Les Baux Revisited

After we (Andrew, Elle, Xavier and Kate) initially visited Les Baux on a school day earlier in May, we quickly concluded that we needed to return.  The primary driver for this was the Carrières de Lumières sound and light show, which was so good that we wanted Grace and William to experience it too.  On Friday 30^th May, a good opportunity arose during Neil, Gee, Theo and Isabella’s visit to Uzès, as L'école Sainte-Anne (and most likely many other schools – see below) had added this to the Ascension Day holiday on Thursday 29^th, to create a 5 day break.

In addition to it being a school holiday, it was a beautiful day, so the first thing we noted as we approached Les Baux up the winding hill was the large numbers of parked cars on the sides of the road.  Instead of continuing the climb to the main carpark we turned off towards the Carrières de Lumières carpark, planning to use that as our start-finish point for the day.  The initial feedback on this strategy wasn’t good, with the carpark full, and cars and buses driving further on to park further on down the narrow road.  However, we made a good decision to pull into the carpark and wait, with Andrew getting a park in 1-2min, then Neil getting one in 5-10min.  However, we made a good decision to pull into the carpark and wait, with Andrew getting a park in 1-2min, then Neil getting one in 5-10min.

While Andrew assisted Neil to get a park, Elle, Gee and the kids went to the end of the queue, which as the photo below shows stretched well outside the entrance.  20-30min later we entered the cave and the show.

The show was the same as we had seen previously, with two audio video presentations being played consecutively (a 5min standard show, and a 20min special exhibit on Austrian Art highlighting Gustave Klimt in particular.

In the photo above, Xavier gave Elle a kiss, while they were displaying Klimt’s ‘The Kiss’.

The five photos above were taken from the same location, a limestone balcony at the rear of the cave.  The first four show imagery during the Austrian Art exhibit, while the final one shows the bare limestone floors, walls and pillars between shows.  We stayed for almost an hour, which was enough to see both shows twice, and everyone really enjoyed it (even the three who were attending for the second time).

After the show, it was time for lunch, so we walked up the hill to the village of Les Baux proper.  Although much busier with visitors, it was still possible to enjoy the car-free charm of the narrow streets and laneways.

Andrew was amused by a water bath for dogs ‘le toutou bar’, which claimed to be 30% water and 70% pastis …

… and Xavier tried to replicate the welcoming smile from a poster.

Our restaurant for lunch was near the entrance to the medieval castle ruins at the top end of the village, and looked very inviting with shade over outdoor tables.  However, on balance it was disappointing, with lengthy service delays and an underwhelming (quickly melting) desert, which they claimed as an ‘award winner’.

After lunch we entered the historic castle and medieval display area, which we hadn’t done on our previous visit.  At this time, around 3pm, the heat from the sun was at its peak, and it was the first time on our holiday where we felt hot.  Intermittent gusts of wind and occasional opportunities to sit or stand in the shade being very welcomed by all.

It was easy to see why people have inhabited Les Baux for a long time, and why the castle was built in the 10^th century.  The hilltop vantage point provides excellent panoramic views and long steep climbs for anybody wishing to approach.

The two photos below show the ruins of the castle, which Neil and Andrew climbed all over, while Gee, Elle and the kids stayed in the shade watching a medieval display.

The big day took its toll on Xavier, who couldn’t stay awake in the car, despite the attraction of a large blue twisty lollipop.