A Poterne leading to an Outer Space in the Hilltown Village of Seguret, Provence, France

My photo for today is not one of outer space, but of an outer space that was so lovely in the tiny hilltop village of Séguret, France. After walking up the tiny stone path to the top we reached a lovey outdoor restaurant, Cote Terrasse, surrounded by big pink flowering bushes. We sat in the shade of the trees and enjoyed a quiet romantic lunch. Séguret is one of the hilltop villages on the Côtes du Rhône Scenic Loop. The key villages on the loop are Le Creset, Suzette, Gigondas, and Séguret. If you want to see the real Provence this is the scenic loop to travel, these villages have not changed in centuries. In Séguret the tiny streets are exit passages called poternes,  which allowed the villagers to escape to the ground below the hilltop in case of invasion.  At Christmas this entire village transforms itself into a crêche scene, ( a Provençal tradition that has long died out in other villages). Also, in the village is  a shop called Santons ( Little Saints) where  the crafts of Marcel Carbonel are sold. These pieces of clay figurines, made for crêches, sell in sizes of 1 1/2 inches, 2 1/2 inches and 3 inches. They are painted by hand in bright colorful tempura paints and strict attention to detail. This has been his family business since 1935. The tiny, tiny figurines are totally awesome! See where you can get authentic Santons, in the US, HERE.

In 1998 Crayola added Outer Space to the collection of colors. It is known as Coal Miner in the “State Crayon Collection” and represents West Virginia.

This post is just one of many in the Color Your World: 120 Days of Crayola Challenge! Enjoy!