The Cigale flies to France and returns wingless
 

It was a warm day when we left Boston. I wore a Petit Bateau t-shirt and cropped pants and and one of those cashmere shawls that are so light that they can be slipped through a ring, yet very warm to wear, a Loro Piano. Bensimons on my feet but this time, they didn't ask us to remove shoes and strangely, Jerry had to put his eyeglasses in the box but they let be by wearing mine. However, I was frisked and he wasn't. As the security person checked me out in the front(a female)
and had me turn and I told her not to worry I wasn't padded, it was all me. She laughed and translated to the male security guy.
Dinner on AirFrance was chicken paprika and couscous. Not bad considering how awful airline food is. We arrived in Paris to find it raining there. We picked up our rental car and headed to Burgundy , stopping in Auxerre at The Grand Gustier Bistro. We were the only non locals and this was going to be one of our favorites of this year's trip. Driving through Burgundy were fields of sunflowers that had turned brown but were studded with yellow heads straining towards the sun. Avallon was our destination and I was disappointed to find it very cold there because I was looking forward to dining by the stream and watermill, but the hostess of th Moulin des Ruats sat us by the huge window that offered us the lovely view. This is a place I always order truite bleu. The night was cold, the heat was turned on and we had warm blankets. The next morning after breakfast we left for Provence where we were greeted with dazzling sunlight.
Lunch time we stopped in Valence at a favorite seafood chain,
Maitre Kanter before heading to Maussane , our home for a week.

Hi,
It sounds wonderful. Can't wait for more.
Yipper

Oh Mimi, how wonderful to see your post and that you two went to France!!!
I have been thinking of you and wondering how you were.

The hardrive in my laptop crashed and I lost all of my email addresses so when you are home and settled in please send me a quick email so that I will again have your email address.

I so look forward to reading the next installment of the time you two had in France. And I am so happy that this trip took place dear one!

Loved the bit about your getting "frisked"..that always happens to me also!!!

Thanks, Nancy and yipper, I'm working on part 2

Hello Mimi, I am so happy that you are posting a report! Tell us everything about where you went - don't leave a thing out. Any pictures to share? You do have that artist's eye for your photographs. Looking forward to the rest of your report!

No photos because they are only of friends and animals and also because Jerry didn't get me the kodak disc. He got the CVS that I can't figure out.
but MARIANNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME in Santa FE!

Will do, Sweet Mimi! Thanks.

Now, on to your report!

I was enjoying reading this when you suddenly triggered a sweet memory of mine...

Years and years ago (I must have been either in high school or early college) I was driving through France with my mom and one of my brothers. We stopped at Moulin des Ruats for lunch and sat by a sunny window. I ordered, yes, la truite bleu. I can still remember the curved-shape of the fish; I had never had trout prepared this way before and it left a big impression on me.

I still have photos of the inn, the geraniums blooming profusely and a cat in the courtyard washing its face.

Thanks for the memory!

Mimi, I was starting to really worry about you because I hadn't "seen" you here or on Francophile! I'll read your report carefully, right now I'm just glad all is well with you and Jerry

MFK Fisher, the writer had her first truite bleu there. The reason for the twisted body is that the fish must be fresh, ALIVE and dipped into the hot water, If it's flat you'll know it's not truite bleu.. The dining room has been updated and the bar area more confortable with comfy seats

Thanks for the explanation. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip...

Hi jody!

I knew when we were in Maussane that summer was over. My cigales were not singing and a few favorite shops were only opened on the weekend. We settled in our place, a wing of a friend's house that we rented. Arrival was later than we expected so our hosts were not there and left the key for us. There was time for freshening up before we went to a nearby village for a welcoming dinner cooked for us by friends. They invited us back for a few days later on day we were going to the Var.
Denis would be working during the day and so we asked Meli to come along and she offered to drive.(more later about that)
The following day, Jerry had a swim in the pool after breakfast. Every morning we had Cavaillon melon as one of the treats.
I wished I had a shot of Beaune de Venise to pour over it.
(My wish was granted the next day because Jerry bought bottle.)
In Arles, we had a reservation at L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabenel. As much as I enjoy Rabanel's cooking, I was disappointed. When he was at the Chassagnette, following the chefs from Chez Juju, he served everything in organic inspired serving dishes and you sat at wooden tables facing the organic garden, with the
herbs growing in the foreground where butterflies danced overhead. In Arles the servings were on white pottery and inside modern-zen atmosphere, as he calls it and the tables are set on the street with passing by folk glaring at your food and neighbors going in and out of their home. I missed the bucolic setting of Chassagnette, and like the chef at El Buli, he had the trendy foam in two of the dishes.We were to encounter this at two other places.
Back in Maussane, we shopped for food for one of several nights where we would dine by the pool.

Welcome home, Mimi. Was wondering if you would return.

Hi Abby, you were in my thoughts when we stopped at Castalas. I fell in love with their dog. He was watching from an upstairs window looking at us but he was gone by the time I got the camera out.

Mimi,

Thanks for the Burgundian and Provençal trip by proxy. Just what I needed. Too bad about the cigales, but they will always sing in your heart.

Lovely post. Sometimes I find it so hard to read trip reports because the writing is so bad but your's is just lovely. I would love to hear more.

Mimi, this is a lovely start to your report. I'm looking forward to reading all the details about your trip!

Welcome back to Fodorville, Mimi. I bet Pastis is glad to have you home.

Polly Magoo

Hi mimi,

Good to hear from you.

>he had the trendy foam in two of the dishes.We were to encounter this at two other places.

Foamed everything is becoming ubiquitous. :)

((I))

Thanks so much for your lovely report Mimi. I love reading all the reports. I'm one of those really poor writers, so I never mind how they're written. Each one is precious.

I do make some beautiful art though!