(a)typical life

A depressive, homebody introvert tries to go on an adventure in her own country : France.

[atypicalife]

There was a real adventure last night ! Unfortunately, not the kind we want to happen : a very, very big thunderstorm that caused water to seep through the roof of our rental home.

Around 10 p.m. it started to rain on the sofa. Then in the entrance, on our shoes, and the kitchen. Water was streaming down the walls.

Then in the bathroom, and finally in my bedroom. The ground was soaked !

As the storm grew, the water flowed harder and harder everywhere in the house. We called the fire department because we were scared. Luckily, everything ended up calming down.

However, we decided to cut our stay in Vaucluse short and go home. Turns out that the roof of the rental house is not insured, which is illegal in France. And probably in a lot of other countries !

I'll do a post tomorrow about our last day in this department that is, no matter what, absolutely gorgeous and worth it.

[atypicalife]

In the town of Lacoste (Vaucluse department) is the castle of the Marquis de Sade, famous novelist who would have given his name to "sadism".

Did you know that in reality, it was not really the very raw aspect of his writings that displeased so much ? Sade advocated absolute atheism and refused any sort of authority. That was what the church was scared of ! And which caused him to be imprisoned in the Bastille, in Paris.

The castle, dating from the 11th century, still recently belonged to the deceased couturier Pierre Cardin. It's difficult to know who is the current owner. Anyway, we couldn't get in as tours are by appointment only... and we hadn't booked. But the surrounding landscapes remain fantastic.

On the opposite hill is Bonnieux, another hilltop village typical of the Lubéron region. Maybe for another day...?

[atypicalife]

About ten kilometers from Rustrel (Vaucluse department) is the adorable village of Viens (pronounced vi-ein-ss).

Perched on a rocky crag for a millennium already, it's an old village which has retained its appearance of a medieval stronghold. The town center is a succession of narrow streets where you can come across beautiful 13th century residences as well as charming old houses.

At the top of a climb, between two houses, a superb view !

There’s also a Renaissance castle which offers a panoramic view of the Lure gorges but we were too tired to visit everything.

Viens is off the beaten track, very pleasant and fresh, typical of the Lubéron.

[atypicalife]

Did you know that in Rustrel, in the Lubéron region (Vaucluse department), there's an incredible landscape called "le Colorado Provençal" ?

It’s an old open-air ocher quarry that can only be visited on foot. It opened in 1871 and closed in 1993. This place is now part of the public domain and is open to visitors ; two hiking trails allow you to explore the landscapes forged by the former miners. We can see basins, pipes of water supply, engines... so many cultural vestiges of an industrial past.

The ocher shades range from yellow to red through all shades of orange to black-purple. It's great to find this kind of scenery in France ! It feels like a western movie.

It's a must-see place that takes you into another universe for a few hours. Dogs are welcome too, as long as they're kept on leash :)

The entry is free ; on the other hand you have to pay for the parking, 5€ per vehicle. Which is a good deal. So if you're visiting the surroundings of the city of Apt, go to Rustrel and the Colorado Provençal ! It’s worth it !

[atypicalife]

HELLO

Good morning, afternoon, evening.

My name is Clem, and I'm French.

Through this blog, I invite you to go on a trip with me in my country. France is full of varied and magnificent landscapes. Many traditions and stories are hidden in the depths of the terroirs. I’ll try to find them and share them with you.

They will be essentially small adventures, indoors as well as outdoors. I hope it to be a change of scenery for you and to give you an glimpse of what a(n) (a)typical life is like in France.