Back from trip to France: Provence, Rhone Valley and Burgundy
 

Greetings to all Fodorites:

As promised, I am back to report on my trip to France. I arrived back in New York on Friday, Oct 6 and had a fabulous time. Here are the details of the trip:

I left NYC on Sept 25, arrived in Paris via Air France at 8 am. After a bit of confusion regarding the whereabouts of my 2 friends who took a later flight, we met at the Gare de Lyon for our 2:20 PM TGV to Avignon. Picked up the rental car at the Avignon TGV and then drove 8 miles NW to Tavel. We spent 3 days/nights at LE PONT DU ROY, a lovely inn/restaurant amid lush vineyards. A father/son team: Dad manages, son cooks. Superb meals! We were graciously offered a pension deal for 29 Euros extra for breakfast and dinner. Chef went into town each morning to find best ingredients the local markets had and made us a surprise meal for 3 nights. Duck, Lamb and Scallops, all of which were fabulous, and washed down with various Cote du Rhone and Languedoc vintages i.e Lirac, Tavel and Chateauneuf du Pape.

We visited Avignon, the Pont du Gard aqueduct and Arles on this segment of the trip and were blessed with perfect weather.

On the 4th day, Sept 29, we headed north to Perouges for 2 nights, about 20 miles NE of Lyon. Along the way, we stopped for a late breakfast in Orange. Decided to stroll the town and took in the Arenes and the Triumphal Arch.

By 6 pm, we arrived at the OSTELLERIE DE VIEUX PEROUGES for our 2 night stay. Perouges is a meticulously restored Medieval village overlooking the hills outside Lyon. The dining room was lovely and the meals tasty, although lacking in creatively and options. 44 Euros gets you 3 courses, 60 Euros gets you 3 courses with extra choices. 38 Euros is the chef's special. Good food but not the stuff of legends..

Next morning, we drove into Lyon and had lunch at LE JURA, a delightful bouchon Lyonnais. Along with 2 "pots" (50 cl bottles)of local wine, I had a chicken liver pate along with greens and Quenelles a Brochet, pike fish served as a dumpling. Plain and plentiful Lyonnais fare..and tasty too.

Our last 2 days on the road were spent in Chagny at the CHATEAU DE BELLECROIX, about 10 miles south of Beaune. Having stayed here several years earlier, it was good to be back at the Bellecroix. But, we opted not to eat here given the fact that although the menu had more options, it did offer 2 of the items I had been craving: Coq au vin and Boeuf Bourguignon. For that, we went into Beaune and ate at LE BEAUNE' FRANQUETTE. Great food and very reasonably priced. Then..there was the wine!.. we pretty much spent 2 days libating in Beaune and loved every second it! Fabulous Burgundies, both known to me and unknown as well.

Finally, the sad task of dropping off the rental car in Dijon, then the 1 hr 41 min train ride back to Paris for 3 nights.

And as they say.. all's well that ends well.


Luis

Thanks for the report!! Great info.

MY

Langcraft, wonderful report. We have stayed twivce at the Ostellerie in Perouges. That village is so unlike anything in Burgundy. It so reminded me of Charles Laughton who starred in Hobsom's Choice, though that village was in England.

Thanks for a very good report. It was very informative while staying on the brief side. I am soooo wanting to go to Provence!

Thanks to those who have commented on my report so far.

As Alexander Pope once said.. "Brevity is the soul of wit"