Cotswolds and Provence--Suggestions, please

I'll be spending about three weeks in the Cotswolds in August (near

Winchcombe and Cheltenham), and near Aix-en-Provence this July, and

wonder if anyone who has shot landscapes in those areas could suggest

some good locations.

 

I plan to be up at dawn, and walk or drive to shooting sites for the

early light, then put the camera gear away and spend the rest of the

day with the family. I'll probably shoot some evenings, too.

 

I'm also interested in village shots, and macro subjects.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

In Provence, make sure you photograph the local (weekly) markets. You will need a schedule of them in that the day varies for each village. These present great opportunities to photo the people, food, flowers, linens, pottery, art, used books, etc. Take the local trails into the surrounding mountains. Not only will the views be great, but so will the flowers, buildings and the country scenes. You can usually get maps in each village. Check out the photo tours to each area on the Internet and look at their itineraries for some some shooting ideas. In Provence, the small cities and villages are very picturesque. Take pictures of doorways, windows, and things like that. Many restaurants grow their own produce, flowers and herbs and you might get invited to visit their local farmhouse where everything is grown. Joe Smith

I don't know about the Cotswolds, but I can suggest that you visit <a href="http://www.tedsimages.com/text/vaview.htm">Vauvenargues</a>, where Picasso is buried on the grounds of a castle he owned.

 

<p><a href="http://www.tedsimages.com/text/aix.htm">Aix itself</a> has much to photograph. And, in general, you don't need to go looking for landscapes in Provence. They'll come to you.

I'd recommend buying Ordnance Surveys maps of the Cotswolds area.(Theyre probably available online if you're not in the UK). Ive been there - its beautiful. Some of the villages get a bit "touristful" in the summer, but as they're mostly coach tourists they can't go off the beaten tracks, leaving you to find the less spoilt bits, and the good pubs.......

I'll do Provence now and come back on Cotswolds later if I have time.

 

Quite a lot of the area round Aix itself is heavily populated, and so depending on just where you are the ability to hop out of bed, drive ten minutes and get to a wonderful dawn landscape may or may not be a reality. Also until you get up into the mountains you'll find Provence heavily cultivated. Most of the photography there relies on the hand of man to some degree whether because of crops, villages. houses. barns or whatever, and to be honest I find that more photogenic too.

 

Whilst July isn't the time I'd choose to visit Provence it is the time for Lavender if you're there early in the month before they cut the crop. Prime areas include the Plateau de Valensole round Riez and Valensole; around Sault and Banon,Simiane a little to the east. Digne is also a centre, but thats a bit further away.

 

The Luberon is one of the nicest areas in Provence; the villages of Bonniex, Menerbes, Lacoste, Loumarin are good and enjoy pleasant settings.

 

You should be able to get some early/late shots of Mont St Victoire from the south. Its quite extravagently serrated, and just east of Aix.

 

Don't forget the coast- Cassis is pleasant if permanently busy and is easily accessible from Aix on good roads. The views over from Cap Canaille(high cliffs) are good too. Bandol and Sanary are pleasant too without having the same "old town" feel as Cassis.

 

I guess you'll have to visit Les Baux/St Remy/Arles all tucked together about 45 mins NW of Aix. Get there early to get a parking space and beat the tours.

 

North east of Cavaillon you have Gordes, Roussillion, Abbaye de Senanque (good lavender here too)all clustered together. The view of Gordes from the west is as good as anything in Provence. Venasque- a little further on, is pleasant too.

 

You'll find wilder scenery in the Nesque Gorges, and round Mont Ventoux.

 

Good for photography are the wine villages of Seguret, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes Les Venise, though I must say that I might not want to drive up here and be back for breakfast at 9!

 

If you can stretch to the Camargue marshes, SW of Arles, you'll see flamingos, wild cattle and supposedly wild white horses whose claim to authenticity isn't helped by a proliferation of riding stables.

Put down your camera long enough for a meal (pigout) at the Thre Ways Inn, Mickleton, Chipping Camden.