Fly-In Haute-Provence 2012
21st - 24th of June 2012
Aeroport Cannes – Mandelieu LFMD
21.07.2012
52 MMIG46 members were supposed to arrive between 12 and 5 pm,
but some wanted to be there a day earlier – pretty standard by now!
Culinary welcome at the airport restaurant L’Ardoise Provençale
with an undisturbed view of Atlas Air Service AG's, our hosts', Citation Mustang
“Atlas Air Service AG from Ganderkesee”.
Of course, there was plenty of opportunity to have a closer look at the above mentioned Mustang and the complete AAS team provided qualified answers to the numerous questions posed by the inquisitive.
Leaving Cannes-Mandelieu our destination was now Tourtour.
a mountain village with just 580 inhabitants, has managed to keep its medieval character. Its streets with fountains and ancient houses are interrupted by steps and spanned by archways.
Thanks to its position on a hill overlooking the Provence landscape of the middle Var, stretching from Fréjus on the Mediterranean to the Mont Sainte-Victoire in the west the village is proud to be known as
“The village in the Provence sky”
The swimming pool at the Bastide de Tourtour was longingly awaiting our return to the hotel that evening. A dream with a view.
Our hotel, La Bastide de Tourtour.
What a view!
There were too many of our members on this Fly-In for us all to be accommodated at La Bastide de Tourtour, so we were very pleased to be able to find more beautiful rooms at La Petite Auberge.
8.30 pm: Our first dinner together in Tourtour, in La Bastide de Tourtour, of course, with excellent food and the best service.
22.07.2012
After breakfast the company split into two groups, one to explore the Verdon with the 'Aqua Rando', the other, less energetic, with paddle boats down the Verdon gorge from Lac St. Croix.
Afterwards we all met up in Moustier at the Restaurant Les Santons.
The Lac de Sainte-Croix is a reservoir between the French Départements of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var in the regional national park of Verdon.
The Verdon river was dammed from 1973 with the dam, which was started in 1971, being completed in 1974. The lake covers an area of 21.8 km², is a maximum of 90 metres deep and holds up to 761 million m³. It is, after the Lac de Serre-Ponçon, the second biggest reservoir in France.
In creating the lake, the village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon was flooded and was rebuilt 400 metres from its original position. A 6th Century bridge which used to span the Verdon with nine arches was also lost under the lake. This bridge was built by the bishops of Riez, although it is often wrongly referred to as the Roman bridge.
The lake, which primarily provides energy and water, is a popular tourist destination. Swimming and surfing are allowed, as are the use of sailing and motorboats. In the summer the water is pleasantly warm enough to swim in.
Lac St. Croix
Most of the lakeside beaches are either naturally gravely or stony.
The view into the Verdon gorge for the easy-going group of paddlers.
The Verdon river passes through one of the deepest gorges in Europe, the Gorge de Verdon, before flowing into the lake at the western end.
At 8.30 the sporting group have to make their way to the “Aboard-Rafting” (or “Aqua Rando” if the water level is too low) starting point at Castellane.
As the water level at the locks wasn't sufficient, the group was particularly interested to see what awaited them.
First of all, of course, there were diving suits and the appropriate life jackets to put on.
And then it was finally time to start with
sport and lots of fun!
Vidéo "Aqua-rando demi-journée dans le Verdon"
http://www.aboard-rafting.com/videos/videos.html
www.aboard-rafting.com
What an experience!
“The 'Rafting Troupe', those doing the Aqua Rando on their backs in the water, needed nearly two hours to get from Tourtour to the restaurant 'Les Santons' in Moustier, because the large buses can't go so fast round the bends and even had to reverse some distance because of a lorry coming in the other direction. So this group didn't arrive at the restaurant until 2.15 pm. Everyone was laughing, thanks to the fun in the water, and agreed that it really was quite fantastic!” (A member's commentary)
Moustiers Sainte-Marie
This little gem, “one of the most beautiful villages in France”, near Lac St. Croix, is world famous for its Fayence – delightful, handmade crockery.
Our meeting point was in Moustier, at the family-run restaurant
'Les Santons'.
Another quotation:
“Excellent food, excellent wine, everyone agreed the restaurant was simply great!”
(Message to those back home.)
The aperitif was set for 7.45 and the festive dinner at the Bastide de Tourtour got under way at 8.30. A real pleasure!
23.07.2012
Today would be marked by a touch of the jet-set, whereby a certain luxury Swiss brand was not meant!
St. Tropez and more!
A fishing village transformed itself into an oasis for the “rich and beautiful” - long before we got there, of course... !
The harbour is quite an Eldorado!
This too!
But this needs some getting used to.
And in the centre there are obviously some remnants of an almost “normal” life.
If we are honoured enough to celebrate the 50th birthday of the 'Riva Aquarama', then at the right address.
And that was just the décor..!
What a 'Loup'! – simply perfect and right for the occasion.
And finally, outside the door.
The last evening at the Bastide de Tourtour came to its usual charming and unhurried close among aviation friends.
24.07.2012
A final look at Cannes and soon we would be back home.
Another successful get-together and hopefully looking forward to a further one next year!
© MMIG46 e.V.
