Exploring Tourettes-sur-Loup: A Legend of Queen Victoria. Exploring Art and Cuisine in Provence’s Charming Towns. Part 3.

Art workshops, Artist, ArtTravel, France, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

Tourettes-sur-loup and its legends

This was amazing little town with an unusual legend.

Just imaging, you are jauntily wandering through the medieval streets. Also trying not to trip over the cobblestones that probably date back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Meanwhile, admiring the stone facades that looked like they had more stories than my grandma. Actually, this is my story that happens with everyone while traveling in a medieval town, right?:)

And then OMG, the flowers! They were so fragrant that I half expected them to start singing show tunes! It was truly an unexpected adventure in one of the prettiest settlements in France. The buildings are old, but the charm is timeless! :)

As promised, about the local legend. It says that the English Queen Victoria was riding on a donkey with her staff to the town. After this uneasy journey, she tired and ordered a road to be built to this tallest town. Thank you! the English Queen Victoria wanted everyone to see the beauties of this place. And it was completed, so now you can enjoy them too. The main square of the town is named after the Queen, with no doubt. Everybody loves this legend.

Watercolor painting of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, featuring a scenic view with an ice cream cone and a small bowl of fruits, capturing the charm of Provence. — A charming watercolor sketch of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, showcasing the town’s vibrant ice cream and flower motifs characteristic of Provence.

Another Legend about Ice cream while you are exploring the town.

Ice cream transcends the realm of mere treats; it embodies the town’s most cherished secret. Yes, I found it while eating the violet rich ice cream.

As she dances around you, the air fills with the delightful aroma of freshly churned ice cream. It draws forth smiles and laughter from everyone nearby. A simple shout turns into a memorable experience that sugary dreams are made of! Even years later, I still remember this taste and scent.

As you walk around town, you will notice violets everywhere. They are painted on the asphalt and in the ice cream. Violet ice cream was a pleasant discovery for me. It’s worth coming to this mountainous town just for its sake!

The Wobbly Wonders of Cascades du Saut du Loup: Where Waterfalls Take a Dive!

The next stop was the stunning Mountain waterfalls known as Cascades du Saut du Loup. The name comes from the French language. It translates to the mouth of the wolf. I found it’s quite scary name.

This evokes an air of mystery and intrigue surrounding this natural wonder. As we approached the cascades, the sound of rushing water grew louder, filling the air with a sense of anticipation.

The scene was surrounded by lush greenery and rocky cliffs. It was breathtaking, with glistening water tumbling down the steep slopes. This created a mesmerizing spectacle. This hidden gem is more than just a beautiful sight. It holds an important place in local folklore. Tales of wolves and their enchanting habitat add to the allure of this captivating location. I think that every waterfalls has its own legends, do you agree with it?

I don’t know what mouth of a wolf it is. Now this is my secret. I personally saw a huge muzzle of an orangutan in the rocks. Everyone in our group was laughing from my imagination:)

Gourdon vs. Gordes:

As we continued our travel, the next stop was Gordon. It is the highest town of our trip. Its magnificent castle is perched 750 meters above sea level on rocks.

Watercolor painting of Gourdon Castle in Provence, surrounded by lush greenery and mountains. — Watercolor sketch of Gourdon Castle in Provence, showcasing the lush landscapes of the region.

A little comment about the tour. Part of our goal for this trip was to see Provencal lavender fields. Our tour operator was also our driver and a cheerful guide.

Meanwhile, he piped up from the passenger seat, “Well, there’s a little hitch in our giddy-up!” Apparently, it would take another hour to reach the lavender fields from this town. Perfect! This was just enough time for him to regale her with his latest theory. He believed a goat named Jean-Claude should have been our co-pilot.

“Just think about it,” he said with a grin. “He’d be the best navigator. Frankly, I’d trust a goat over a GPS any day!” As they continued their winding journey, the fragrant scent of lavender teased their senses. It promised that the true adventure was only just beginning.

Gourdon and Gordes are two different cities. Ops, my bad, I did not see on this day any lavenders’ fields. So, please take my advice, enjoy your day , even you were expecting other views.

Both cities are nestled in the picturesque hills of Provence. Yet, they are distinct places rich in their own unique charm and character.

The tour company made a comical error. They mixed them up. This led to a day filled with unexpected adventures and humorous anecdotes. As the day unfolded, we constantly wondered how the mix-up could have happened. This curiosity gave us an amusing reason to return. We wanted to explore the beautiful regions more thoroughly.

It became our running joke throughout this long day. The joke lightened the mood and brought us closer together. This happened as we navigated the winding roads. We were diligently searching for the iconic lavender bushes. We were also looking for even small patches of planted lavender. Provence is so famous for this.

Every time we stumbled upon anything resembling those fragrant fields, we kept saying, “Well, here’s lavender!” We burst into laughter. What could have been an inconvenience turned into a delightful memory. It’s a memory that we’ll cherish for years to come.

The Lavender Showdown – Who Will Win the Name Game?

The locals told us that in earlier years the lavender fields really bloomed vibrantly around the town. This created a stunning visual spectacle. It attracted visitors from far and wide.

The intoxicating fragrance of the lavender filled the air, making it a beloved destination for tourists and locals alike. One unfortunate year, a particularly harsh cold winter struck. The lavender bushes not survive the frigid temperatures that followed. The once-thriving fields, which had been a source of pride and beauty for the community, fell silent and barren.

After that, despite the people’s longing for the return of the lavender, they were not planted again. This decision left a void in the landscape deeply felt by everyone. It’s truly a pity to witness such a loss of natural beauty and charm.

Watercolor sketch depicting the picturesque landscapes of Gourdon, France, including lavender, buildings, and greenery. — A watercolor sketch depicting the scenic beauty of Gourdon, France, showcasing its charming architecture and lavender foliage.

The mountain road is serpentine. It leads to mountain towns Gourdon and Tourrettes-sur-Loup. We passed through the medieval town. In the sky, we saw a cloud “goose”.

I will continue to post about one-day trips in Nice. Next up is Cannes and Le Cannet. I visited the famous museum of artist Bonnard. After all, who doesn’t want to admire the works of someone who painted like they were on a permanent vacation? More art, less sanity!

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Links

Tourrettes-sur-Loup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Town Gordon https://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alpmarit/gourdon/gourdon.htm

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent Watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

A Sketching Adventure: Mougins’ Artistic Heritage. Exploring Art and Cuisine in Provence’s Charming Towns. Part 2.

Art workshops, Artist, ArtTravel, France, Urban sketching, Voyage

A Sketching Journey Through Provence’s Artistic Towns. Urban sketching. Travel, Architecture and Art

Everything is in one bottle of flavor that brings together the image of a city or place.

Mougins: Where Art Galleries Outnumber Residents!

The next town we visited was Mougins, is a city of art galleries and artist’ workshops. On a small plaza, I saw a mysterious lady in a beautiful hat near the city’s legendary museum.

Watercolor painting of a woman sitting under a tree, wearing a hat and a dress, in a warm, sunlit environment. — This is a serene sketch capturing a mysterious lady in a beautiful hat. It is set against the charming backdrop of Mougins. This town is known for its vibrant art scene.

The Art of Not Getting Bored at Mougins Museum!

The city has a famous Mougins Museum of Classical Art. It is a private museum. The entrance costs 14 Euros (2019). It’s worth it. Address: 32 Rue Commandeur, Mougins. The Mougins museum has the world’s largest private collection of antic helmets. I never would have thought that there was such a variety of helmets.

A watercolor sketch depicting various ancient helmets displayed at the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, showcasing a mix of colors and artistic elements. — A watercolor sketch of ancient helmets displayed at the Mougins Museum of Classical Art.

In the museum, the lighting was dark so my sketches show the overall impressions of the gloom. I like to watch museums’ visitors; it shows the general impression of direction of exhibits in museum. We visited the museum on Monday when there were no visitors so the whole museum was ours. I was surprised to see such a rich collection outside the Louvre or British Museums.

One of my artistic goals is to paint the combination of houses, people, cafe, streets, landscapes, food, Provencal ice creams.

Watercolor sketch depicting a scene from Mougins, featuring a streetlamp, a small table with a flower pot, and sunlit surroundings. — Watercolor sketch depicting the charm of Mougins, Côte d’Azur, showcasing a cafe scene and the essence of local artistry.

On the way to the city, our tour operator mentioned an interesting annual festival. It is called the ‘International Gastronomy Festival of Mougins’ or ‘Les Étoiles de Mougins’.

The festival used to be an event that brought lots of tourists and media attention to the town of Mougins.

Effective this year, the decision was made to hold the festival in other cities around the world. Mougins’ Michelin chefs will be sent to the festival to show the culinary art of the city’s chefs. So, understandably, the residents of the city are disappointed and would like to return the tourists to their city. To get here, you can take a train/bus from Antibes or Nice. At the end of this post, I will give instructions on how to get to this town.

A watercolor sketch depicting a stone gate and greenery, surrounded by warm light and soft colors, capturing the essence of a Provencal landscape. — Watercolor sketch depicting the charming scenery of Moulin d’Opio, showcasing olive trees and lanterns, reminiscent of Van Gogh’s art.

Moulin d’Opio mill, with its olive grove

Our next visit was a small place at Moulin d’Opio mill, with its olive grove and a small store. When you visit this place, you will instantly remember Van Gogh’s painting. The owners are the fifth generation of this family. They were telling us how olive oil has been produced for many centuries. We tested different varieties of olives, French oil, tapenade on toast, and drinks.

Watercolor sketch depicting a staircase surrounded by trees, evoking the charm of rustic architecture in a warm, sunlit setting. — Watercolor sketch depicting a charming scene from Moulin d’Opio, highlighting the olive trees and quaint architecture of the area.

I would never have thought that I would try olive oil on its own. It was an interesting experiment.

Watercolor sketch depicting olive oil, olives, and a macaron on a table with an olive grove in the background. — A watercolor illustration depicting olive oil, olives, and a traditional Provencal setting, reflecting the culinary heritage of the region.

Watercolor sketch depicting olive oil and olives set against a rustic backdrop of the Moulin d'Opio, showcasing elements of Provence's landscape. — A watercolor sketch depicting olive oil tasting and the scenic landscape of Le Moulin d’Opio in Côte d’Azur.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

You are welcome to visit my personal website pages. There, you can find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings. You can buy canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.