Home base for the next week would be L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, in Provence. As the name implies, it is literally an island in the Sorgue River, and the town itself is full of beautiful bridges and water wheels. Starting in the 11th century, industries such as fishing, grain mills, textiles and paper were all booming thanks to the river. Many of those industries are gone today, but you can still feel the close relationship the river has with its town. The river starts a couple miles away in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse where it literally surges up from unknown depths. The spring is one of the largest in the world (based on water flow) and results from rain and melting snow of several nearby mountain ranges. Scientists have traced the underground network down through 1000 feet of vertical tunnels, but have been unable to venture further. They are baffled by the spring’s constant flow of water, especially during the dry and hot summer months.
The town itself was perfect for Angie as it was full of antique shops and markets and everything French. It was a paradise of inspiration for her painting and she was always busy browsing (and buying). We later learned that this little town is the second biggest antique area in France (behind Paris of course), and the third largest in all of Europe. Having that it such a small and manageable town could not have been more ideal.
Outside of town we found lots of other treasures as well. The larger towns, although lacking a certain charm, had lots of options to keep you busy. On the other end of the spectrum were the sleepy little villages; peaceful, serene, and surrounded by fields of lavender and grapes.
