Moustiers Saint Marie

Travel Drama - the first real setback overcome

Hong Kong, Paris, Rome, London, Le Puy en Velay... - are destinations already on the itenarary. The Verdon Gorge however is one of those special places which in hindsight could not be missed.

To get from Marseille to the closest town to the Grand Canyon de Verdon we caught a bus to Aix en Provence where, while waiting on the platform, we informed the parents by SMS of our intentions to go out of range. Moments later and we received a phone call from Mike (Steve's Dad) gleefully informing us whilst panting heavily that he had just reached the top of a long steep section of the Great Wall of China!

Having already gone off the beaten track previously with our friend Loustic the Donkey we were full of confidence if not a little cocky. Arriving in Manosque??? we chased down the bus station for a conection to Moustiers Saint Marie (with no real idea what was even there). The very helpful bus attendant was incredibly disorganised and even after changing her mind a dozen times regarding the practicality of our request finally confirmed it was possible to leave this afternoon. Repeating back her English confirmation in French seemed to be the logical safeguard to be satisfied she was giving us the right information. With 7 hours to ourselves before the bus it was time to explore Manosque (read - find pastries and internet).

Having caught up with our blog, photo and video compilations and full of good food we arrived promptly half an hour early at the bus station. By 10 minutes past the confirmed time of departure Steve ventured in to enquire after the reason for delay. A more astute attendant gave an almost indignant 'you have to be kidding you crazy tourist, there is no hope on earth of getting there via bus today'. Please excuse the slight paraphrasing but the simple 'no, it is school holidays - there are no buses for 5 days' sounded the same to us.

Deliberation ensued, moreso it could be observed by any outsider that we were entirely dumbfounded with our situation and therefore resorted to pulling faces at passing traffic. Finally a solution, spend more money!

Only metres away a beacon of hope 'EUROPCAR'. 'Bonjour, Je voudrais une petit voiture maintenant' (Hello, I would like a small car now). A small after hours penalty, signing off of a 900 euro waiver and the upgrade for Loustic the Donkey was secured. Now for finding the correct door to get in and drive...

Like hesitant baby steps we got to our feet on the wrong side of the road and ended up completely lost in the small, small town of Manosque. By the way, Manosque should you choose to visit is actually lovely with a walled city section, lovely courtyards and pear slushy worth every centime.

Chanting 'right, right, right, right' Camilla kept us on the correct side of the road all the way to Moustiers, a measly 30 kilometres. What a sight to drive in late afternoon with the sun going down in the rear view as we drove through purple lavendar and yellow canola fields. Winding around the cliffside we passed numerous country stone houses before approaching the 700 metre high cliffs of the Verdon range. Perched precariously between two mountains in a narrow ravine was Moustiers. Score!

Campsight living is great, pay 10 euros for the best view of town. The only shortfall today really was that halfway through our showers the lights got turned off. Lucky we know where everything is.

Moustiers Saint Marie - 28 April

Waking early at the sight of a dark cliff face silhouetted by the sun rising behind we shivered in the morning mist with muesli in hand and fallen pollen covering the ground. Our plan for today seemed simple, enjoy all that this section of the Verdon National Park has to offer with a short 12 km hike through the hills and ravines surrounding Moutiers.

We thought we were off to a good start, topographical maps in hand, compass, sufficient water for a couple of days, snacks and determination. Having found the yellow way markers indicated on the map and in the dialogue we set forth on the climb through olive groves at the commencement of this round trip hike. WIthin 4 kilometres we realised that the map was not matching the waymarkers as expected. We pushed on feeling that if the markers continue then we are on a known route and can retrace our steps if required. Well, that was required!

We were beaten to the peak of Le Castillon at 988 metres only by a glider being towed by a tug high above our heads then soaring off through the valley. Confident we were on the right peak it was definitely time to put the map reading skills to the test and find the return route back to base. With all the diligence and determination in the world it was left undiscovered. The sheer frustration, and admittedly the element of concern we decided to retrace our steps. The only casualties on the trip were our egos and a compass deemed totally unrealiable.

It wasn't until the clarity afforded by a hot cup of tea that we relooked at the cursed map to find that our mistake was within feet of our departure point. Whilst following the route diligently, it became apparent that our way had only covered the return path. In retrospect it was probably the more picturesque of the two ways as it passed close to town. The feeling of being lost even though our destination was reached has taught us a valuable lesson which relates directly with life goals. Sometimes it is not just about being successful at reaching the goal but knowing how you got there, when is a safe time to bail, calculating the risks, admitting mistakes, feeling safe and confident and always know your way home.

A early evening walk through town as the lights were coming on et our spirits soaring once more. Moustiers is nestled between the gap in two huge mountains and split by cascading waterfalls. Tucked within the rock is a slippery stone staircase leading almost 80 metres above the town to a dark chappel built on the ruins of an ancient equivalent. Viewing the narrow winding streets from such a height makes you wonder how they built such an intricate laborynth.