Painting My World: Painting Provence Part 4....Our Magical Village of Goult

'Magique' 9x12 pastel ©Karen Margulis
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We knew we had chosen well the very moment we arrived in Goult. We were greeted with wine and cheese and other goodies. We were given a quick tour and the suggestion that we get tickets for the evenings festivities in the village (more on this later). It was truly a magical place. Goult had all the necessities....a cafe, a few very nice restaurants, a boulangerie/patisserie, a small grocery store and a cheese store as well as a few small shops.

Goult was a quiet place and very walkable. While we loved exploring the other hilltop villages in the area we were alway happy to return to our village. One of the first nights of our stay we took a walk after dinner. It was light until 10:00 pm and around 8:00 the light was magical. This evening walk and the simple discoveries we made set the stage for the entire trip.

An evening walk in Goult

We set out on our walk to find the moulin (windmill). We didn't know where it was only that it was at the highest point in the village. So we just picked a street and headed uphill. It was quiet. It almost seemed like a deserted movie set. I fell in love with the colors and textures of the buildings. I would take many walks and many photos of these special details.

The quiet streets of our village.

A fun spot. I can only imagine the conversations this little spot has seen!

We knew we were headed in the right direction when we came upon a wonderful view overlooking the valley below. We could see for miles and it was wonderful to watch the swallows as they flitted overhead. We continued the gentle climb.

The view from Goult

And voila! We found the moulin and it was lit perfectly by the setting sun. The view from the moulin was worth the climb!

The Moulin de Jerusalem

Before heading back to the house we decided to walk a bit farther down a path that follows the the 12th century ramparts and the terraced gardens. I would return later for a better look at these ancient structures.

I'm glad that we kept walking because we came upon one of the most magical scenes I have ever scene. It took my breath away! There was a small field filled with all kinds of wildflowers and the way they were illuminated by the setting sun was just perfect. Every flower and seed head glowed with light. It was truly a wonderland. Even though I took many photos they just don't do it justice.
It is a scene that I will paint more than once!