The Lavender Fields at Valensole are the largest and most well known fields in the world. It is the subject matter of many photographers…of course I couldn’t resist. The Provence region of France has some of the most picturesque scenery and a collection of charming villages. The lavender flowers bloom from late June to mid-August, with July being the best time to visit the lavender fields. Looking at some of my photographs, you can see the rolling fields across several acres. Valensole sunsets can produce unique and jaw dropping colorful photo ops! If you plan to go Valensole for sunset, be prepared to come early. Many people will be chasing an amazing sunset at this iconic location. Bring a trip pod and I suggest a long telephoto lens as well!

We stayed in the tiny village of Puimoisson. COME PREPARED!!! We usually bring a few staples of food and water with us, but always plan to stop at a grocery store or market to get the goods. Puimoisson is so tiny, that the one single market we could find was only open for a few hours in the day. While there are restaurants in town, be sure to pay close attention the hours! My kids thought they were dying when they had to go without dinner one night because we didn’t make it back in time for food. 

Puimoisson was built in eleventh century. A few of its charming tourist sites includes  the Saint-Michel church, dating from the 16th century; the Saint-Michel oratory of the seventeenth century; the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bellevue, or the chapel of Saint-Apollinaire; and two gates of the old medieval enclosure. Surrounded by mountains including: Le Montdenier of Saint Jurs, the Vaucluse mountains, and the Luberon, there is no shortage of landscape to marvel at!

Rouen is a fantastic city that is located on the banks of the Seine River in the Normandy region of France. Rouen became the capital of the Normandy region in the 10th century when the vikings inhabited this area and settle in Rouen as Normans. During the Roman Era, Rouen was known as Rotmagus and was a famous trading town with easy access to the ocean. Rouen was a favorite location for many Anglo-French kings throughout the medieval times such as William the Conqueror and King Richard I, more commonly called “King Richard the Lionheart,” crowned as the Duke of Normandy.

From an earlier blog post about Orleans, I spoke of Joan of Arc, “The maiden of Orleans”. She was an inspiration to the French people during the Hundred Years’ War fighting the English army. In 1431, Joan of Arc was captured and brought to Rouen, was tried and convicted for heresy, and was burned at the stake. Tour Jeanne d’Arc is the remaining piece of the château where Joan of Arc was held for her trial. Eglise Jeanne d’Arc is a modern church built where she was martyred. The design of the building is quite unique with the room resembling a flame and the church serves as a memorial to celebrate the fighting spirit of the beloved saint sentenced to death at Place du Vieux Marché.

Rouen has rich history, but it also has many architectural structures that have stood the test of time. I love the downtown area with many half timbered homes and buildings remaining true to the era the structure was built! The whole downtown is lined in cobblestone pathways leading not only to many stores and markets, but also to 50 gothic architectural cathedrals or churches. During our travels, we were able to visit Abbatial Saint-Ouen and Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen. The massive structures are quite beautiful with detailed stained glass windows and high roof structures. I felt tiny compared to the pillars supporting the stone structures!

Tour du Gros-Horloge is one of the top places to visit in Rouen. It is something you do not want to miss if you are in Rouen! It is a clock that was built back in 1389 and to this day is still a functioning clock. The details of this gothic clock belfry makes for a unique detail that attracts many to stop and enjoy the beauty of the Rouen city center.

Rouen has a lot to offer from museums and historical buildings, to many gorgeous gothic cathedrals. Almost all tourist sites are located in the downtown area or within walking distance. My one piece of advice, is to park your vehicle and just walk around the downtown area! So much to see in a small area and it is so easy to get around just by walking!

Tour du Gros-Horloge

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen

Tour Jeanne d’Arc

Abbatial Saint-Ouen

Abbatial Saint-Ouen

Abbatial Saint-Ouen

Abbatial Saint-Ouen

Tour du Gros-Horloge long exposure stack

When we first moved to France, we remained in the city of Orléans for 3 months before finding our own place in Évreux. The culture and history of this amazing city is quite impressive.

Orléans is located about 74 miles southwest of Paris. It is located on the river loire right in the heart of the Loire Valley and is classified a Word Heritage Site.

Now why would a city be considered a World Heritage Site? Well let me tell you! Maybe you’ve heard of a certain someone named Joan of Arc? It was here that the siege of Orléans took place from 12 October 1428 - 8 May 1429 during the Hundred Years’ War where Joan of Arc made her mark. Orléans was known for its strategic placement along the river that served as a major trading port. The English king, Henry V wanted to conquer France, but needed to take Orléans for a victory. It was said the English were winning in their efforts for the first six months of the siege, but it only took Joan of Arc nine days to shut it down. In order to boost morale among the people during the siege, Joan would tour the streets giving people food and payments to the garrison. She even sent messengers to the English representatives asking them to vacate Orléans. Of course the English laughed at her. Joan fought bravely for days to the point of being injured. Her injuries were so severe, the English morale went up as the French morale became depleted. However, Joan would not accept defeat and returned inspiring the French soldiers to persevere for which the English were overrun. Of course this is just a short snapshot of the occurrence. Trust me, there is so much more to the story.

Orléans has considered Joan of Arc the “Maid of Orléans” and has continued to pay homage to Joan every first week of May since 1432. The Johannic Holidays boast a feast and festival to pay respect to their Lady. You can visit the House of Joan of Arc. Unfortunately, the house as it stands today is an approximate reconstitution due to the original house being bombed in 1940 during the Battle of France.

Orléans is also the home to one of Europe’s oldest universities created in 1306 by Pope Clement the V. In addition, you can visit the Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans (Roman Catholic Church) where the Bishop of Orléans is seated. It is also the cathedral Joan of Arc frequently visited in her communes with her higher power. The Church has not escaped the tale of Joan of Arc as the stained glass windows depict the story of Joan’s contributions to the living of the siege of Orléans.

When we stayed in Orléans, we were just outside of the city center. We would often take walks into the downtown area to simply admire the architecture of the buildings. The city center always has some sort of activity happening around the statue of Joan situated right in the middle of the center square. This may not be the most well known city in France, but it surely is one of its greatest gems.

Joan of Arc home

Rue of many great restaurants of Orléans

Statue Joan of Arc

Center of Orléans

Instagram spot town center Orléans

Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans

Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans

Statue Joan of Arc framed

Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans

Statue of Joan of Arc towncenter