Provence

site that dates to pre-Roman times.

We also enjoyed Lacoste, particularly after we figured out how to get up the mountain to the village. Once owned by Pierre Cardin, Lacoste now features an American-based art and design school and once was the home of the Marquis de Sade.

Definitely worth the visit was L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a picturesque village known for its water wheels and riverfront shops and restaurants on streets of classic French architecture.

Our next base was Greoux-Les-Bains, which we used as a launching point to see the Valensole Plateau and the vast lavender fields there, along with an interesting living museum. We stopped at the mountain village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. After visiting the town, we drove the loop around the stunning, bluishgreen water of Verdon Gorge and its rugged cliffs.

Sadly, on our second-to-last day, we departed Greoux-Les-Bains for Marseille to rest up for the following day’s flight back to Phoenix via London.

The writer lives in Phoenix. TELL US WHERE YOU’VE BEEN: