Lisle sur la Sorgue looked lovely. A small village with lots of craft shops, cafes, water and brocantes . Those antique/junk shops that France do so well. There was also an excellent campsite just a short walk out of town . What more could we ask for ? What we had not bargained with was that it was Thursday . Maundy Thursday back home. The first day of the Easter weekend. I guess it might be the same in France and the world and his dog would be out for the weekend. Our first problem with Lisle sur la Sorgue was a barred road. We had to follow the diversions round the houses with Silly Sat Nag barking instructions to us telling us to turn round at the next junction, go back the way we . She tried her hardest to get us back to the diversion . Eventually we found our way to the site and misgivings started to appear . There was a queue of vans in front of us . Things were not looking good. I walked into reception and joined the queue. I listened in to the conversation at the other end of the room
. I head the words non. I got the distinct impression there were no plots available . The couple stomped off not entirely happy with the situation . The guy in front was having no luck either . He was offered a plot but perhaps the people opposite might have parked their cars there . When I got to the counter I just looked at the receptionist and said Theres no room is there ? To which he replied No chance . So off we went having seen nothing of Lisle sur la Sorgue .
We had to readjust up with an alternative at short notice . Gordes - a bastide town a few miles away. The climb up to Gordes was steep and we followed an old Dutch campervan that could barely reach 10 mph. It crawled mile after mile and refused to pull over . Getting past was impossible . We passed the first aire quite a distance out of the town. There were a few campervans already there . We intended parking on the higher official van aire . It was not free but at least it was official . It was behind the
main car park and not easy to find . The car park was spacious but not flat . We managed to squeeze in a space next to the bus park knowing no buses would arrive that night nor the next day. It cost 12 euros a night to park up. We had a quiet night and slept well next to the gendarmarie . The only noises from there were the frogs .
I walked up on my own to the town . I virtually had it to myself . The town is on a hill and looks impressive from every angle . There once was an abbey on the site but that has long gone . In 1031 a castle was built and this formed one side of the main square . There were a number of restaurants open around the square and radiating from it were the arches that formed the other sides of the bastide. During the second world war Gordes was the centre of resistance and was awarded the Croix de guerre . There were many nooks and crannies for me to peer into . Sadly though the shops were closed as was the castle .
