France Trip Report: Paris, Normandy Coast, Lyon, Montepellier, and Provence
Jun 24th, 2010, 01:22 PM
#22
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I finally read about it when we got home a few days later. There were not too many details, but it was horrifying. I feel so badly for the people there. It was unbelievable at the time, and even more so now.
Jul 1st, 2010, 09:39 PM
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Took a while to get to the next chapter.
Provence – Part 2
The weather was forecast to clear up later that day, although it was still dark and rainy. Being optimists, we decided to head to Cassis, a small fishing village on the coast east of Marseille. Fortunately, the skies cleared just as we arrived and it turned into a gorgeous sunny day, with clouds only to provide picturesque contrast to the blue sky.
Cassis could not be more beautifully situated, nestled in a bay surrounded by the Calanques to the west, fiord-like limestone cliffs, and the dramatic rust colored “cretes” to the east, with an imposing fortress on the hill overlooking it all. As soon as we arrived we sought out a boat tour to the Calanques, which was not difficult to find, as the entire south side of the marina is lined with them. Since they all were about the same price and went to the same places, we chose the smallest boat (12 people max vs. 70) for a more intimate experience.
There are a total of 8 Calanques, but we were going to see only the first 3 during our hour long trip. We left the picturesque marina at 11am and drifted past the multi-colored buildings which line the marina on one side, and the working fishing boats on the other. It was a vantage point from which to see the charming town from the sea, with the mountains sounding it like a natural frame.
The first two Calanques, while very beautiful, were not nearly as dramatic as the third, which our boat captain claimed was the most stunning of the 8. There as even a beach which you could reach by hiking 90 minutes from town. Had we had more time, a hike to the beach and a swim would have been a great way to spend the afternoon.
After a disappointing attempt to get authentic Bouillabaisse at a marina side restaurant, we decided to drive the “route des cretes”, a steep and narrow road up the rusty cliffs to the east, which are billed as the highest in France. If you are afraid of heights at all, I don’t recommend it, especially as you drive along the sheer drops with no guard rail between you and the blue sky above and the blue sea below; however, if you do go, the views are absolutely spectacular, both west, in the direction of Casis, as well as east toward Toulon, Hyeres and St. Tropez beyond. This turned to be the highlight of the day.
The next day the spectacular weather continued. We had had enough of cities (even Aix was starting to feel too big) so we decided to do a drive through the hills towns of the Luberon, through the mountains to the north of Aix. On the way we stopped at Silvacane Abbey, built by the Cistercian monks around the same time as its more famous sister at Senanque, just outside of Gordes. We really liked the bare, simple halls and church, as well as the modern art sculpture of an enormous face of rusted iron in the garden. In fact, everywhere in Provence, from St. Paul to Aix and beyond, we really enjoyed the obvious appreciation for the visual arts, modern as well as classic.
Continuing north, we stopped for lunch at Bonnieaux, before continuing to Menerbes, Gordes and Roussillion. In Menerbes, made famous by Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence” books, we took a stroll around the very charming town with fantastic views, stopping to peer into tiny shops or galleries. One small one that caught our eye featured white and rust colored terre cuite pottery, made by hand by an amiable French woman in her 80’s. It was another opportunity for me to practice my French, and she turned out to be incredibly interesting, and even interested in us. She had moved to Menerbes from Paris many years ago, and recounted the liberal, artistic and intellectual life she had led in the Marparnasse area of Paris at that time. Soon we were talking about Sartre and Camus, and I told her that I had commented in my French class that I had wondered what good it would do me to learn about French philosophers just to travel in France, yet here I was, having a semi-coherent conversation with her. I wish we could have chatted all day, but we had to get going, so we bought a small clay plate as a memento and continued on our way. This was one of those moments that I long for when I travel. Making a connection that I know I’ll never forget.
We had been to Gordes and Senaque before, so we just made a cursory stop at each. We ended up at Rousillion, which is unique in this area for having been built out of the ochre colored stone, quarried from the area. It was a pleasant and beautiful little village, and made a great last stop before we headed back toward Aix, at about 7pm.
After having toured small villages all day, we were not so enthused about having dinner again in Aix that evening, so we were trying to think of a small town to stop in on the way back. At just that moment, we saw a chateau to the right with a sign pointing us to a small village called Lourmarin. Nestled in among the vineyards and olive groves, this quaint cobbled-stoned village was noted on entering as one of the most beautiful in France. We did a quick spin through town and settled on a place for dinner, on a quiet and secluded little square, and it was excellent. While the pork rillette I started with was outstanding, it was the aubergine millefeuille that made my mouth sing. A whole eggplant was cut into thin slices, but still connected at the top to retain its shape. Between each slice was placed a mild but delicious goat cheese and a tomato slice, and then it was baked slowly in the oven until sweet, tender and delicious. Finally, it was placed in a pool of pureed tomato and garlic. It was a slice of Mediterranean heaven. Sam had a perfect meal for the indecisive. A sample platter of every entrée in the house: a salmon and a pork rillette, a courgette panna cotta, and various other Provençale specialties. Our waiter was fantastic, born in Puerto Rico to a French father, he spoke perfect French, English and Spanish, and kept us entertained all evening.
La Place des Délices, Place du Moulin, rue du Temple, LOURMARIN. The best meal we had in Provence.
Up next, the last day in Provence. The final chapter.
Provence – Part 2
The weather was forecast to clear up later that day, although it was still dark and rainy. Being optimists, we decided to head to Cassis, a small fishing village on the coast east of Marseille. Fortunately, the skies cleared just as we arrived and it turned into a gorgeous sunny day, with clouds only to provide picturesque contrast to the blue sky.
Cassis could not be more beautifully situated, nestled in a bay surrounded by the Calanques to the west, fiord-like limestone cliffs, and the dramatic rust colored “cretes” to the east, with an imposing fortress on the hill overlooking it all. As soon as we arrived we sought out a boat tour to the Calanques, which was not difficult to find, as the entire south side of the marina is lined with them. Since they all were about the same price and went to the same places, we chose the smallest boat (12 people max vs. 70) for a more intimate experience.
There are a total of 8 Calanques, but we were going to see only the first 3 during our hour long trip. We left the picturesque marina at 11am and drifted past the multi-colored buildings which line the marina on one side, and the working fishing boats on the other. It was a vantage point from which to see the charming town from the sea, with the mountains sounding it like a natural frame.
The first two Calanques, while very beautiful, were not nearly as dramatic as the third, which our boat captain claimed was the most stunning of the 8. There as even a beach which you could reach by hiking 90 minutes from town. Had we had more time, a hike to the beach and a swim would have been a great way to spend the afternoon.
After a disappointing attempt to get authentic Bouillabaisse at a marina side restaurant, we decided to drive the “route des cretes”, a steep and narrow road up the rusty cliffs to the east, which are billed as the highest in France. If you are afraid of heights at all, I don’t recommend it, especially as you drive along the sheer drops with no guard rail between you and the blue sky above and the blue sea below; however, if you do go, the views are absolutely spectacular, both west, in the direction of Casis, as well as east toward Toulon, Hyeres and St. Tropez beyond. This turned to be the highlight of the day.
The next day the spectacular weather continued. We had had enough of cities (even Aix was starting to feel too big) so we decided to do a drive through the hills towns of the Luberon, through the mountains to the north of Aix. On the way we stopped at Silvacane Abbey, built by the Cistercian monks around the same time as its more famous sister at Senanque, just outside of Gordes. We really liked the bare, simple halls and church, as well as the modern art sculpture of an enormous face of rusted iron in the garden. In fact, everywhere in Provence, from St. Paul to Aix and beyond, we really enjoyed the obvious appreciation for the visual arts, modern as well as classic.
Continuing north, we stopped for lunch at Bonnieaux, before continuing to Menerbes, Gordes and Roussillion. In Menerbes, made famous by Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence” books, we took a stroll around the very charming town with fantastic views, stopping to peer into tiny shops or galleries. One small one that caught our eye featured white and rust colored terre cuite pottery, made by hand by an amiable French woman in her 80’s. It was another opportunity for me to practice my French, and she turned out to be incredibly interesting, and even interested in us. She had moved to Menerbes from Paris many years ago, and recounted the liberal, artistic and intellectual life she had led in the Marparnasse area of Paris at that time. Soon we were talking about Sartre and Camus, and I told her that I had commented in my French class that I had wondered what good it would do me to learn about French philosophers just to travel in France, yet here I was, having a semi-coherent conversation with her. I wish we could have chatted all day, but we had to get going, so we bought a small clay plate as a memento and continued on our way. This was one of those moments that I long for when I travel. Making a connection that I know I’ll never forget.
We had been to Gordes and Senaque before, so we just made a cursory stop at each. We ended up at Rousillion, which is unique in this area for having been built out of the ochre colored stone, quarried from the area. It was a pleasant and beautiful little village, and made a great last stop before we headed back toward Aix, at about 7pm.
After having toured small villages all day, we were not so enthused about having dinner again in Aix that evening, so we were trying to think of a small town to stop in on the way back. At just that moment, we saw a chateau to the right with a sign pointing us to a small village called Lourmarin. Nestled in among the vineyards and olive groves, this quaint cobbled-stoned village was noted on entering as one of the most beautiful in France. We did a quick spin through town and settled on a place for dinner, on a quiet and secluded little square, and it was excellent. While the pork rillette I started with was outstanding, it was the aubergine millefeuille that made my mouth sing. A whole eggplant was cut into thin slices, but still connected at the top to retain its shape. Between each slice was placed a mild but delicious goat cheese and a tomato slice, and then it was baked slowly in the oven until sweet, tender and delicious. Finally, it was placed in a pool of pureed tomato and garlic. It was a slice of Mediterranean heaven. Sam had a perfect meal for the indecisive. A sample platter of every entrée in the house: a salmon and a pork rillette, a courgette panna cotta, and various other Provençale specialties. Our waiter was fantastic, born in Puerto Rico to a French father, he spoke perfect French, English and Spanish, and kept us entertained all evening.
La Place des Délices, Place du Moulin, rue du Temple, LOURMARIN. The best meal we had in Provence.
Up next, the last day in Provence. The final chapter.
Jul 2nd, 2010, 05:15 AM
#25
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DH and I made Montpellier a base and also loved it. We sampled cheese at one of the shops on a Saturday morning whilst the whole town was out doing shopping-a lovely town. We also watched from a cafe as the student demonstration passed on the Egg. DH noted that the older folks must have been profs....with tenure!
Very enjoyable report-thanks.
Very enjoyable report-thanks.
Jul 3rd, 2010, 01:03 PM
#26
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Provence – 3rd and final part
We awoke on our last day in Provence to a perfect sunny morning. Why did it have to wait so long! But we were happy to finally have breakfast outside on the pretty terrace of our rustic and charming B and B. The other guests were happily taking photos among the flowers, and even took our photos and emailed them to us, as we never seem to have photos of both of us at the same time.
We were scheduled to leave by TGV from Avignon for the return to Paris, where we were crashing for one night before our flight the next morning. So, we decided to work our way there slowly, taking the scenic routes through the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles.
Exiting from the autoroute, we headed toward Eygalières, stopping off along the way at St. Sixt, an isolated church positioned on a stark hilltop, which afforded us beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. What a perfect day for a picnic, we decided as we continued into town and noticed an outdoor market in the center. So we stocked up on some duck saucisson, fresh goat cheese so smooth you could eat it with a spoon, a fresh baguette, a bottle of wine and a bag of cherries, likely picked that day from the groves in the surrounding area that were laden with fruit.
Although we had been there before, and knew we would not have time to visit this time, we decided to head toward Les Baux-de-Provence, a small touristy village, with a castle on a high butte in a picturesque state of deterioration. The roads through rolling green vineyards were breathtaking, contrasting with the jagged grey stone mountains, and we decided on the spot to spend our next France trip in the area. Once Les Baux came into view, we found a clearing in an olive grove with castle topped butte in one direction and rolling vineyards in the other, and we happily consumed our market goodies. After lunch, we continued to St. Remy, a nearby town with an attractive center that was good for wandering, and we had the best ice cream and sorbet of the trip: cassis and blackberry for me, pine nut and pistachio for Sam. I’m stilling craving it now.
We arrived at the TGV at 4:00 for our 4:30 train, which was departing on time according to the departure screen. I was relieved because we had made reservations for a nice dinner in Paris, since it was our last night. Unfortunately, the 2.5 hour ride became a 4 hour ride (no real explanations, other than “circulation” issues), and the line at the taxi stand at the Gare de Lyon took 45 minutes to get through. It was quite a shock to be back in bustling, cold, drizzly Paris, after warm, sunny Provence from earlier that day. By the time we got to the hotel it was 10pm and we just went to a local brasserie for dinner. After dinner, we walked to the Seine for one last look at the Eiffel Tower, before going to bed. We were surprised to see bumper to bumper traffic on the Champs Elyseés, and the streets filled with people celebrating the victory of Algeria in the most recent World Cup game. After France’s embarrassing loss earlier in the week, the victors were really savoring it (I won’t go into French history and politics, but let’s just say it was more than just a game to them).
As we walked back to the hotel, we did what I imagine many people do at the end of a successful vacation. We started planning our next one!
We awoke on our last day in Provence to a perfect sunny morning. Why did it have to wait so long! But we were happy to finally have breakfast outside on the pretty terrace of our rustic and charming B and B. The other guests were happily taking photos among the flowers, and even took our photos and emailed them to us, as we never seem to have photos of both of us at the same time.
We were scheduled to leave by TGV from Avignon for the return to Paris, where we were crashing for one night before our flight the next morning. So, we decided to work our way there slowly, taking the scenic routes through the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles.
Exiting from the autoroute, we headed toward Eygalières, stopping off along the way at St. Sixt, an isolated church positioned on a stark hilltop, which afforded us beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. What a perfect day for a picnic, we decided as we continued into town and noticed an outdoor market in the center. So we stocked up on some duck saucisson, fresh goat cheese so smooth you could eat it with a spoon, a fresh baguette, a bottle of wine and a bag of cherries, likely picked that day from the groves in the surrounding area that were laden with fruit.
Although we had been there before, and knew we would not have time to visit this time, we decided to head toward Les Baux-de-Provence, a small touristy village, with a castle on a high butte in a picturesque state of deterioration. The roads through rolling green vineyards were breathtaking, contrasting with the jagged grey stone mountains, and we decided on the spot to spend our next France trip in the area. Once Les Baux came into view, we found a clearing in an olive grove with castle topped butte in one direction and rolling vineyards in the other, and we happily consumed our market goodies. After lunch, we continued to St. Remy, a nearby town with an attractive center that was good for wandering, and we had the best ice cream and sorbet of the trip: cassis and blackberry for me, pine nut and pistachio for Sam. I’m stilling craving it now.
We arrived at the TGV at 4:00 for our 4:30 train, which was departing on time according to the departure screen. I was relieved because we had made reservations for a nice dinner in Paris, since it was our last night. Unfortunately, the 2.5 hour ride became a 4 hour ride (no real explanations, other than “circulation” issues), and the line at the taxi stand at the Gare de Lyon took 45 minutes to get through. It was quite a shock to be back in bustling, cold, drizzly Paris, after warm, sunny Provence from earlier that day. By the time we got to the hotel it was 10pm and we just went to a local brasserie for dinner. After dinner, we walked to the Seine for one last look at the Eiffel Tower, before going to bed. We were surprised to see bumper to bumper traffic on the Champs Elyseés, and the streets filled with people celebrating the victory of Algeria in the most recent World Cup game. After France’s embarrassing loss earlier in the week, the victors were really savoring it (I won’t go into French history and politics, but let’s just say it was more than just a game to them).
As we walked back to the hotel, we did what I imagine many people do at the end of a successful vacation. We started planning our next one!
Jul 3rd, 2010, 10:17 PM
#28
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What a great report, thanks so much!
I knew I'd love it when I read in the first paragraph that you ate at Le Hanger, one of my favorites and not much written about it.
Your french cheese restaurant was on my list last Feb, but sadly we didn't make it, sounded wonderful, must go next time.
I knew I'd love it when I read in the first paragraph that you ate at Le Hanger, one of my favorites and not much written about it.
Your french cheese restaurant was on my list last Feb, but sadly we didn't make it, sounded wonderful, must go next time.
Jul 4th, 2010, 02:09 AM
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Loved your trip report!
Brought back lots of great memories of our trip last year. We spent a great week in Paris. 2 perfectly sunny weeks in Provence. Spent a day in Cassis and lots of days in the Luberon villages. My trip report touched on a lot of the places you visited.
The road trip in the rain sounded quite scary.
Thank you for your interesting and detailed report. I too am planning my return trip
Brought back lots of great memories of our trip last year. We spent a great week in Paris. 2 perfectly sunny weeks in Provence. Spent a day in Cassis and lots of days in the Luberon villages. My trip report touched on a lot of the places you visited.
The road trip in the rain sounded quite scary.
Thank you for your interesting and detailed report. I too am planning my return trip
Jul 5th, 2010, 04:02 PM
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PHOTOS!
For anyone that is interested, here are links to photos of our trip. I've separated them by Paris, Lyon, Montpellier and Provence, but once you go to the first link you don't have to come back here to get to the others. The rest of the links can be found at the top of the page once you go to the website.
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...ormandy10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRussSite/Lyon10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...pellier10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...rovence10.html
For anyone that is interested, here are links to photos of our trip. I've separated them by Paris, Lyon, Montpellier and Provence, but once you go to the first link you don't have to come back here to get to the others. The rest of the links can be found at the top of the page once you go to the website.
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...ormandy10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRussSite/Lyon10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...pellier10.html
http://web.me.com/goodrichsam/SamRus...rovence10.html
Jul 5th, 2010, 09:11 PM
#31
Enjoyable report. Sounds like this was mostly a very good trip--how lucky you avoided the flooding at Draguignan.
I was in Aix years ago but never Montpellier, which has always interested me. Do you have a preference?
I was in Aix years ago but never Montpellier, which has always interested me. Do you have a preference?
Jul 6th, 2010, 06:34 AM
#32
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Thanks everyone for your replies! Leely2, it's difficult to choose between Aix and Montpellier. They are both beautiful and lively university towns.
I would say for the first time vistor, who doesn't speak any French, Aix would be easier. It has a lot of beautiful fountains, tons of restaurants, has a lot of famous connections to the art world and is close to a lot of other major sites.
Montellier for me was more fun this time, because fewer people spoke English well (but English is spoken, so don't worry if you don't speak any French at all), but it was just as beastiful and lively as Aix (except on Sunday, when it was very quiet, which I also liked). The only down side is that it has more urban sprawl around it than Aix, which would make it more difficult to base yourself in if you were trying to do day trips by car.
So, although I preferred Montpellier on this trip, as a base for exploring, I would go with Aix.
I would say for the first time vistor, who doesn't speak any French, Aix would be easier. It has a lot of beautiful fountains, tons of restaurants, has a lot of famous connections to the art world and is close to a lot of other major sites.
Montellier for me was more fun this time, because fewer people spoke English well (but English is spoken, so don't worry if you don't speak any French at all), but it was just as beastiful and lively as Aix (except on Sunday, when it was very quiet, which I also liked). The only down side is that it has more urban sprawl around it than Aix, which would make it more difficult to base yourself in if you were trying to do day trips by car.
So, although I preferred Montpellier on this trip, as a base for exploring, I would go with Aix.
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