Gene & Mohini In France: Fete du l'Oranger, St. Paul-de-Vence and Beyond

Le Bar-sur-Loup , a medieval village, located about 10 km from Grasse is perched on a rocky spur extending out from the Sarrée plateau overlooking the Loup river valley. The view from the village is excellent, out over the Loup valley and up to Gourdon over the Gorges du Loup and has lots of hiking trails.

On Easter Monday every year the village celebrates the Fete de l’Oranger, or The celebration of the orange tree. On this day the village is decorated with oranges and you have vendors selling all types of items made of oranges; jams, jellies, perfumes and oils, chocolate, You also have local producers selling, olives, olive oil, pates, tapenades, bread, cheeses, spices, crepes, apéritifs, that one gets to sample; paintings, jewellery, soaps and perfumes, provencal fabrics and many other products. We saw vendors who also had parrots, chickens and rabbits for sale. There were also street artists and bands playing music. Lots of people enjoying a beautiful day and lots of food.

Village of Bar sur Loup

Street artist

Band playing

Saint Paul-de-Vence

Saint Paul-de-Vence is a charming hilltop fortified village in Provence, 40 minutes east of Grasse, filled with art galleries, boutiques and sidewalk cafes.

A walk through its winding streets reveals elegant fountains, vine-covered stone walls and statues tucked into nooks in the walls. There are breathtaking views of mountains and sea. Even the ground below is attractive, as the cobblestones are laid into the shapes of flowers.

Village of St. Paul-de-Vence

Cobble stone street

art in store

Plant art on wall of a really tall building

Floral streets

Lady with "balls" (art in store)

The "Thinker"

view from village

Driving East of St. Paul-de-Vence
Driving east on a scenic route, we saw lots of beautiful buildings, gorges and mountains. Heres some from the places that we stopped.