SOUTHERN FRANCE CHARM

we only had a few days in southern france,

so our relatives showed us all their favorite villages.

these villages included monfort sur argens, cotignac, 

entre casteaux, carces and vins sur caramy.

we learned quite a lot about each village.

i wish i remembered everything christian and jacqueline told us.

some villages were known for their narrow streets and stairs like this one.

others were known for their old and lovely chateau.

often times just one family gets the whole castle to themselves.

i wish i could live in a castle!

this is a vineyard near our relatives home.

they are part of a hiking club and get to see this everyday.

no wonder everyone wants to move to the south of france!

each village has a fancy fountain with a neat story behind it.

this particular fountain represents the four seasons.

some fountains are used for drinking water,

and some for washing clothes- even to this day.

this village was amazing!

people actually live in that cliff,

kinda like on avatar! see the house over there?

sneaky people. probably have dare devil children.

oh just a lovely view of cute houses!

there was snow when we visited (mid-february), 

and that is rare for southern france.

my relatives weren't very happy about it!

a cool building wrapped up in vines.

this village had the cutest tiniest apartments 

that i can actually afford. but moving a couch up 

those windy streets doesn't look very fun.

this place is special.

our me'me' (grandma) loved to paint here.

christian and jacqueline said one day they all three sat here painting the same bridge.

it was interesting to see how different their paintings looked afterward,

and made me want to hug my grandma and kiss her cheeky.

this village is known for this lovely garden and chateau,

as well as the building below. the garden was designed by

someone special, but i suck at being a tour guide so just take my word for it.

if i lived here i would act like i'm jane on pride and prejudice

and ponder love all day long and get lost in that neat-o maze.

right across the castle and garden above,

is this building with colorful painted windows. 

could you tell? not real! got me you tricky frenchies!

a lovely viewpoint from atop a village in an old castle.

doesn't this place make you want to paint?

or fall in love? or just sit and be happy?

here's a tempting olive from the olive tree.

remember? don't eat it!

for olive oil only! everything in france

seems to make olive oil in some neat old fashioned way.

this is another popular spot christian and jacqueline like to paint.

they said they pack cute little picnics and sit here painting

for 5-7 hours! what a work day huh? 

another castle being cool and castle-y.

did you know angelina jolie and brad pitt have a chateau

in southern france? we drove by it and there

were body guards out front. it was funny.

i learned bridges were built with those little triangle thingies on the sides

for people to stand when horses and carriages passed, cool huh? 

now we just build wider bridges! problem solved.

it was quite charming to prance around french villages

and pick up a bag of baguettes for dinner. 

just like i imagined southern france!

perfectly perfect.