A Chateau and a Vineyard…I Must Be in France
IAU, as part of the Early Start Program, planned out a few French activities to introduce us to region of Provence.
We began with a trip to petit village of Vauvenargues. Picasso bought a castle in this town at the base of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire in the 1950s. His family still owns the castle and he is buried on the grounds.
![Narrow steps leading to stone building with blue shutters and a turquoise door](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7343-e1660931394570.jpeg)
![A small sandstone castle with a rocky mountain int he background](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7338-e1660931414943.jpeg)
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On another day, we visited a local vineyard and winery, Château du Seuil.
The speciality of the Provence region is rosé. The winery owners led us on a tour and gave us samples of their red, white, and rosé. All three wines were very fruity, which the owners explained was popular in Provence.
![](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7386.jpeg)
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Another afternoon, we participated in a cooking class at a local Aix bakery.
We made millefeuille with apples and chantilly. While it was fun, I think the real objective was not to learn French cooking, but to wear out us loud Americans because they made us whip the cream by hand!
![](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7431-e1660931777562.jpeg)
My favorite Early Start activity was a day trip to Avignon and Pont du Gard!
![](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7248-e1660933016212-75x75.jpeg)
![Lac Zola and Montagne Sainte-Victoire](https://pagestoplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7293-75x75.jpeg)