We were invited to take a tour of Moustiers Ste Marie by local guide, Auriane – owner and operator of Getaway in Provence. She grew-up in this gorgeous little village and after few years of traveling and working abroad she decided to come back to her hometown and create a local tour-guide agency. Thanks to her, we discovered the best spots of the Gorges de Verdon.
The Gorges de Verdon is known as the deepest “Canyon of all Europe” and when Auriane took us there we were very happy that we didn’t have to drive and be able to fully enjoy the views! Auriane took us for a half-day tour in the canyon which was perfect timing, we started the tour in the morning which made for some great photos as the light was very nice and we caught those turquoise-blues the canyon is known for (wow, simply stunning!) . We took a scenic road between the cliffs with breathtaking views of St Croix Lake and the Verdon canyon. As Auriane grew up in Moustiers she is full of stories and knowledge of her region. From the highest point we got the chance to admire the Griffon Vultures, which come very close indeed – watch your head for sure!
Moustiers has always been renowned for its earthenware dishes. It is know as the “capital of faience” (ceramics). and we were able to visit one factory on our tour. We witnessed all steps of production and the painters we met are deeply passionate about their work. They’ve spent the last 20 years in their craft and we learned that they’ve honed their craft from master potters of XVII and XVIII century. That’s a whole lot of history to consider!
At the end of the day, Auriane took us to a goat cheese farm. Located among the picturesque Verdon National Parc, the farm is dedicated to producing the best tasting goat cheese in the area. The owners, passionate about their work, decided a year ago to create a “teaching farm” in order to introduce people to their craft. We were taken through the farm where they explained each step of the cheese-making-process. At the end at the tour we enjoyed a cheese tasting and of course we didn’t left with empty hands!
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Many thanks to Auriane for the lovely tour! She offers plenty of other destinations such as the Lavender Road Tour in Valensole (June & July only) with a visit of an old, but still in activity, distillery. She also creates multi-day trips around Provence including Luberon, Alpilles, Camargues and others gorgeous places. For more information about Auriane and her Local Tour Guide Agency you can visit her website: www.getawayinprovence.com or directly contact her at contact@getawayinprovence.com / Auriane 0033 (0)6 59 40 93 14 .
Belle Provence Travels 