Getting to Manosque - Monday, 30 Mar

After swift goodbyes to Silvere, off to cycle to school, and Wenzel, off to his tour guide duties in Avignon, we lingered over our goodbye to Florence. Then it was a short few kilometers outside of Cabrieres when we reached the quiet cycleway that would take us east across rolling hills and farmland and through hill town villages of Provence. 

It seemed that this home was built around these rocks specifically for the purpose to keep them as planters.

Rolling, winding, quiet.

Sturdy Steele steed

But for the effort, the photo alas doesn't do justice to these intricate sculptures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

We were cycling along a more wooded section of the trail when we came upon a clearing, above it sections of a monastery from the 14th century, the le Prieuré de Carluc excavated in the 1960s.

Paul marveled at the straight edge managed with such rough materials. 

On the climb to Reillanne

Just another vista worthy of marvel.

The hill town of Riellanne--our route took us up to it...and back down.

Our first true expanse of "the Alps"

We coasted fast, Alaine with gripped brakes against the speed and gusts of the Mistral Wind, down the valley before the ascent -- Manosque in our sights.

Our host couple, Helene and Frederic, were so incredibly welcoming and generous. We were able to shower and do laundry--hanging it in the strong breezes of their rooftop patio--then enjoy some Provence olives and cool beverages we'd brought with us, while we were enveloped by the extraordinary smells of Helene's cooking. Again, somehow, such similarities -- Alaine and Helene both turned 50 in November, just two days apart! They both have cut their families hair for over 20 years! Helene and Frederic are celebrating 25 years together this year, also. (So as with the previous nice night's hosts!) Their children are in the same age as our boy, more or less, and we had much to share about family, again, the world, politics, travel, and the goodness of people. And as with every host we've met, we feel like we have lifelong friends that we hope we will see again soon.