Did you go to any markets for purchasing meal ingredients?

..on the first day we went with Sylvie to the Sunday market at Ile sur Sorge and shopped with her...otherdays we were told where the markets were (the open markets rotated through different local towns) and we were in Gordes and St Remy on market day...there was very little fresh local produce at this time of year though did have some local olives and local olive oil..at the other markets we did buy thing for ourselves but not for our dinners.

For those interested this is information on Mas des Carassins
phone 33 04 90 92 15 48
fax 33 04 90 92 63 47
www.hoteldescarassins.com
email- [email protected]
We had a suite with breakfast at the low season rate of 150 euros. As I said we spend more for lodging since my husband is an insomniac.
I can't complain too much about Air France. On the return trip they upgraded us to Business Class.

Just remembered another couple of things I wanted to pass on. Rather than take a cab or the RER to the airport we took the Air France bus from Charles DeGalle Etoile. We took a cab from the hotel and then transfered all the bags to the bus. It was 10 Euros one way and they stopped right at the terminal which for us was also Air France. Much cheaper than taking a cab and easier than the RER.
I have been using a little book for menu translations and it has been very helpful. Bon Appetit French-English Menu Dictionary by Judith A. White. It was fine for most items except it didn't have 'mure' which we found was blackberry. Also it didn't work for menu hyperbole.

travelbunny, Thanks for the info concerning cooking school. Sounds like the type of program I would be interested in. I will look into it for a future trip idea. How many days were you there? Did you spend extra time traveling before or after school?
thank you 1jan1

Thanks for your report - I really enjoyed, as I will be in Provence for the first time in May. Also, when in Paris, I usually take the Air France Bus
to and from CDG - normally to Montparnasse, as I stay near there. I think it beats the other methods of transportation, as least for me.

AGM, tho I know what mure is, I always trusted my Marling Menu-Master pocket sized book. It also did not have mure listed after checking minutes ago.

Really nice report. And thanks for the info on your hotel. Was it right in town or outside a bit?

Thank you. The Mas des Carassins is just outside of the downtown of St Remy. We walked into town several times even though I had been having problems with my foot and avoiding extraneous walking.

AGM - I'd love to hear more about your meals in Provence - especially...
La Serre in St. Remy,
Mas de Cure Bourse (Isle-sur-la-Sorgue) - did you go on market day?
Clos de la Violette, and
Le Verger de Pape (Chateauneuf-du-Pape) - where was this located, in town? did you go after the tasting?

And the vineyard - Chateau Beaucastel-did you have to make an appt? If not, was it closed 12-2 like I've seen other people mention?

I am doing almost the same things as you did - the markts in St. Remy and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. We were also planning on hitting, Le Baux de Provence as well.... What else did you see that was a Must-See?

Plus your Paris trip sounds wonderful too- now I'm so in the mood for those pancakes you mentioned! I'll have to put it on my list!

..dear Jan...I was at Sylvie's for 7 days (the program is one week). I was in Paris before the course (visiting friends). Took the tgv from gare de lyon to avignon. We rented a car in avignon (TGV station). Took day trips (9- or 4) to the nearby villages perches, to markets and 2 longer trips to avignon and St. Remy (along with Les Baux)..almond trees in blossom, glorious weather but we were lucky .(it can be grey and chilly)..might have been more interesting the end of sept in terms of produce..This is a great place if you want an informal almost B and B atmosphere.

Cindy- Here are some details of our meals in Provence:
La Serre-
Duo of Foie Gras-one warm roasted with salt, the other cold roasted with red wine, served with red wine reduction and pistachio toasts
Froisse de Saint Jacque- Scallops with the roe wrapped in filo dough with carrots and herb sauce
Saint Pierre wrapped around haricot verte & julienne carrot with black olive sauce
Tourte with beef oxtail (boneless) braised in red wine with carrots, potatoes mashed with raw onions
Millefeuille of dried pineapple with an unsweetened pineapple ice
3 warm chocolate cakes-one plain, one flavored with rosemary, one flavored with thyme

Mas de Cure Bourse-we went for lunch after the market in l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Amusee bouche of homard soup with cream
Salad of quail with tomatoes and black olives
Crumble of dried tomatoes with parmesan with goat cheese sauce
Pigeon with Jerusalem artichoke dauphoise
Pancetta of lamb with jus & pinenuts with timbale of green cabbage
Cheeses
Fondue of milk chocolate with apples, poached pears, pain d'epice, nut bread and a kugelhopf
Cream brulee with passion fruit, apples and blood orange

Clos de la Violette-we went with friends for their 25th anniversary, we were amazed when they brought the check without being asked, the men were expecting and ordered after dinner drinks
Also they gave us the English translation menu- takes all the fun out of ordering
Salad of Crab and artichoke hearts
Pasta filled with Petit Gris Snails, walnuts and Fresh Goat Cheese
Green Asparagus with Socca and Muslin of Nut's Oil
Heart of Purple Artichoke, Italian Pasta Stuffed with Basil and Fresh Goat Cheese

Roast Rack of Lamb coated with spices, socca, stewed carrot and chick peas
Roasted Spring Veal Chop with fresh pasta and wild mushrooms
Roasted Duckling of l'Huppe, crusty skin with sweet spicy sauce

Molten Chocolate Cake
Caramelize Upside Down Apple Tart with quince sorbet

La Verger de Chateauneuf-du-Pape It was off the ruins on the top of the hill with a spectacular view. We only stopped for a quick lunch before tasting wines at Chateau Beaucastel
I had an omelet with ratatouille and black olives and my husband had a lamb steak with ratatouille, sauteed onions, eggplant with tomatoes and these potato puffs. Nice place to sit in the sun and drink wine.

We had arranged the tour at Beaucastel in advance. They require advance reservations. Their sommelier Fabrice Langlois is very passionate about what they do, about wine and life in general. It was alot of fun.

We probably didn't get to all the must see places. In addition to Les Baux, I found the old enclosed cities of Avignon and Aigue-Morte to be unforgetable. Coming from here it is amazing to live so closely with ancient history.

Menu hyperbole" is a great term! I'll save that along with "tortured food" for future reference.

LOVED the restaurant reccs. We just booked Clos de la Violette for a Sat. lunch. Overall was it a good experience? What was the dress code?? Also- I havent read anyone reporting on Jacques Maximin in Vence. We went when he was in Nice and thought it was spectacular-- hoping to go again in July.

Oooh, we are booked for two nights at Mas de Cure Bourse over a weekend in October. I think we will have Saturday dinner there. (It sounds great!). I was curious about Clos Violette and now I am even more curious. I had already figured we would make a stop at the Grand Cafe. We are thinking about staying at Mas de Carassins and had planned a day trip to the Camargue. Thanks for a great trip report.

Have mercy! I'm swooning here!

This is not a report to read on an empty stomach and an empty travel calendar.

AGM and travelbunny, what great trips!

Byrd

Ibrawer- Thanks for the response. Overall it was a good experience. If you are going in warmer weather they have a beautiful courtyard that would be a lovely place to enjoy lunch. The dress code- hmm, my husband wore a jacket and tie, I wore my standard-silk over-blouse with linen or silk slacks. At the next table was a young man who looked and dressed like my nephew-black baggie pants and a black t-shirt with some sort of logo on it. So I leave it to you but for lunch I would suggest a business casual kind of outfit. Enjoy.

overall, the Clos de Violette is dressier than most Provenál retaurants, including the waiters. At the Mas de Couree Bourse, th figs will be in bloom and when I was staying there, I ate my fill.

Cigale-lucky you! That is the one thing we regretted that it wasn't fully into the growing season. We would have loved fresh figs. Since my husband is a school teacher we are very limited as to travel times. I am sure that the crowds in Provence are atrocious in the summer. We talk about a tomato tour sometime in the future when he has retired.

we were limited to summer also. The crowds never bothered us and we usually stay in small villages where there's not alot of tourist traffic. Plus you see the lavender in all its prime time beauty.