As we headed into the village of Oppedette, I heard the pop of a wine cork followed by a gale of collective laughter behind a garden wall. It was Sunday, somewhere between noon and 1pm and clearly a group of friends were making the most of each other’s company. My heart gave a little tug.
For nomads like myself, as much as we love the hunt, there are moments when it would be wonderful to be settled, to be a part of the casual gathering rather than always looking on from just outside. Such occasions are rare but they do arrive from time to time. When those feelings stir, I focus all the harder on seeing and remembering how lucky I am to be discovering something new.
A heavy iron cross marks the entry to Oppedette. A tiny one-car only lane separates it from the former village café…
…where a sundial continues to capture the slow passing of the Provençal sun…
…one that is burning away the last traces of the sign above the entry. How many men had gathered here for their daily pastis…
…while the women gossiped over the washing in the lavoir…
…raising their voices to be heard over the chimes of the bells in the main square?
But as I turned a corner, I was snapped back into the present. For unlike the other villages of the Luberon that I had seen so far, something modern was clearly a foot. Here, was a renovation in many of the homes that used traditional materials in a very contemporary way. Such as steel casings for the windows…
…wide wooden beams as the stairway to a front entry…
…and iron to create one of the more gorgeous terrace railings that I have ever seen.
And yet the charming spirit of the village remained palpable…
…and behind every other corner…
…were glorious traces of the past…
…and of all of the possibilities that are still to come.
As we prepared to take our leave and prepare a Sunday lunch of our own, I was attracted to a beautiful home on a slight rise over-looking the valley. Doesn’t it deserve to be loved?
If only I had the means, I would bring it back with care and make its garden grow.
Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead filled with hope and a fair smattering of joy…
Thank you so much for the compliments and for stopping by!
BEAUTIFUL photos! 🙂 Lovely blog.
All Good Heather – you will make it one day and it is always great to have a new spot to plan 'one day' – but if you do share with us – I would love to know the true story – I have Googled as much as possible!! The day we were there they were setting up for one of these conferences with all the lighting and staging and wouldn't let us near the entrance – so we just had to wonder!!
Cheers Judith – Heather has bought us all together – only thing I am woman – maybe why we identify together!!
Francine!! I took these photos in September when we were there! Let me see, that would have been on the 16th. My goodness, our paths have come so close, several times now. Hopefully, one day soon we will manage to be at the same place at the same moment. I would love that.
And I have to agree that Oppedette is just about perfect. Did you see that there was a house for sale right on the square by the church? Very tempting…
This is my favorite village in provence. I was there with my parents in September but the fierce Mistral chased us . I keep visiting this village, summers and winters, climb up the narrow paths to the very top, and dream of one day becoming a full member of this charming, idylic town.. we do follow similar path, still hoping they will cross one of these days…
Thank you for the kindness, Jeanne and I couldn't agree with you more. I would be so delighted to meet on day! But I know that if we do meet we would need hours of talking before we could get anywhere near the cameras. 🙂 And I am so happy to return the favor a tiny bit for all you show us. I love seeing the world through your 'eye' too!
Gros bisous,
H
Of course you can come, Debra! I would need your wonderful eye! And Dylan would be welcome too of course… 😉
I know! That surprised me too. But because of its color–it kind of looked like a pool!–I have a feeling it was more for show than anything. Pretty though.