Page 253 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Prieure de Salagon Medieval herb gardens of the Jardins Salagon

(%04 92 73 23 05; place de la Climb the steep steps
République; h8am-12.30pm 7 Forcalquier to Forcalquier’s gold-
& 2.30-6.30pm Wed-Sun Sep- Forcalquier has an up- topped citadel and oc-
Jun, 8am-7pm daily Jul & Aug), beat, slightly bohemian tagonal chapel for more
which is unbeatable for vibe, a holdover from sensational views; on the
picnic supplies. Tuck into 1960s and ’70s, when way down note the once-
cheese-and-charcuterie artists and back-to-the- wealthy seat’s ornately
plates at Les Vins au landers arrived, fostering carved wooden doorways
Vert (%04 92 75 23 84; www. a now-booming organics and grand bourgeois
lesvinsauvert.com; rue Pasteur; (‘biologiques’ or bio) town houses. Prefer to
mains €12-16; h10am-7pm movement. Saffron is work your senses over-
Wed, 10am-10pm Thu-Sat, grown here, absinthe is time? UESS’ Couvent des
10am-5pm Sun); make res- distilled, and the town is Cordeliers (%04 92 72 50
ervations for Thursday to also home to L’Université 68; www.couventdescordeliers.
Saturday nights. com; workshops €40-50) con-
Européenne des Sen-
The Drive » Follow the teurs & Saveurs (UESS; ducts workshops (€40 to
D950 southeast for 25km to European University of €50) in perfume making,
Forcalquier, as the scenery Scents and Flavours). To wine tasting, and aroma-
alternates between gentle see it all in action, time therapy in Forcalquier’s
forested slopes and fields. 13th-century convent.
your visit for the Monday
morning market. 54 p253

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