The Best View in Cadenet, France is Now Free to All

On the road to La Mourrade

there is a turn-off for the ruins

of an old chateau with the best view

of the Lubéron.

 The ruins of the old chateau include a pool.

We got a kick out the fact that it continued

to exist uncovered

when citizens have to cover

their swimming pools nightly

per EU safety regulations.

 As we walked to the chateau

we looked back toward the town of Cadenet

to take in the beautiful village steeple.

  This walk was the ultimate playground

for European children.

What child could not grow their imagination

in these surroundings?

Do you think there might be trolls down there?

  To get to the chateau when it was active

required crossing the moat.

A nice bridge helps today.

  The view of the moat and the bridge from below.

Maybe trolls lives here?

Looking down at the scenic village of Cadenet

and the nearby sunflower fields.

The view of the Luberon valley went on for miles.

It was magnificent.

Robin told me the reason this chateau

was now a ruin was the people of France

attacked it with pick axes during the Revolution.

That gave me pause.

The American people are pretty politically angry right now

but not THAT angry.

Wow, imagine what it would take for folks

to be THAT angry

they are inspired to

bring down a chateau with pickaxes.

It kind of keeps things in perspective, no?

How far do you think that is?

10-15 miles?

 Looking down at the village bells.

Jim had told me the village experimented with

eliminating them

for three months but

everyone wanted them to ring again.

When men are out in the olive groves,

they hear it ring on the hour once

but they don't catch the exact number of rings.

They then listen for the bells to ring a second time

to actually learn the exact hour.

  If it is time to go home,

they go wait

by the side of the road

for their wives to pick them up.

Even laundry is pretty in France!

We started to encounter houses as

we walked down toward the village.

 We descended into Cadenet to continue

walking around the village and to enjoy a local cafe.

May American liability lawyers never discover this place.

Ssshhh, don't tell them.