38 — Sunday, Apri! 25, 1999 - North Shore News north shore news Deep France: the pleasures f Provence Hal Holden Contributing Writer BARCELONNETTE, France — The skiers had left the mountains of northeastern Provence and summer vacationers were weeks away. The mountains on the edge of the southern Alps seemed tranquil, towering around the tiny village of Pra- Loup. Trt was late May, and snow was gone from the villages and farms, but still clung co all but the steepest pitches of higher peaks. In this haif-wild land in the département of Alpes-de- Haute-Provence, it is possible 0 drive for 30 minutes with- out secing another car or even obvious signs of civilization except road markers and crude, stone shepherds’ huts. Yet the crowded Riviera lies only two hours’ drive south. Provence is not just the land of the sun and Van ‘Gogh’s brilliant golden coun- tryside. Like France as a infinity whole, Provence is an infinite variety of landscapes and many micro-climates. The Alpes-de-Haute- Provenss. roughly two-thirds the size of Prince Edward Island, is one of what French historian Fernand Braudel called “the many-shaped and multicoloured fragments of the mosai: that is France.” For the traveller with a taste for fa France profonde — deep France as the French term remote rural areas — the rugged mountains, sweeping valleys and pocket-sized vil- lages between the Mediterranean and the High Alps are an uncommon choice. Digne-les-Bains, capital of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is 155 km by car north of Nice. Pra-Loup — which we were told means “wolf range” — is just outside Barcclonnette, 86 km northwest of Digne and in a growing year-round vaca- tion area, At an altitude of about 1,500 metres, Pra- Loup has two separate ski communities, onc 100 metres higher than the other. The Alpes-de-Haute- Travel Concepts adding third location THE North Shore’s Infinity Travel Concepts has acquired a third local agency. The purchase of Mercury Travel Led. located on Highland Photo Germaine Holden COLMARS, a tiny medieval village, is still ringed by ramparts and towers built in the 17th century. Provence is an area of breath- taking splendour that remains relatively undiscovered. Mountains dominate the See Roads page 38 ‘270 PER KID! » Round trip airfare from Vancouver to Los Angeles on Canadian Airlines + 3-8 nights accommodation (at select hotels} ) * Transfers to/from hotel + FREE 3 day Disneyland® Park Flex Passport + FREE 1 day Universal Studios Hollywezd” Pass 7 and transfers » FREE 1 day Knott's Berry Farm Pass i> transfers + PREE 1 day Legoland Pass « Adults from #399 per person Includes round trip airfare from Vancouver, transfers & 3 nights accommodation _. a. Special youth packages available + Earn 1.071 Canadian PLUS points ee Call or visit you local BCAA Travel office to reserve your magical family vacation Conditions and restrictions apply. 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Park : ¢ f Guest speaker ) opment in the five areas of specialty travel featured by Travel J" "=* 7° ; : Wernes: day April 28th 7-9pm Concepts. Former Mercury president Lisa Tomlinson has retired from the business and is awaiting the birth of her first child. Clients of Mercury Travel can contact Lola Tomlinson and Nancy Secondino at the Infinity Travel Concepts location at 3195 Edgemont Boulevard or phone 986-2262 for all their travel needs. Infinity Travel Concepts’ West Vancouver office is located at 1716 Marine Drive (926-8511); their North Vancouver office is at 3195 Edgemont Boulevard (986-2262). The company’s Web site is . oe RSVP by Apr 26. yy as ig 106-100 Park Royal South wavwresewaytravel.com Ground Floor, Black ‘Tower 9236-43 email roseway@direct.ca fil” punnoEs 7 aw os Z 469-2311 30 days starting at $298.50 +GST loco Road off 7A 10 miautes north of Coquitlam Centre FoR THE Fur AND THE OU For more fun under the wars Southern California sun, take a vacation to Disneyland» Park. Enjoy greot attractions, shows, porades, and fovorite Disney Characters. And with the 3- or 5-Day Disneyland. Flex Passport, you'll get more days of fun. Call 1-800-315-3824 or your travel agent. Attracion and entertainment schedules may vary. For more information, call (724)781-4555. ©Disney