Page 252 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

the village for a knockout local speciality pognes (an
vista. At Moulin à Huile orange-scented brioche)
Jullien (%04 90 75 56 24; are also must-tries. Head
www.moulin-huile-jullien.com; to GAEC Champelle CHRIS HELLIER / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©
rte d’Apt; h10am-noon & (%04 90 64 01 50; www.
3-7pm Jul & Aug, 10am-noon & gaec-champelle.fr; rte de
2-6pm rest of year, closed Sun Ventoux), a roadside farm
year-round) see how olives stand northwest of town,
are milled into oil (with whose products include
honey and oil tastings great buys for cooks. The
thrown in). See lavande lavender up here is known
fine growing at Château for its dark, OK…deep
du Bois (%04 90 76 91 23; purple, hue.
www.lechateaudubois.com), The Drive » This is one
a winding, but gor- great 25km. Head out of town
geous, drive 20km to the on the D164; when you hit the
northeast, with 800,000 D974, fields give way to dense,
sq metres of peaceful fragrant forest (impromptu
plantings. (Note, this is a picnic, perhaps?). Above the
farm only; the shop and tree line, strange spots of Alpine
museum is in Coustellet.) scrub are gradually replaced by
pale bald slopes. These steep
54 p253 gradients have often formed a
hair-raising stage of the Tour
The Drive » Spot the pretty de France – the road is daubed
17th-century windmill, Le with Tour graffiti and many
Château les Moulins, 1km north, fans make a brave two-wheeled
off the D943 towards Sault, then homage.
look out for the magnificent
PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 22 LAvENDER ROUTE
views of the red-tinged
escarpment and the rust- 5 Mont ventoux a year, sometimes exceed-
coloured village of Roussillon. ing 250km/h. Bring a
The views of Mont Ventoux only If fields of flowers are in-
get more spectacular as you toxicating, Mont Ventoux cardigan and scarf!
approach Sault, a 35-minute (1912m) is awe-inspiring. The Drive » Go back the way
drive away. Nicknamed le géant de you came to Sault, then head
Provence – Provence’s east to Banon on the D950 for
TRIP HIGHLIGHT giant – its great white another 40 minutes.
4 Sault hulk is visible from much
of the region. Le géant
This drowsily charming, sparkles all year round 6 Banon
isolated hilltop town – once the snow melts, A tasty, nonfloral diver-
mixes its lavender views its lunar-style limestone sion: little village, big
with plum orchards and slopes glimmer in the sun. cheese. Bustling Banon
scattered forest. Town hot From its peak, clear-day is famous for its chèvre
spot is André Boyer (%04 vistas extend to the Alps de Banon, a goat’s-milk
90 64 00 23; www.nougat- and the Camargue. cheese wrapped in a
boyer.fr; place de l’Europe), Even summer tem- chestnut leaf. Fromagerie
keeping farmers, cyclists peratures can plummet de Banon sells its cheese
and mountaineers in by 20°C at the top; it’s at the Tuesday morning
honey and almond nougat also twice as likely to market, and at wonder-
since 1887; its lavender rain; and the relentless ful cheese-and-sausage
marshmallows and the mistrals blow 130 days shop Brindille Melchio

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