What? How did this happen? How did it become September and I am almost exactly halfway through my time in Provence? I didn’t approve of this or of summer ending, but then again, I never do.
Iconic Gordes.
This last week whipped by at the speed of light with so much to squeeze in before Jason had to sadly leave once again. It seems like it should be a long visit, but then it goes by in a flash and every year I wish he could spend more time here (as does he). However, we appreciate all the moments just the same, and perhaps like me, it’s intensified because we both know we have such a limited time.
Jason’s cold did not leave him unfortunately, but he carried on as though he wasn’t sick, and even had a few days of feeling better. In this last week we managed to ride just about every part of Provence discovering some charming new villages and routes along the way. There was wind, there was sun and there was heat. So of course, we picked the best of the days to attack the Ventoux. Jason was so pleased to have a perfect day to go all three ways up the Ventoux and even shaved off time from his last go. I did one time up, plus a little extra and managed to get my all-time record for elevation gain in one day. All in all, it was a pretty spectacular day. We also were introduced to a fellow Canadian on holiday here, so we spent a few days riding with him and giving some tips for great routes in the area.
This year Jason’s flight was leaving just a tad too early to catch a train in the morning, so we popped up to Paris the day before, wandering endless kilometres eating crêpes, drinking pressions and of course having our favourite steak frites for dinner. It was a whirlwind and a great deal of fun, but it did remind me how much I prefer being in the south to anywhere else in France. Now I am back to soak up my second half of Provence, though in a blue mood as usual.
These kinds of experiences help put so many things into focus. I realized again just how wonderful it is to share this place with someone who loves it as much as I do. Merci d’être ici, tu me manques!
