Sisteron behind us and Trigance ahead of us

Gorge du Verdon

After leaving Sisteron and before getting to our next stop in Trigance, we drove along the Gorge du Verdon. It is described as France's Grand Canyon. Our kids were probably happy to know that our life insurance was fully paid because the French drivers are crazy. They love to speed well past the posted limits on roads that have no railings and are on the edge of a cliff.

You should have heard Graziella!!!!

Moustiers Sainte Marie

The first village that we encountered at the start of the gouge was called Moustiers Sainte Marie.  Our timing was perfect.  Upon arriving the village had just started their weekly open market.  We were able to browse many of the local produce and products. We even were able to purchase some gifts for some of our friends back home.

Graziella shopping for your gift!  You know who you are!

I always thought that Italians really knew a lot about brick work

but after seeing Sainte Maire, I think that the French have them beat hands down.

See if you can see Graziella in the top picture.

Our walk to The Notre-Dame de Beauvoir chapel,

which sits high in the notch above the village, is dated back to the time of Charlemagne in 8th century. It was restored in the 12th and 16th centuries and is actually built on the site of an even older one from the 5th century. The steep walk up to the chapel follows a wide paved path approximately 1.2 km long. The path, lined with 12 stations of the cross, has been used for pilgrimages to the chapel since the year 470.

Once again here is a challenge to find Graziella in the first picture.

I think I will start a new book called "Where in the Luck is Graziella"

I told Graziella that I wanted to take her picture from the top of the stairs, while I waited near the bottom just before the bridge. I did not want to tell her that I just needed breather from the climb.

 She ran up the stairs , of course!

Lac Ste. Croix

 Lac de Sainte-Croix is a  man-made lake that was formed by the construction of a reinforced-concrete arch dam in 1974. The water colour was even more beautiful that the waters that we saw in Lake Annecy. I wish I was more artistic, so that I could describe it to you better.

These are consecutive pictures take of where we just came from
 as we arrived at Lac de Sainte-Croix

Here is the top view as we arrived at Lac de Sainte-Croix.

After arriving at Lac de Sainte-Croix, we rented a paddle boat and used it to go

down the gorge entrance.  There were many people on the lake with the same idea.

It was a great way to spend an hour.

Château de Trigance

Well our stay in Trigance was everything that we thought it would be and more.  When we drove up to the castle, we could not believe it.  You could see this building on top of it's mountain from miles (Km) away.  I think that I will let the pictures do the talking.