The Road to Tavel

Tavel is a wine distric in Southern Rhone north and west of Avignon. It is well known for its rose wines..some say the best in France and the world. The wine is made from a combination of the many grape varieties grown here ..grenache, syrah, cinsault,mouverdre...and that is enough for you to get what I mean. The Nova Scotia Liquor Commission carries no Tavels and the LCBO in Ontario maybe about 6-9. Lucky Ontario.  The French here in Provence love their roses and we are starting to see why...they are remarkably inexpensive...10.50 euros a bottle was the most expensive we could find...and even in a restaurant they run about 18 euros a bottle ...but then wine in restaurants is a great price compared to Nova Scotia.
Roses come in a wide range of colours from pale pale pink to a hearty strawberry colour...they can be very aromatic which is what we like and have great fruit on the palate..strawberry..raspberry..some even with a little grapefruit. They are great as an apertif or with the whole meal...we have very much enjoyed drinking them here..mostly from the Luberon area.. so it was going to be an adventure to head to Tavel and see what we could find. We also hoped to get to Lirac..the adjacent community also known for its roses. The way we have been devouring time that seemed like a full day. We had made a reservation at the restaurant we wanted to eat at called La Physalis.. through a booking engine they were using called Fourchette which was very easy..we have found that you really do get better treatment if you reserve. The reservation was for 1 Pm which meant we had lots of times to take the backroads through the countryside..our preferred way of travelling. The route would take us through Chateauneuf de Pape, the beautiful, again. Last Thursdayb was a holiday here and we were taking a bit of a chance that the wineries would receive us but oh well you have to take some chances..haha!
I cannot say enough how beautiful it is to go through CN-de-P..and  I kept thinking what if this was my  "hood"  ..you know where you go to the store or pick the kids up from school and this was where you drove every day..over there Beaucastel or the Vieux Telegraph. Where everyday you got to see those rolling hills of vines and the change in the vines... even since we have been here  we can see big changes..lots of leaves and the flowers are taking shape..and looking like little bunches of grapes.
After C-de P...we hit another little town we like called Bedarrides where the Ouveze River parallels the main street. Most days when we have gone through and even stopped to walk the river, it has been very quiet with the usual sleeping dogs and old men sitting on the corner cafes.. but today we were  startled to have the  road leading in to the town lined with small horse carriers..hundreds of them. There was even a detour so we could not cross the bridge.In the distance we could see all the horses lined up on the main street and it looked like a big fair. We found a parking spot and decided to check it all out. And what fun!

There were so many horses and vendors selling saddles and other horse  equipment..horses were being groomed and judged.. there were ponies and small horses and mules.And country music with folks in country shirts and cowboy hats dancing...line dancing and square dancing..all things American western style. And then there was a parade which we just happened to be right in a great place to view.

They had folks dressed in togas on chariots representing the Roman use of  horses and horses that ploughed the fields... and kids on horseback... and on and on.

But now we were running late and we had better get going to make our lunch.

 

We were greeted  very well at the reataurant.. the owner..wife of the chef loved the name Wildsmith and explained how she thought  Bruce might be of Bruce Willis fame..disguising his name haha...we ordered a bottle of Tavel and were quickly told we had picked a supreb wine made just around the corner. And it was!!!

The wine was of the darker coloured roses and was aromatic and flavourful..strawberry..and was smooth as silk in your mouth.And how easy was that.. after a fantastic meal of fish and liver... I had the liver.. Bruce hates it and when I see it on a menu I go for it...not like pub liver and bacon.. we set off to find the winery and the vigneron and taste the wines and see if with linited French we could pursuade  the owners to sell us some.

Here is my liver and a shot of the rose in the glass.  You can see I hope how dark this rose is. Bruce is still talking about how this for him was an ah haa moment as far as roses are concerned

 

The winery was called Domaine Moulin la Viguerie...a viguerie was a justice in the days of the old Duc system in France and this winery had been in the hands of this family for many centuries...since the 16th century. The owner today is a young man by the name of Gael Petit...who was most gracious and spent several hours with us

out in his vineyard showing us his many plots... what a great afternoon we had and  serendipitously found a remarkable wine which will be at our home this summer... and here is the vigneron ...Gael Petit



 

My Love-Hate Relationship With France

So Monday we were off to Frontaine de Vaucluse...again...but this time not to see the incredible water source that feeds the Sorgue River but to spend some time at the Musee d'Histoire which is dedicated to the Resistance fighters during the second World War and depicts life in France under the Nazi occupation.I have read a lot about this horrible period of history ever since the owners of my apartment in Beaune back in 2007 took me on a hike back into the countryside to the site of a cave where 19 Resistance fighters lived and were shot by the Nazis! Someone had "ratted" on them. It was an incredibly moving spot and I was overcome with emotion especially reading their ages...18,19 22, years of age...so visiting this museum had been on my list.The first day we went it was closed...it was a Thursday...now why close a museum on Thursday?? So here we were going back again..Monday!It was open and we were there for 10 AM as they unlocked the doors...us and all the boisterous high school students...two hours in to the incredible displays we were asked to leave ..they close for lunch...and they had already let us stay 20 minutes longer than  permissable.Come back at 2PM.
So I love the long lunches and the race to the nearest restaurant of choice but I hate the interruption it gave to my learning and besides our plan had been to go home when we were finished..maybe another hour and enjoy lunch there.As it was, the town was soo packed we feared giving up our parking space and going home and then coming back....and there was more to see..so we stayed in the town for lunch which was pleasant as the day was beautiful...but it reminded me of the way restaurants organize their days off  as well as museums closures... you have to check everything.Restaurants can be closed Tuesday and Wednesday evenings..and lunch on Thursday.. thank heaveen we know the days of the week in French..but May to July the days can be totally different. At historic sites you have to read the hours carefully... not all of them close for lunch and the day of closure can be whatever. Tomorrow we are headed to Tavel and Lirac wine regions which make rose wines...the day is planned around the opening of the restaurant ..one picked by monsieur  Michelin...hopefully it will be sunny..but hey the restaurant will be open..oops I should not speak too soon..it is a holiday here...lots of May holidays.. two this week...May 1st last week....it could be closed...fingers crossed.

But the folks at theMuseum were very helpful...here is a picture of three beautiful huskies they looked after inside the front vestibule while the owners toured the museum.The Rhone River was very important to the Nazis and the area we are in here in Provence..the Vaucluse was a hotbed for Resistance fighters. Monday night I could hear the boots of the  Germans echoing on the streets while I slept...the displays were that real to me.

After Fontaine we roamed the small town of  Saumane with a chateau built by the Sade family...they seemd to have castles all over the place..well fortifications really... I loved this door.  The village is built right in to the rock and  has been there since the early 1400's.We left our car at the foot of the switch back road leading up and walked to the town...the French drivers just barrel down these very narrow roads like they dare you to hit them.. I know Bruce white knuclkles the steering wheel alot.

I love the gates and special things like this ancient kettle someone has set out by their gate. To me it said welcome..come in for tea... but the gates keep the French fortified inside...you never see their living space except if you walk by some day and the gates are open...we have only seen a few open and caught a glimpse of life... you can imagine though... the round bistro table and chairs...everyone has several at least... the pots of plants..cats sprawling in the sun..urns with trees..clothes drying on a clothes rack. There is a whole life behind those gates and big wooden doors that is hid from view.I guess it is somewhat like us having a back yard with the cedar fence.

I have often thought I would like to have a big gate  at home but then I think how welcomng is that...?I also love the shutters..especially the ones painted in the Iris blues... the iris" are all out now by the way...the apple blossoms and cherry blossoms all gone..in fact we stopped and looked at an olive tree yesterday and there are actual olives on them.

Is this place not beautiful?...but you are looking at the backside..which faces the river..we are across the river.. the Sorgue...so you are not seeing any gates..its flank is exposed, so to speak....it is on a walk we often take after dinner.. a quiet spot full of ducks right now with babies...

Anyway we are off to Gordes this afternoon and the Abbaye de Senanque...enjoy the pictures...!

Fete des Crus 2013..or the Beaujolais Wine Fete

Our  house guests have gone...so sad to see them leave for many reasons. They add youthfulness to our life...it was them who went to the karaoke night at the Black Sheep across the way and we got to live it vicariously.And they brought the game Skipbo which we played and laughed over ! And their going home means we only have a bit of time left ourselves but it also makes us home sick too.. nothing like home. We have been hearing about all the good weather in Nova Scotia..plus I am anxious to hear the "peepers"  and see my grand dogs...Rufus, Sam and my wonderful Senta. As well , with all the warm weather I am sure the grass is growing and needs to be cut and then there is getting my garden in!!Plus this is pretty much a life of leisure...the good fairy arrives tomorrow to do all the cleaning and change the beds and vacuum...stuff I have forgotten how to do and which will be front and centre in  the not too distant future. And really, after this much time I have worn everything I brought in my suitcase and I would love some of the clothes I left behind..But somehow we will forge through the next week or so and try to make the best of all the cheeses there are left to try and wines and beautiful views and hilltop towns and a new fete we heard about today.Oh my another fete?
 Well what about Baujolais you ask...the fete of all fetes....?
Let me start  with a little wine lesson. We were not going to Beaujolais to taste what the world thinks about when they hear that name Beaujolais...   their Nouveau which comes out the third Thursday in November and is that easy drinkable fruity wine that tastes like those banana marshmallow candies we had as kids. No, we went to drink their Beaujolais  wines from their ten Crus villages..same grape..Gamay... but made like wine is made everywhere else in France...fermentation, aged in oak, bottled and rested and then sold. In contrast, Nouveau grapes are  put into large containers with CO2 and thus starts a process called carbonic maceration. When it starts to ferment they like to stop it so their is a little spritz left in the wine..it is bottled and sent off to us...the Nouveau process takes a few months depending on when the grapes are picked while the Crus village process  is about 18 months or more.
I keep using that term crus villages...and there are ten of them, and the appellation control system in France allows the wine of those villages from the vineyards associated with those villages to be considered a better product ...which it is..better than say plain old Beaujolais . But thta's enough of that wine lesson..for now anyway.
 Let me start by saying  I have been to most of the wine areas in France..Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Provence...but Beaujolais is the MOST BEAUTIFUL... di you hear my shouting?The hills fold down and you feel like you are standing in a bowl of vineyards and you look up and you wonder how  they are going to get the tractor up there to work the soil and oick the grapes. Well they don't. that is part of the issue in Beaujolais... caring for the vineyards is so intense and manual labour and the wines do not demand the same high prices as other places these little wineries are struggling to make ends meet.No big chateaux here...but certainly some lovely homes and the people are all so happy and welcoming especially at heir fete... and another thing..most of the operations are team efforts..husband and wife... and both names are on the bottle.
Now I am afarid that I have no pictures of the countyside ..beaujolais to show you...the weather was cold and rainy most of the weekend...and Jamie our son brought his super- d- duper camera and we let him take most of the pictures ...but he will send us some when we are home and I will post some so you can see but more than that I would urge you to go and se for yourself.. and don't get swayed to go just to Burgundy..but take the extra time to go to Beaujolais..itnis well worth it...rent a house there.. they love their horses and there are lots of riding trails and rings... and they love their TENNIS..yes  and they have indoor and outdoor courts..big indoor courts that could hardly survive in Halifax but are thriving in Beaujolais.
So given the weather this fete could have been a disaster but these guys are really good at organizing these two days and  just because the numbers were way down and it was freezing there was lots of wine to try and the music was playing and the spirit was festive... and the food... ever gone to an outdoor event where in this huge gorgeous tent they serve a 4 course meal...a terrine starter with salad, beef bourgogne.. and a strawbeery dessert with a baguette and wine is brought around on a push trolley..always the wine... and espresso at the end.
each year a different village..of the ten...hosts it...and picks a theme... this year it was visitas.. which they have in Beaujolais for sure....This year Brouilly was the host ... and so they had a large booth front and centre. Oh yes, to be more specific...for the two days they actually shut the ton down... no cars...you park outdise ina  field or wherever..a designated spot and you are driven to the town.... such a great idea as you can walk up and down the streets visiting the various booths wine related but also food related and lots of artisanal booths. street bads are roaming up and down and it is just such a happy time.
Each Crus village has a designated courtyard and their  wines are all set up and you go in and taste as many as you want ... all you need is a strategy to figure out what to ask for. And they give you a book with all the producers listed and places to write notes..and a map.
It was 6 euros to get in... and that included a Lehmann tasting glass..wow.. these glasses are great and are reccommended by Gerard Basset the worlds greatest sommelier in 2010.. we have 4 to bring home..one from each day.

This is the booth for the village of Chiroubles and a handsmoe Frenchman Audrey and I picked up..

So Many Wine Fetes

If you have forgotten your high school French a fete  is a celebration, a festival and let me tell you Spring in France is full of fetes..wine fetes....and one reason we wanted to come to Provence at this time of year.
So far we have enjoyed three wine celebrations...the first in Chateuaneuf -du-Pape which I have already blogged about. The next weekend was a fete in Cairanne one of the northern Rhone villages in the Southern Rhone( do you get that) and last weekend we attended for the whole weekend the Fetes des Crus in Beaujolais which was by far the most elaborate and well organized.
But first to Cairanne one of the village appelations for Southern Rhone wines where the fetes was held....but lots of other villages were represented...Siguret,Sablet, Vacqueyras, and Gigondas. I would say there were about 65 producers in all with each showing about 3-4 of their wines. Most producers it seems have plots in all of these village appelations. Chateau de Beaucastel was represented at this fetes which was quite amazing given that the winery is in Chateauneuf du Pape and makes one of the finest wines of that region. But, you see, it also makes wines from these village appelations and so I am guessing now likes to spread its classiness around...and attend some of these lesser fetes...it was NOT at the C-du-Pape fetes. We did ask why and they said that they had not attended for a number of years...maybe too they end up giving away too much high-end wine as I am sure there would be a beeline for their booth...just like we did in Cairanne... I mean these bottles are going for over 100$...
..it was here at Cairanne that we made the arrangements to visit the winery for a tour and tasting which we did April 30th.
So 5 euros to get in which buys the tasting glass and two large rooms full of producers...lots of wine to taste..so you really do need to develop a strategy.On this day Bruce and I decided to taste all the Gigondas first...just because it is reported to be a superior village for its wines and at least we would be fresh for the better wines....our palates that is as this is an all day affair. booths close over lunch and there are food stalls outside with all the usual «french foods ..cheese,meats, bread, olives,omlettes. At this fete..no oysters like C-du-Pape though...but you have to remember these guys are not hauling in 30- 40 and upwards Euros a bottle for their wine....more like 10 Euros if they are lucky.
So here is some info for the non wine folks... Southern Rhone wines  are blended wines made from a variety of grapes...Grenache. Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and every vigneron has their blend and what percentage of what grape they like to include. We came to the conclusion that day that we liked blends that leaned toward the higher amounts of Grenache. being at a fete with so many wines to try it is much easier to narrow down your likes and dislikes.
We loved the ``country` feel to this fete....most of the people behind the tables were the people who had worked the fields and made the wine.. the folks we like to meet.. and man were the wines good!
But we were narrowing down our favorites as these were the wines we were interested in bringing home. After lunch we revisited our final choices and decided that our favorite were two wines from the Domaine la Roubine...roubine means trench....the owner was Eric Ughetto and he was the real deal winemaker along with his wife Sophie....we asked if we could visit his cave the next week and we bought several of his wines to bring back to our rental to drink in a more quiet atmosphere just to make sure we liked the wine as much there as at the fetes. We bought a Gigondas and a Vacqueryras.
So let me tell you about Eric as he was humble and shy with a sense of humour...his hands were stained and rough as he does just about everything with regards to the wine production ..and Sophie too.Some wine writer-buyer once said he never bought wine from a winemaker whose hands weren`t stained.
Eric had been a fireman in Paris and Sophie was a woodcarver but when the vineyards in Gigondas needed to be worked he came home to take over the business. He is organic and he ferments in large concrete tanks...not much oak...his label trademark is a dragon fly.
We know so much about him because we did go to his cave which is right beside the Hotel Dieu in the village of Gigondas...an absolutely beautiful spot... and he is really quite close to the Place there...
He wants us to spread the word in Canada about his wines... and maybe someday soon he and his buddy Alain will come to fish... Alain is another story but he joined us in the cave where we had a final tasting before we bought and had a whale of a time.So before I sign off this blog here is a picture of Sophie and Eric and hopefully by summer we will nbe drinking his wine in Nova Scotia!

Eric and Sophie Ughetto from Domaine la Roubine.They make Vacqueryas,Gigondas,Sablet and Siguret and they call themselves ``payson vigneron``...a winemaker who is respectful of his soil.

Food is King..And Wine Too

I need to get caught up for sure... the days have been zooming by and Jamie and Audrey arrive tomorrow which means I am less likely to keep up the posts. And I want to talk some more about the food we have been enjoying as it is not all about the wine...well really it is but the food has been right up there.
After our tasting at the Aureto Winery we, like all Frenchmen, whipped through the countryside to find a restaurant for lunch. If you have never been to France please believe me when I say the speed driven just before noon is considerably higher than it is at say 10 AM... and even then some drivers are pretty speedy...compared to us anyway. Everything closes at noon or demi noon..1230 and the streets are practically deserted. Road workers leave their machines where they are and take off...construction workers take out their very large coolers and  find a place to sit and spread out their incredible lunches... and the tourist like us hightails it to the restaurant  to make sure they have a seat because the restaurant will close by 1:30 for the afternoon...this is not eating at all hours like it is in North America.
So we found a spot in Rousillon and although the weather was gorgeous we sat inside to be away from the smokers..Germans.. smoking is permitted on terraces and balconies so the non smokers  are condemned to the inside on lovely days. Lunch was simple and afterwards we strolled the town...lots of height to Rousillon.. another hilltop town so you are always climbing.
On the way down though we stopped to look in a dark  shop full of Provencal food products...we were the only customers and the owner was delightful. She proceded to give us an olive oil tasting and we were actually blown away by the products... and you have guessed it ..we are now the proud owners of severl kinds of olive oil... our favoite was  one from a place just south of here called Les Baux   AOC Vallee des Baux...we have been there on other trips and knew it to be full of olive trees. This is what they call fruit noir  as they pick the olives and then hold them for 2 days while they lose some of their water... and then they press...wow...it is so unique, fresh, delicate..in fact we had it last night on pasta with nothing but a very fresh parmesan cheese... and we have also been dipping bread in it...
The second one we bought has just a more greener taste..also from the Vallee des Baux but made the traditional way  ie pressed right away...it is stronger in taste and better for salads...this last one, produced by Denis Fage..won a gold medal recently... and is also an AOC product....by the way  AOC..operation controllee...a set of rules that must be followed in the way the product is produced... well AOC is now AOP... even for wines...it is an attempt to introduce EU terms for  individual country terms... so in the past in France wine and foods were  Apellation Origin Controllee AOC...but now it is called Protected...AOP...a controlled product garuanties that it is grown a certain way and made a certain way...you, the consumer, know what you are getting.. and usually a better product.
We are going to do a little blind tasting of the oils in a few days ourselves...just to see what we think because we also have an everyday olive oil from the grocery store to  add to the mix.
On Thursday we were hitting Menerbes..climbing to the top of the village chateau.. buying picnic items at the market and heading for an AIRE... the name they use for car stops with lovely views and picnic tables... and we were going to have a picnic....at all the markets they have these machines that roti the poulet... and Menerbes was no exception so we bought half a chicken..a baguette, some fruit and we were off... the chicken came with vegetables..zuchini, onions, peppers, and was delicious... this is my go to meal... we even had one today from  the Sorgue Sunday market...I thank Bruce for putting up with my chicken craze..
Menerbes by the way is the town Peter Mayle made famous.. in A Year in Provence... I reread it just before I came over... the people in the area were offended by the book and he eventually moved  about 15 km away to a town called Lourmarin...we found his first house and at the end I will show you a picture of it... but mostly I am sure that after he made his millions from the book he could afford something way better and Lourmarin is a pretty upscale place..at least it looked that way to us when we went the next day to their  very upscale market..
In the afternoon we had a huge hike...through cherry orchards..beautiful...but actually too hot...it was close to 28... and we were pretty drained when we got home. Not drianed enough though to stop at the Bonnieux cave Cooperative nd taste some Roses...
Friday it was off to Lourmarin for thier market which I must say was over the top...lots of food items but also lots of artisans with pottery, art work, jewellery and clothes... and jazz musicians.. and pasteries,it took us about two hours to walk through and see everything. Our favorite was an older gentlmen  selling ancienne grain breads... the line up was huge... they were long loaves about a foot..maybe more... with seeds and nuts and apricots and dates and olives... by the time we found him he was almost sold out so a picture was not  really possible... he weighs the bread  and you buy by the kilo...we bought a nut and seed bread.. about 4.5 Euros it cost... and is dark and dense and wonderful... tonight we said we will go back in a week and buy more but this time get the whole loaf and cut it and freeze it... should do us till we have to leave.
And finally today was the Sorgue market... not as crowded as last Sunday when the weather was so  beautiful...it has taken a cold turn and windy...but everybody  has moved their stalls... it is a game of musical chairs... and believe me when I say this market is huge... street after street.. so it is not easy to find your seller if you have some loyalty thing going here... and the strawberries...better than ours in NS  and that is saying somthing...but they are coming on now so they are selling bigger baskets full which is what we bought today... for 10 Euros...I would say about 3 quarts if not more... but they weigh them and sell by the kilo... we had them as dessert tonight.
 So the cheeses we are liking are of course the Epoisse from Burgundy...have always loved that cheese...and the Basque goats milk cheese ..from south west France...at the Spanish border.
Yogurt has given us a problem... there are so many kinds of things in that area in the store  Creme fraiche, fromage blanc,...we ended up with Activa which I would never buy at home( by Danone and now owned by the Chinese) but I am just not  reading the labels well enough...
And speaking of grocery stores..we have been watching what people are buying...Eggplant, Zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, fish, well actually sardines... not a processed anything... and these are 20 to 30 year olds... but man do they love the ice cream... our little town has about 3-4 ice cream parlours... I am sure it is  not the sweet stuff we get at home... so neat the way it is all laid out.. I will get a picture...I am sure it is like the Italian ice cream , Rob.
and even though it was cold today folks were sitting outside these shops eating these great looking sundaes... various configurations of  dishes and toppings... we go for a walk 6-7 before our dinner to see what everyone is doing... and that was what they were up to tonight.. ENOUGH.. I will tire you out... thanks for listening..reading... I am reading  Above All Things..by Tanis Rideout... about the George Mallory expedition up Everest... a Globe and Mail Best book... I am hooked... not on mountain climbing but the process for sure.

 Violets for the table

Peter Mayle's first House near  Menerbes

Our favorite Boulangerie

                                                        Our favorite Charcuterie

Savoury clafoutis

Baskets of strwaberries

Catch -up.not Ketchup

Bonjour from Provence! Before I say anything about the trip let me tell you the French papers are full of the Boston Bombings and Bruce and I were undescribably sad to see the devastation and havoc caused by this horrendous deed....a weekly occurrence though for countires llike Iraq. Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have a special connection to Boston...both my parents were recipients of the Boston aid following the Haifax Explosion in 1917...and Bruce went to school in Boston and we lived there in 1977 and 1978 and I watched the marathon runners go down Mt Auburn Road in 1978...It was an unusually warm and early spring I remember..with so many runners it seemed to go on forever..more so now I am sure. I was glad to hear this morning that everything will continue next year.
Global media and social media is  an amzing thing and it feels that you are living it as it happens.WE like to tune in CBC in the evening and listen to the afternoon show with Stephanie Domet....and as were are listening an accident is happening on the 102...and the next thing a picture of the accident is on the Chronicle Herald website...Similarly, we saw the Royal bank fiasco develop and come to some conclusion last week. RBC is our bank and it was easy to send our bank manager a note to tell them to "buck up". and receive a reply with a video attachment from the CEO...and Jamie skypes us and we can see him having his dinner... and Audrey in Halifax can join in the conversation.It is just mind boggling ad we are probably only using 25% of what can be used.
But enough of the issues and more for those who have the leisure life ...the good life and nothing more to worry about then the hours of our favorite boulangerie Benjamin Delicieux.... he likes to close by 1 PM never to open again that day..then couple that with the days he is closed which we can never remember..we really have to be alert in the morning to get our croissants and croissant amandes...these latter have an almond paste and I probably say it as bad as I spell it.My next blog will be a food blog  but today I wanted to catch up with the last few days.
On a cultual side I know I had said how great it was in Vaison de Romain looking at all the Roman remains from  4 BC to  6 AC and the ampitheater which is used today still...not that I would be comfortable there... the stairs are very steep..no code back then..the seats are stone.. and NO railings what so ever to hold on to...but I am sure the acoustics are wonderful. It was amazing to see all the tools and bowls that had been found at the site and how closely they resmble the dishes made today in this part of France...the pottery ones...today they put more colour in them but these Roman guys especially those from the higher castes were not living the low life...they had glass goblets, spoons and knives.. in floor heating and these amazing latrines...granite seats with holes..the excrement was washed away with run off from the aquaducts...they had these telephone contraptions at the site for English speakers but one thing we have noticed is that no one seems to want to hire a professional translator..and everyone seems to have very poor trnslations from wineries to historic sites...
On Tuesday we went to a "borie village"...bories are these stone round huts that there seems to be very little information about except that they were likely used by shepherds out in the fields...not that the one we visited was in a field... and they could be from the 14th century up to the 19th century

 This is me, obviously, standing in front of one to give you a sense of the size..and if you look closely I have on my Blue jays cap..saw they lost last night.

This wall is actually an apiary.. those  square indentations are filled with straw and then somehow the bees build nests there and leave the honey...knowing nothing of bees I have to take this information to be true...

And now since I added pictures I have no idea how to get back to just writing and getting this blog into the old format...help me someone.

 

The best part of that day was being high in the Luberon Mountain range and looking across the plain of Bonneiux and seeing snow covered Mount Ventoux and her lesser ranges as well as looking far to the west at the end of the valley and seeing the snow covered Alps.. then of couse all the farming and vineyards and olive trees below in the valley. The apple trees are at their peak and  it was to say the least AWESOME..

 

 

Yesterday Tuesday we went to a winery not far from here caled Aureto...wines which won many awards..if you believe all that....But it must be good as they have a woman winemaker..we did a tasting and then walked the vineyard.. the trail needs a bit more work...the dining room was closed as major renovations are going on as the whole place has recently been purchased by a Swiss... millionaire I would say... as the reconstruction going on was huge....we bought 4 wines... we both loved the roses and given this week of hot weather  the drink of choice... I have been very disappointed with the Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier. cepages and I was so looking forward to them...Ann Miller, sommelier, had once poured me one from her cellar but from Australia ..Chateau Talbec I believe....the memory of it brings tears to my eyes... but I have just not found what I am taasting here to benearly as enjoyable as that memory... too  much perfume on the nose and not enough acid on the palate...whereas the roses are refreshing and do have some acid  The roses are made from Grenache,or Syrah....they do go down very easily though so one must be careful... they also run 13.5% alcohol...

Aureto means " gentle breeze" and they have a website    www.aureto.fr    we took no pictures yesterday but instead hiked arouind two hilltop towns .. Goult...very beautiful and quiet and Rousillon..more touristy because of their red clay cliffs.We have been eating lunch and dinner on our small patio and I am feeling like Jane Goodall watching  a pair of pigeons bring the 2013 brood in to this world.  But now I am going to visit some antique shops and promenade with the rest of the town..it is that time....Enjoy the beautiful day in Canada...

A New Week

Well, the sounds coming from the street were very different this morning...no children's voices on their way to school so right away we suspected a holiday and went to the internet to see if we had missed something...but no..April 15th, today, is not a French holiday so back to the drawing board as to where the children were. While we were scouting out the pool for  Jamie and Audrey's visit I spoke to a lovely woman with children and found out that  everyone is on their Spring break... for two weeks...another clue should have been when Bruce arrived at our favorite boulangierie it was closed for a week  and .not just a day...so they must be going away somewhere.The special places like monuments and chateaus will be busier for the next two weeks for sure.
So here are the hat photos  ta da!!!

 

 

 

We are "rambling" as the English would say today or "randonnee" as the French call it in the Forest of Cedars near Menerbes... by the way the chicken was wonderful last evening for dinner...I can hardly wait for next Sunday to have another...  a bientot                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Ramblings From France

The market this morning was huge...likely because the weather was so glorious..at least 22 degrees by 1000...and the lighting amazing! Bruce and I went over about 1130....to find the roti poulet....normale not fermier....fermier is about double the price so I am assuming that it is free range!
On the way back Bruce realized his little barbershop he has been keeping his eye on for a haircut was open and so we went back so he could get a haircut!
What a spot..most days the seats are all taken as folks wait in line for a haircut...today just a young father and son...and the father was very particular and both were getting this cut we have seen quite a lot over here... Totally shaved up the back with a little round thatch on the top that is spiked with gel....both father and son... The back is shaved with a cream and straight razor and the top done with scissors and gel...quite the process...not Bruce though..he was pretty straight forward...anyway when the Father was done he jumped up and went to a nearby sink and washed his hair. And dried it with a towel... Close by there was a large mirror with a shelf with gels... He then fixed his hair as he wanted it.. Put on his baseball cap backwards... The thatch was protected and off he and his son went..oh yes he did pay.
The two young fellows in the shop about 30 years of age were friendly  the one working on Bruce's cut was trying hard to understand all Bruce's hand motions..a scissor cut..shaped around the ears.. And no thatch.... They then asked where we were from...Canada brought a light to their eyes and as most people say they said. It is very beautiful there... They then told us they were from Morocco...interesting..not France...anyway 10 euros later we left  happy as Bruce's hair looked great... We call these experiences "accueil".  I hope the IPad does not change that on me...in other words. Pleasant..with friendliness..Bon vivant... Some people and places have it while others could not care less about us or tourists or maybe life in general. But these lovely young men in the Phareon barbershop had it!
We are sticking close to "home" today...Bruce is making a lamb daube for tomorrow...we have the chicken for tonight...we are reading and will enjoy dinner on the  little patio off the third landing... I am watching how many tourists take pictures of the water wheel outside our door...certainly lots..
 Did buy a new sun hat and Bruce said it would look good on the north end of Anna Maria..quite fancy.. I have not forgot about the picture of Bruce in his new hat so maybe we will do them both.. And call it the hat blog..Au Revoir!!

Beautiful Fontaine de Vaucluse

On Wednesday we started to  visit some of the beautiful towns around L'Isle and the first was Fontaine de Vaucluse... the headwater for the Sorgue River. It starts out as the most quiet looking little spring/lake but it is reported to spew out the most water of any spring in all of Europe. The guide books tell you how much a year/day/ week/ minute but I cannot keep that info in my head. But what I can say is that it is absolutely beautiful! Well hey here is a picture.                                                              

Note the beautiful green/ turquoise colour. I wish I could show you the mountains surrounding this spring but my photo guy did not take those panoramic scenes...guess I will have to get more envolved in the shoot. Lots of folks like Jacques Cousteau have done dives down to try to determine the depth and the number of underground streams feeding the spring but have only managed to get to about 308 meters... but did note lots of streams. As the  water flows down toward the Village it picks up steam and hey it actually made steam and ran water wheels  used for making paper... and cloth.. and all sorts of things ..but alas that kind of power is obsolete...go figure and now it is just a beautiful place to visit with lots of tour buses all trying to turn the small round about in the  the center ville... wow that is fun to watch.. the germans seem to be the best at manipulating through small spaces.           

And s

o it goes down to the village .

And eventually arrives in our Village! We spent all afternoon in Vaucluse roaming the streets and pe0ple watching and of course going  up the hillside to the Fountaine.There were a number of fishers on the banks further down and we watched them and talked to camper folks in  a small  camping spot for these great camper vans that are so popular over here. The couple we spoke to was from England and they spend six months in France camping all over... the weather is so much better than back home they said..we can relate to that... as you can see it was a glorious day..leaves are coming on and lots of bushes etc in bloom.. forsythia out..violets..tulips.. and folks are starting to put out their balcony plants..we actually have herbs growing on our balcony here.  I wish I was better with this blogging...you can see that  I am now having touble with the font and as well I cannot seem to get back to the beginning of the line once I install a picture...plus this Acer is so small I am having problems seeing what I write...but I need to use it as the Ipad will not allow me to download pictures..oh dear a first world problem. The market on Thursday here in L.Isle was great and  Bruce bought himself a new hat...felt and black and Jim Ferguson would be proud! A step up from a cowboy hat.  I will get a picture in here soon. We got all our vegetables at the market and olives...oh my...so many to choose from.. Nyons is what I am buying... both green and black..sometimes with garlic and others with peppers and tomato.The strawberries are all out and we are having those every morning but you have to eat them up fast as they  turn very quickly. But people walk along the street eating them.. the gal in the gas booth the other day when we filled up was munching on  a box. We now have a favorite charcuterie and went there after the market to buy veal... I never buy veal at home.. it is so rare...these were veal cutlets and we had them last evening with onions and mushrooms...and new string beans..In the afternoon after the market and lunch we drove to our next village ...Vaison la Romaine to see the ancient Roman ruins... the largest collection in France...it was so amazing that we could not get all of it done in the PM and so went back again today Friday... here is a sample...in pictures.. i am stopping now as i must get ready for bed.. tomorrow for the wine lovers we are going to another Fetes up in Cairanne one of the Cote de Rhone Villages where lots of villages are supposed to be dislaying and having their wine to taste  Siguret, Roaix, Gigondas,Vacqueres.. I must learn them all....this time we are better prepared and have some producers we want to try..IF they are there but here are some pictures of the Roman ruins the amphi theater was amazing..I seem to be using that term alot ..4 BC to 6AD

Les Printemps du Chateauneuf du Pape

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The Entrance to the tasting and inside the Salon des Vins

Today is sunny and bright as the next two weeks are predicted to be... and why it is nice to be away from Nova Scotia this time of year...Bruce is out walking and I am in organization mode so doing a wash and just getting some of these bits and pieces finished.I am using the Acer as I wanted to download some pictures so bear with me as this machine often has a mind of its own!
 We have often been to Chateauneuf du Pape...where the vineyards creep right up to the backyards of the town and the beautiful chateaus and castles actually ring the backside. It is a wealthy area and the ruins of the old pope's summer palace dominate the horizon.When the popes used Avignon as their base, sometime in the 1300's, they came to Chateauneuf du Pape in the summer...  the palace was destroyed in the second world war except for an outer shell.
So this affair was an opportunity for producers to present their new wines and have the public also taste some older wines...but mostly it was the 2011 vintage which had actually only been in the bottle a  few weeks.
Try to imagine the excitement of walking into a room for the price of 7 euros which includes a tasting glass and being presented with 85 producers...exciting it was!....and not so crowded that you could not collect about each small cubicle and  receive your pour.That surprised me as I was thinking it might be an extremely popular event...but guess what?.. there is another one this coming weekend in Cairanne and guess who will be there?
Our wine bar guy Madian had told us about the Domaine de Marcoux the day before and that we should try their wine... two women --- sisters...one looks after the vineyard and the other the winemaking.Although they say the wine is made in the vineyard I had the distinct  feeling that  the winemaker was the star of this event... and their wines were amazing...big , bold , fruity, spicy, meaty ...with such a full mouth long finish...we bought a bottle to try at home in the quiet and then if we still like it will go back to the winery to send some home..Given the reports in the paper yesterday these guys may be out of business by 2050.
 And there were three winemakers from Paso Robles also tasting  this particular wine and complimenting the winemaker profusely. What surprised me is how much I liked the reds... even with ABV's of 15.5%...I found the whites too perfumy and floral... almost sickening...and besides I had to keep washing my glass out from the reds so it was easier to  to stick with them.
The big guys were not at this event... no Beaucastel and no Vieux Telegraphe... but there was Chateau Mont-Redon and le Vieux Donjon....we bought some of these and also some older vintages they had for consumption here... we do need to watch this buying thing as that is why we have a cellar in Beaune... anyway Jamie is coming and he will help us out I am sure.
We should have done more research re CNP wines but hey we did not know this was going on and had a day to get ready....we will be better for this coming weekend where there will be some CNP but also  wines from the area around Cairanne...Rasteau, Gigondas, Lirac, Tavel and more.
But before I move on let me tell you about the lunch served that day...as only the French can do....what fun! There were oysters ..6 for 5 Euros...then there was a Slow Food section which had booths of olives  oh so many kinds and tapenades and roasted tomatoes and peppers, then a bread booth, then a charcuterie section with all the pork procciuto-like products and fois gros every which way... and all the various strawberries which are coming on strong now... so what you could do was make a picnic of all or some of these products  and that was what people were doing..and bringing up bottles of wine form the Salon... and a fellow was going around opening up the bottles...we will know better for the next les Printemps...but then there was a hot section with a great set up of a fellow making  "frites" and another fellow doing veal...for 10 E.... and oh yes did I mention a cheese booth and a chocolatier for dessert.... what fun to watch everyone dig in to the food and laugh and drink and have a great time... and children everywhere...the NSLC would have been going crazy because people were actually allowed to buy the wine from the producers in the salon and bring it outside to these beautiful tents and windbreaks. and so went  the day at Chateauneuf du Pape.
And quickly on Monday we walked all day in Bonniex and Menerbes and Lacoste  beautiful hillside towns very close to each other in the Luberon...Peter Mayle country.... and Tuesday we went to Avignon to return the car and get another one... it was cheaper to have a whole new contract then extend the one we had... but we decided we really did need a car here...to get everywhere we wanted to go....when we wanted to go... Avignon for us was a bust though... 200,000 people..too big  plus everywhere I had planned to visit was closed...so after a wonderful little lunch we came home to L'Isle and vowed to leave Avignon for our departure day and that would be it. Today after lunch we are off to Fontaine de Vaucluse..where their is the largest spring in Europe...how far does that extend? and the source of the Sorgue River which makes up the canals around and through L"isle...we are working on trying all the boulangeries  in the town and determining which one we like the best.LG  and XX

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The Vineyards of Chateauneuf de Pape..no green yet but the sprouts are present and once it starts it comes on very quickly!

The Rhone River

After leaving Burgundy we again took the A series highway south toward Lyon with the intention of getting off before Lyon and trying out some less busy back roads... We were headed to a town in the Northern Rhone wine area called Tournon.Somehow between Monsieur Michelin and Sally our GPS...we ended back on the main road and went right through Lyon...wow..tunnels and all and the Rhone flowed sometimes on our left and other times on our right. What a huge city Lyon is..thank heavens this was about 3PM... And not a big traffic hour.We emerged out the other side safely and continued on a slower D road south.The vines quickly came into sight..clinging to terraces on the side of very very steep hills...lots of rock.. And rock walls holding little ledges of soil in place. No tractors like the Star War contraptions you see in Burgundy on these hills...cultivation and picking must all be done by hand.I think what I noticed the most was the lack of beauty compared say to Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux.The towns were between the river and the steep hillside.. Actually quite a narrow space.The vineyards looked spectacular but there were no vistas like in the other wine areas or those rolling hills that gave a bowl shape to the vineyards. For lunch we had had a Demi bottle of a 2009 Jaboulet from St Joseph...I really enjoyed this red...it had a great nose and certainly one could smell and taste the meatiness which you are supposed to get in Northern Rhone wines...plus the peppery finish.Lots of black fruit. Our little hotel in Tournon was clean but small... And given that the town was quite bleak we stayed in and read..and with dinner had a very nice Demi bottle of 2010 Crozes Hermitage"Les Jalets" by Jaboulet again...this is a well respected producer of Northern Rhones and even in our little hotel he was proudly displayed. Considering how much I like white wine..crisps with little oak I am surprised at how much I am enjoying these Northern Rhone reds...the Syrah grape seems to be crisper? More acidic then in warmer climates like the US and Australia...maybe even further south in the Southern Rhone.Maybe also since they do not add Grenache they seem more acidic..less"bon bon" as they say here. Anyway Friday Morning we were headed to our New home for the next many weeks and were keen to get there as I spoke in the earlier blog. The house is really great! Spacious, well equipped and just a block or two from the main Place in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue...it is on many levels...the stairs are those circular type and somewhat narrow...the main floor is a sitting area and a bedroom... Then up the stairs half a turn to a bathroom.. Up a larger turn and you are at the kitchen and living room... Big window off the living room looks out on to the narrow street and one of the many canals that criss cross the town... To join up with the main Sorgue River which almost rings the town. Right in front of our house is a huge paddle wheel...always moving.. There are about 12 of them in all.. Continuing up the stairs you come to our bedroom and bath...but there is a few more stairs and voila a roof top patio...still a little chilly for that yet! So Saturday AM we were surprised to look out and see the street filled with fishermen..looking like they walked out of an Orvis catalogue...the French really do like to wear the "gear"...some were fishing flies but most were fishing minnows... But they were everywhere...fishing the little canals...which are very clean looking and also the bigger river around the town... But we never saw anyone with a fish...! We explored the town more on Saturday morning getting our bread and checking out the little charcuteries and epicieries...when lo and behold we came across a small wine bar Le 17 Place aux Vins and decided to .check out the Cave and before we knew it we were tasting wines and enjoying the repartee..if that is the word of the owner..young fellow named Madian.. We will go back there....and I will tell you more about this great little spot.. But this is enough...the next blog will be about a wine Fetes in Chateauneuf du Pape we went to today...yikes an abundance of riches!

Although we have been in France since Tuesday, we finally arrived at our vacation home in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue today.... three days on the road... not hard driving but eating restaurant meals and suitcase living was enough to remind me of why we like to rent a place and stay for weeks at a time.
Weather has been excellent...and has steadily warmed up from Paris to Provence...Paris was 0 when we landed... and Provence today was 16...every day has been sunny although we noticed a lot of smog in Champagne and Burgundy which disappeared when we  entered Provence territory..must be those Mistral winds.

So what have we been up to? We stopped in Champagne` at a shop in Hauteviller to buy some bubbly from a young fellow Mathieu Valarde whom we met a number of years ago and  who has a store called Au 36....He represents lots of the young producers in the area and sells to the public at the same price you would pay at the vineyard....saves you all te driving to each place.Plus when you taste the Champagne it is easy for me to say I do not like it to Mathieu whereas tasting with the winemaker it would be more difficult to say "not that one"
We have bought  Champagne now from Mathieu for three years and he knows our tastes... I love the blanc de blancs...that is Champagne made solely from the chardonnay grape. It is the acid that I love...must be from drinking all that Nova Scotia wine!
Anyway, we had a lovely afternnoon with Mathieu tasting Champagne and hearing about his new baby. Some producers we bought were....Palmer,Chiquet, Agrapar, Jacquesson, plus some wines from a group of young Champagne makers who have formed La Club....they like the way each other makes their product and therefore you are invited in to the Club....wines will be shipped home to NS and maybe will be there for the summer.
At the end of the tasting we were exhausted..having been up all night on the plane and after checking in to our very nice B&B we went insearch of dinner...we had forgotten though that good restaurants do not open until at least 7 and it was only 6 so we ended up in a not so great Brassiere and had apoor meal...home to bed we went and slpet like logs. The rule of thumb is not to go to bed when you arrive in Europe but try to get onto the time of that country as quickly as possible.
Wdnesday we headed for Burgundy via the Autoroute..now I have never been a fan of the a series highways in France but my old age must be mellowing me as it was actuallya breeze. I like how the trucks stay in the inside lane and only travel 90 km/hour. They will move in to the middle lane if they are passing a slower truck but only then.The outside lane... the third lane is for the fast guys..yikes.. the speed linit is 130km/hour but i am sure some are going faster than that!!The driver must always move in to the right hand lane if not passing...yo cannot hog the middle lane...all the movement actually keeps you alert!
In beaune we were looking for some  special candle holders called Rats de Cave and visiting some old haunts and a special restaurant called Le Ciboulette...we had a superb lunch here and a special bottle of St Aubin pinot 2009 from Domaine Roux Pere et Fils...
One of our missions in Burgundy was to visit St Aubin and taste some wines at their Cave.. sort of like a coopertive selling house for a number of winemakers. I had had wines from the winemaker Hubert Lamey and was ken to bring some home. St Aubin is a lesser known appelation and so better priced than thos in the Cote D'Or....but still great tasting. Lamy is well known for his chardonnays..my favorite. We tasted a number of his wines and settled on his plain Burgogne.
While there we tasted a number of other wines an and we  found this great pinot from Pernand-Vergelesses  and the Domaine P.Dubreuil-Fontaine Pere et Fils 2009 Premiere Cru... with a stiker that said it had won an award as the best wine by a female winemaker amongst the Burgundy female Winemakers group..yippee... you know how much I love to support female winemakers.
I am going to stop now... I have reread this and notied a number of spelling errors but I am using my small Acer compter and it is not allowing me to go back easily and correct them.. so please bear with me...it was also difficult getting on to the google site... all in French..funny how it knows where I am.
So many things to talk about... like how none of this travel ina foreign country scares me at all... even when we have no clue what people are saying to us...and we are in a line up getting off the freeway and have npo ticket...now how did we get on and not pick up a ticket... and then the machine will not take our money..eros.. and the voicebox..no one in the booth..is yelling at us...piece of cake... anyway a story for another day   i am off to my book.. The End of Your life Book Club....XX All

Bon Voyage Canada

 In two days we embark from Montreal to France....for a wonderful trip of almost 7 weeks...most of which will be spent in L'Isle Sur la Sorgue a small town a few kilometers outside Avignon. Using these final hours to pack...mostly attempting to determine which clothes are the best to take... in 7 weeks the temperature will change quite a bit...already it is about 17/65....in the daytime... but that can be sweater weather. Ahh, we really do not have many problems if that is all that is on our minds before we take off.
 I was just using Google Earth to check out the street where our apartment is located .. are there many Vespa's roaring up and down the Rue Jean Theophile? Well, actually, it is a one way street as  so many of these smaller French towns love to incorporate as a way to deal with the traffic...mostly tourists who are  determined to park opposite the Tourist Bureau in the heart of the town rather than walk a few blocks.
Anyway, this is just a small blog to get you the reader  ready to share in our adventures as we  take off ... Bon Voyage   !!