Vaucluse Dreamer

For us, 2024 started whilst the moon was still high in the night sky, not because we stayed up to see the new year in (we were tucked up in bed and asleep by just after 10), but because we wanted to go to the Foret Des Cedres to watch the first sunrise of the new year..

I know getting up before dawn on New Year’s Day is probably not everyone’s perfect way to start the year, but somehow the thought of watching the first rays of sun starting to light the valley seemed like a good idea, so we grabbed croissants from a boulangerie in Apt, and pootled up the empty roads towards the lane that leads to the top of the Petit Luberon.

Finding the perfect spot, on rocky plateau high above Lacoste, we pulled on our layers, leaving the warmth of the car behind and made our way out to take in the view.

It was bitterly cold, with an icy wind that caught our breath, whisking it away behind us, and catching the edges of the blanket that we had taken to sit on, before we had time to weigh it down with rocks. But none of that mattered, as even before the first fingers of sunlight started to edge their way from behind the clouds, the view in front of us was breathtaking.

Far below us, all the villages were sitting on islands of land in a silver sea, their street-lights twinkling in the dawn. The valley was filled with mist that flowed like the tide over the lumps and bumps of the landscape, settling into pale-grey pools between the villages. It was a peaceful, calming and beautiful sight.

The subtle shifting of the mist was mesmerising, with trees catching the wisps before disappearing behind a cloak of grey, only to emerge again moments later, struggling to free themselves of the veil. The whole valley seemed to be moving gently below us. Opposite us, the skyline was dominated by the unique profile of Mont Ventoux, its white scree summit stark against the last of the night sky that was quickly being chased away by the coming dawn.

All we could do was drink our coffee and watch.

It was such a peaceful way to start the year, watching the village lights turn off as the sky turned from shades of grey, through sepia tones to warm apricot and golds with the rising sun. We had to laugh though, as we were so mesmerised by the view across the valley that we missed the actual sunrise that was taking place behind us, only turning round when Tom (who has been with us for Christmas) pointed out the beautiful pink sky.

It didn’t matter though, as we were lost in the moment, simply enjoying the peace and the view. It really was the perfect way to see in 2024, and start to think about what it may bring.

Last year was really quite a year, seeing us complete our first long distance cycle ride together, from our little place in East Devon, home to Provence. I still remember that first day and turning the pedal for the first time as we cycled out of East Budleigh, not believing for one minute that I would make it across Dartmoor to get to the ferry that night Saddlebag of Memories Cycle Ride…Day 1 over Dartmoor to Plymouth let alone getting all the way to Provence.

It was such an incredible experience, and not only did we revisit a lot of our old memories of previous holidays in France, but we also filled our Saddlebag with so many new ones too. We had so much fun on the way, enjoying the simplicity of life on a bike, carrying very little with us, making the route up as we went and simply enjoying the process of turning the pedals to get us to where we needed to be.

There were lots of ‘firsts’ for me too, like cycling 100 miles in a day, when we rode into La Rochelle Saddlebag of Memories.. Day 5 .. Bouin to La Rochelle . There were some amazingly emotional days too, the most memorable being collapsing into uncontrollable tears, when we passed the sign on our way to Arles, which showed we had entered Provence Saddlebag of Memories… Day 16… Aigues-Mortes to Tarascon . It was only then that I really felt I was going to complete the ride and make it all the way home.

It was such a joyful couple of weeks that we almost felt a little bereft when it was over, so much so that we immediately planned another little trip along the south coast for October, taking the bikes to Pezenas for the autumn brocante Bikes and Brocante Day 3 … Antiques in Pezenas

…and then cycling home again from there, stumblig across the Bull Festival in Aigues Mortes on the way Bikes and Brocante Day 6 … Pezenas to Aigues Mortes

In between the bike rides we had a wonderful week with our oldest and dearest friends, when the whole family came to stay with us in a house we had rented just outside Apt. It was such fun being tourists again, seeing the villages and other places that we take for granted through the eyes of people who haven’t visited before. In fact we had so much fun that we are doing it all again this year, but this time in full lavender season, which will be even better (if that’s possible)

Then in October, our eldest son and his fiancee married at our local Mairie. It was a very simple, but beautiful day (in every possible way), having had to be delayed after a tragedy in his wife’s family a couple of days before the original wedding had been planned. Late Autumn in Provence though came up trumps, with a gloriously sunny day that smiled on the happy couple as they drove off in Fifi to start their married life together A joyful ray of sunshine between the storms

So all in all it was quite a year, but if I’m honest I’m not one for looking back, as you can never change what has happened and the fact that hindsight is a perfect science tends to make me overthink things (which is never helpful). I’m much more one for looking forward and as we stood on the Luberon watching the first dawn of the new year turning the summit of Ventoux a subtle shade of gold, our minds turned to the year ahead.

Who knows what bumps we’ll have to negotiate along the road of life this year, but we already have things planned to ease us along the way. We enjoyed our cycle trips so much last year that we have already booked the first nights of our next Saddlebag of Memories bike ride, which in 2024 will take us from Amsterdam to Apt (or that’s the plan anyway)

We’ve never visited Amsterdam, and fancied doing something a bit different. So at the end of May, we will make our way north, taking the train (with our bikes) to the city, before starting the long ride home, aiming to arrive just before our friends come out for a week of utter, blissful and well-earned relaxation.

We haven’t planned the route yet, other than having a general idea that we will ride through the Netherlands, cut through a corner of Belgium, ride across into Germany (cycling through some of the places I remember from swimming trips in my teens), before passing through Switzerland and back into France to pedal home. If I say it quickly enough, it doesn’t sound too far!

But we have the maps and over the next few weeks will start to plot a general route down, and if all goes as planned (after 2023 I feel I always have to add that proviso to anything) then 5 months from now we will have left Amsterdam and will be on our way.

Before then, we have an anniversary trip to Menton and Nice planned. we always knew that we got married in February for a reason and since moving here, we realised the reason is that we can go to the Fete du Citron Lemons and Lights in Menton & tips for visiting the Fete du Citron

and Nice Carnaval February Fun on the Cote D’Azur Part 1 – Nice Carnaval to celebrate. The last time we visited was 2020, just as COVID was starting to take hold, so it will be lovely to get back to see it again this year.

So as the dawn rose on 2024, we started to look forward to what is still to come and we’ll look forward to sharing it with you as we go. Who knows where else this year will take us.

Our little video from the morning

Wishing you all a very peaceful, happy and healthy new year.