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Sept. 23: Monday: Sentier Littorale, La Faviere.

By now you know the drill – Monday through Friday, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., we work in the garden. Sometimes it is closer to noon before we actually leave, depending on what we’re doing. Then it’s usually back to the apartment for lunch, unless we go to the outdoor market on the way, as we do on Wednesdays. You probably can even guess our meal plans by now. Are we getting too routine? Are we getting boring? Well, I hope our afternoon adventures are entertaining enough to make up for our morning routines.   I am writing this blog on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at around 1:30 p.m. This blog post is about what we did on Monday, Sept. 23. Monday morning was as usual, but we didn’t have time for lunch as we needed to make a 12:45 bus to the Faviere section of Bormes-les-Mimosas. Our plan was to walk another section of the Sentier Littorale. After gardening, we showered and put on clean clothes and ran to the bus stop. We took the bus to this beach section of town called La Faviere. We needed to fuel up, but didn’t want to waste a lot of time with a full sit-down meal, so we went to a boulangerie and bought little quiches – excellent! the crust was outstanding! After eating this lovely repast at a picnic bench, we headed off on the Sentier Littorale, stripping off our shoes to walk in the surf of the first beach we crossed. When we hit the rocks, it was back on with our sufficient footwear. In certain parts the going was a wee bit treacherous, in all parts it took a good deal of leg muscle – we are both feeling the results today – not any real pain or intense soreness, but a definite tiredness from all the up and down and rock hopping. But this hike was absolutely amazingly incredible!!! I think the photos will give you some idea – just multiply it tenfold to know what it is like in person. As I tell in the captions, we walked out for two hours, then turned around and walked back the exact same route – but that only took one hour. On the way out we did lots of stopping to gawk and to take photos. On the way back we were more tired and hungry and were pretty much photoed out. Back in town we found a cafe and sat outdoors. Cathy had a beer and I had an espresso – anything alcoholic and I would have needed a nap! From that “studio” we made our art works for the day. Once revived, we did a little grocery shopping: more of those delicious quiches (they were so good for lunch that we wanted them for dinner, too!), bread (of course), lettuce, tomotoes, coffee, butter, and two bottles of wine, which we made sure were from this region, Cote de Provence. One was from La Londe, the other from Bormes. We had the La Londe wine for supper on Monday night and for lunch on Tuesday, and we are knocked out by it – got to get some more!. After grocery shopping, we caught the 6:15 bus back to Bormes-les-Mimosas Le Village. I’m just catching on to this myself – there are 3 main sections to Bormes-les-Mimosas: Le Village (the old city), and south of that, Le Pin (the newer part of the town), and southeast of that, La Faviere (which seems to be mostly a beach resort, summer vacation kind of place), which includes the Port de Bormes. And all around that is the countryside of Bormes-les-Mimosas. So we were in Bormes for this entire walk. The last time we walked a section of the Sentier Littorale, we began in the adjacent town of La Londe and walked into Bormes, then back again. Going back to my story about Monday, we got off the bus at the top of our hill and walked “home” to our apartment. We had a lovely dinner, as pictured below, then I worked a bit getting the photos ready for this post and Cathy did a bit of reading. We were both tired and happy.
A little different back-of-the-head shot to begin this adventure on Monday afternoon, Sept. 23 - Cathy and I took the bus! We went from Bormes-les-Mimosas village to the La Faviere section of Bormes-les-Mimosas to walk another stretch of the Sentier Littorale - the walk along the edge of this part of the Mediterranean Sea.

A little different back-of-the-head shot to begin this adventure on Monday afternoon, Sept. 23 – Cathy and I took the bus! We went from Bormes-les-Mimosas village to the La Faviere section of Bormes-les-Mimosas to walk another stretch of the Sentier Littorale – the walk along the edge of this part of the Mediterranean Sea.

Cathy on the bus - we took the 12:45, after working the morning in the garden, as usual.

Cathy on the bus – we took the 12:45, after working the morning in the garden, as usual.

And Debi on the bus - off to another adventure.

And Debi on the bus – off to another adventure.

In La Faviere we stopped at this boulangerie and bought lunch - Cathy had a quiche Lorraine and I had a goat cheese and spinach quiche (and a pastry with raisins - I'm going crazy eating things I never eat at home!).

In La Faviere we stopped at this boulangerie and bought lunch – Cathy had a quiche Lorraine and I had a goat cheese and spinach quiche (and a pastry with raisins – I’m going crazy eating things I never eat at home!).

After eating our lunch on a picnic bench, we headed off across the beach to the Sentier Littorale.

After eating our lunch on a picnic bench, we headed off across the beach to the Sentier Littorale.

Cathy leading the way, as always, while I lag behind, snapping photos with my iPad Mini.

Cathy leading the way, as always, while I lag behind, snapping photos with my iPad Mini.

Leaving the beach and heading off into the rocky cliffs.

Leaving the beach and heading off into the rocky cliffs.

The views were immediately amazing. The water was so clear, and the colors were so various - emerald green, turquoise, deep blue, gold - I don't think this photo really shows the colors, but it will give you an idea.

The views were immediately amazing. The water was so clear, and the colors were so various – emerald green, turquoise, deep blue, gold – I don’t think this photo really shows the colors, but it will give you an idea.

I took so many photos, wish I could include them all.

I took so many photos, wish I could include them all.

Another beautiful view.

Another beautiful view.

The path we were walking on - Sentier Littorale.

The path we were walking on – Sentier Littorale.

More of the path.

More of the path.

Another section of the path.

Another section of the path.

View from the cliffs.

View from the cliffs.

Cathy, walking along the Sentier Littorale.

Cathy, walking along the Sentier Littorale.

Such amazing beauty!

Such amazing beauty!

Cathy, the intrepid climber, leading the way.

Cathy, the intrepid climber, leading the way.

Don't worry Mom & Dad, I'm not really falling - just clowning around.

Don’t worry Mom & Dad, I’m not really falling – just clowning around.

Stairs, of course! Up and up and up and up and up....

Stairs, of course! Up and up and up and up and up….

Cathy walking among the rocks.

Cathy walking among the rocks.

And we crossed another beach.

And we crossed another beach.

We found this lovely cave-like area surrounded by trees and wonderfully shady to stop and take a look at the map to see how far we had come.

We found this lovely cave-like area surrounded by trees and wonderfully shady to stop and take a look at the map to see how far we had come.

There were a few places where the trail was rather treacherous - like this bit where it was gone all together. Don't know if you can see it, but there is a narrow edge at the left of the photo where we were able to cross carefully.

There were a few places where the trail was rather treacherous – like this bit where it was gone all together. Don’t know if you can see it, but there is a narrow edge at the left of the photo where we were able to cross carefully.

Yet another stunning view.

Yet another stunning view.

This is where we stopped and turned around. We walked out for 2 hours, but it only took us 1 hour to walk the same distance back again. We stopped a lot on the way out.

This is where we stopped and turned around. We walked out for 2 hours, but it only took us 1 hour to walk the same distance back again. We stopped a lot on the way out.

The view straight out from where we stopped to turn around.

The view straight out from where we stopped to turn around.

The view facing more left from the place we turned around, facing back toward where we began.

The view facing more left from the place we turned around, facing back toward where we began.

I took fewer photos on the way back, but I just loved these rocks.

I took fewer photos on the way back, but I just loved these rocks.

Cathy, heading back - in the lead again!

Cathy, heading back – in the lead again!

Can you believe that this arrangement was just growing wild along the rocky path?

Can you believe that this arrangement was just growing wild along the rocky path?

On the way back.

On the way back.

Crossing the beach we started on again.

Crossing the beach we started on again.

Back in town: Photo One.

Back in town: Photo One.

Back in town: Photo Two.

Back in town: Photo Two.

Back in town: Photo Three.

Back in town: Photo Three.

Back in town, Cathy and I stopped in this cafe. She had a beer and I had an espresso and we did some art work. Can you see Cathy in this photo?

Back in town, Cathy and I stopped in this cafe. She had a beer and I had an espresso and we did some art work. Can you see Cathy in this photo?

Very tired feet, very hard at work making art. Sufficient footwear? Cathy's is no doubt sufficient, indeed, and mine did the the job, but need a good polishing before I wear them out into the big city.

Very tired feet, very hard at work making art. Sufficient footwear? Cathy’s is no doubt sufficient, indeed, and mine did the the job, but need a good polishing before I wear them out into the big city.

Cathy working at the cafe.

Cathy working at the cafe.

Cathy getting "inspired."

Cathy getting “inspired.”

Cathy, now sufficiently "inspired," back at work.

Cathy, now sufficiently “inspired,” back at work.

Cathy's sketch, Sept. 23, Monday.

Cathy’s sketch, Sept. 23, Monday.

Debi concentrating on her work.

Debi concentrating on her work.

Debi thinking, "Hmmm, if I ordered a glass of wine, perhaps I would feel more "inspired."

Debi thinking, “Hmmm, if I ordered a glass of wine, perhaps I would feel more “inspired.”

Debi's first collage, Sept. 23, Monday.

Debi’s first collage, Sept. 23, Monday.

Debi's second collage, Sept. 23, Monday.

Debi’s second collage, Sept. 23, Monday.

Back in the bus, on the way "home" to Bormes-les-Mimosas Le Village. And, boy, are we tired and hungry!

Back in the bus, on the way “home” to Bormes-les-Mimosas Le Village. And, boy, are we tired and hungry!

Our dinner. And the wine we chose was excellent!

Our dinner. And the wine we chose was excellent!

A closeup of our dinner. So simple, yet so very satisfying.

A closeup of our dinner. So simple, yet so very satisfying.

And a photo of our gallery thus far - half way through our stay. Yes, Cathy always does twice as much as me - I'm used to it!

And a photo of our gallery thus far – half way through our stay. Yes, Cathy always does twice as much as me – I’m used to it!

Martha
September 29th, 2013 at 2:41 am

lovely views you chose to photo; the rocks looked daunting! You must be developing muscles in new places with the gardening and the hiking and climbing steps! Great to see you fitting in the art in little places and chunks of time (what a great lesson)!

Laura
September 25th, 2013 at 3:38 pm

Wow, impressive gallery wall! And the quiche looks yummy too!!

Vicki
September 24th, 2013 at 8:50 pm

I’d say you were pretty inspired without the wine – love both collages! Amazing views once again – what no skinny dipping? You know what they say “when in France…..

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Debi Pendell Artist by debipendell.com