antiques market

Artisanat and local industrial heritage

This area of Provence has always had its local industries - as well as its food, wine and olives. It has become home to many individual artists and craftspeople. And over the summer months you'll find lots of them selling their crafts on the local markets. Look out for pottery, mohair, jewellery, wood working, soaps and lavender products, jams, honey and chutneys, leather goods and the rest.

There are also plenty of small museums that attest to the industrial heritage of the area - for example the Silk museum at Taulignan (www.musee-soie.fr), and the botanical museum at Buis les Baronnies which has an informative chronology of the developments of lavender and tilleul (linden flower) production (www.maisondesplantes.com).

Nyons has its own working lavender distillerie and shop (Distillerie Bleu Provence). And also in Nyons you can visit La Scourtinerie - hand crafted provencal rugs and baskets made from sisal / coir,

If you've got a sweet tooth - check out the Nougat at Montelimar - and its museum www.nougatsoubeyran.com. And Haribo has its factory - with visits - close to the Pont due Gard

Activities - useful information

It's raining, so rather than gardening I thought I'd prune the mountains of paperwork that accumulate over the months and years. So as I find useful information, I'll now put it on the blog and tag it ... and bin the paper.

Perhaps 2009 can be the year of the paperless chateau?

Quad bikes - from age 16; for hire at Aubres for 1, 2 or 3 hours. Costs (2008) 35 euros, 60 euros, 80 euros. Also day and overnight trips.

Reserve: tel 04 75 26 60; 06 88 86 31 58

Kayaks and canoeing; at Saillans on the river Drome (90 minutes drive from Le Colombier); see EVA www.eauxvivesaventure.com tel 04 75 21 55 71 or CapPlein Air www.cappleinair.com tel 04 75 40 60 60

Bring swim wear, sports shoes, hats, drinking water, picnic, sun screen and sun glasses. Age 7 and over; Open March to October

There's also great kayaking on the Ardeche.

Rock climbing (escalades); lots all around. Also Via Ferrata - the rock climbing routes

Hang gliding instruction at Mevouillon www.provence-parapente.com

it's november!

and we get to experience the elements. We've had sunshine, frost, snow and rain. Hey - at least we have variety. So I've managed to get the necessary gardening in during the week: planting 500+ bulbs for spring colour (and yes, the back does hurt!). Plus I've started digging over the veggie plot - about a tenth ... better than nothing.

You have to adapt to the seasons, here. Not that I'm ever a morning person, but there is no point in trying to get out, at this time of the year, before the sun has burnt off the morning mists and ground frosts. But 13.00 - 15.00, if the sun is shining is wonderful. And if the sun isn't there - well, do some digging and you'll soon warm up.

But the rain is something different. That's why you have to seize the moment when it's there. If I hadn't switched off the computer at lunchtime on Thursday, 250 bulbs would have lost their chance to strut their stuff in spring.

Now it's been raining for a couple of days (and rain here = snow higher up). So though there were a couple of hours today when I did geranium cuttings (no cost - used the compost heap's potting compost), I couldn't have continued planting bulbs or digging the veggie plot (ground too waterlogged).

You'll have to wait till spring for the pictures!

Lightning Process Retreats at Chateau Colombier

I'm delighted that Michelle Clemons has chosen Chateau Colombier as the venue for her original Lightning Process Retreats.

They'll be held monthly through the year (apart from high season). The chill-out room at the top of the tower might finally come into its own. I'll be offering business coaching to "top and tail" the programme if required. Plus, of course, being the the perfect hostess / Chatelaine. You'll find the dates and prices on the Lightning Process website
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The Lightning Process™ is a three day training program designed by Phil Parker, an osteopath and personal development expert in London. Your Lightning Process trainer in Provence is Michelle Clemons, who has been personally trained by Phil Parker.

This training is derived from osteopathy, neuro-linguistic programming, hypnotherapy, self hypnosis and life coaching. The program teaches, step by step, how to influence key body systems such as the immunological, neurological and musculoskeletal systems. It actually teaches your brain and body to work together to powerfully and positively influence your health and your life.

The Lightning Process has had spectacular success with stress management, anxiety, depression, ME and chronic fatigue syndrome, fear of public speaking, panic attacks, low self esteem and many, many other issues.

More photos of the pool and garden

Having failed to upload these to the zen photo gallery, here are some more up to date photos of the pool and the gardens.

It's amazing how the cover warms up - and keeps the pool. From 10 degrees when it was filled end of March, the water was in the low 30's in July. It was still mid 20's mid September. I'll post the water temperature each month as we go through autumn.

The Swimming Pool

A long time coming - and of course not without its traumas of planning permissions, heavy rain, etc etc.

But here it is - and it's wonderful. Should be able to swim 9 months a year, thanks to its "greenhouse" cover.

Come and try it!