Two Weeks in Provence
 

Part 1

My husband and I (mid-50s) and daughter (30) flew from JFK-BRU-MRS for a two and a half week home swap on the French Riviera. The first property is in Sanary-sur-Mer, and the second in Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

After the 6.5 hour flight on Delta, (a last minute re-book after an Air France strike cancellation), we arrived in Marseilles around noon on Sunday weary and jet-lagged. There was a very long wait in a slow-moving lineup to get through customs, but we finally retrieved our luggage and made our way to EuropCar to pick up our car.

The young lady who served us spent a considerable amount of time trying to sell us upgrades. "Instead of a compact, we can rent you an SUV for only 50 more euros per day, in the end you'll save money on the diesel fuel etc, etc." Did she really think an additional 500 euros would be considered a bargain by people who booked an economy class vehicle? Merci Mademoiselle, but we will do just fine with our little Yaris on southern France's narrow, winding roads.

We punched in the address of our home swap and began the one hour drive to Sanary. The route through Marseille was rather industrial but the scenery improved when we drove into Cassis to check for restaurants. We caught glimpses of the Calanques and saw many beautiful vineyards through winding roads, but the town is small and dense and didn't seem to have many eateries. On to Sanary...

A description of Sanary-sur-Mer from wikipedia:

Sanary-sur-Mer is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is located in coastal Provence on the Mediterranean Sea 13 km (8.1 mi) from Toulon and 49 km (30 mi) from Marseille. It can be reached from Paris by TGV train in less than 4 hours. Sanary has a beautiful coast line with small beaches; unlike most small towns on the Mediterranean coast it is an active village all year round. Sanary-sur-Mer is probably the sunniest place in France, with an average of only 61 days of rain, mostly in winter, and solar radiation (6156 MJ/m2/yr), comparable to Sicily. Sanary is regularly swept by the Mistral, a strong wind coming from the Rhone Valley, which brings low humidity around 20%, gusts up to 130 km/h (81 mph), very cool temperatures, sun and deep blue skies. Wind is near gale force or higher on average 115 days per year, and storm force 8 days per year, making Sanary a favorite destination for windsurfers.

We drove through Sanary's countryside and many roundabouts before we got to a small unlocked gate where our hosts were there to greet us. At their request, we had alerted them of our ETA through WhatsApp and would continue to use the app for future communication. We love using Whatsapp abroad and were happy they used it as well.

Until recently the villa apartment had been available to travelers as a vacation rental. Ironically this home swap would be a first for all of us. The apartment is on the second floor of a large, traditional stucco villa (a Provencal "mas"), pretty in peach with periwinkle shutters. It is surrounded by beautiful grounds that encompass a plethora of olive trees and large patio area with saltwater pool. Even though it's situated about 10 km inland, we were delighted to see that the huge window over the dining room table offered up spectacular panoramic views of Bandol Bay on the Mediterranean.

The villa apartment is quite charming and decently appointed. I'm not sure why, but the beds were made up with only a fitted sheet and the top sheet was folded up at end of bed. There were no blankets to be seen, however I found some in plastic bags in a closet and draped them to air out.

After a quick inventory check (no bathroom tissue!?), we headed off to the SuperU Marche, only 5 minutes away. Though we were in a state of zombie-like tiredness, we managed to find bread, eggs, coffee, tea, Stevia, sugar cubes, cream, butter, peanut butter, cheese, crackers, charcuterie, sardines, olives, olive oil, fruit, dark chocolate, a few non-food items and of course, wine. Total bill was around 90 euros. I always enjoy this part of the journey - picking out grocery items in a store where everything is gourmet and of superior quality.

We'd decided in advance that we were going to push through the day without taking a nap - more easily said than done but worth it in the end. DH always complains and wants to hit the sack as soon as he sees a bed, but ends up thanking me the next day for enforcing that tried and tested travel rule.

We are now hungry and ready to have dinner. The madame's friend at our villa told us that most of the restaurants were closed on Sunday but recommended one in Bandol, only 10 mins away. We found a parking spot and made our way down an alley parallel to the main street until we arrived at a small restaurant called Le Scotch. The weather was nice enough to dine outside but the cozy decor of brick, ocher-colored chairs and white tablecloths beckoned us inside.

DD and I shared an entree et plat (appetizer and main course) of salade chevre chaud and gambas (prawns), and a small 37,5 cl carafe of red wine, which gave us one glass each. DH ordered the same with lemonade and our bill came to 63 euros. We very much enjoyed the meal and service and agreed to return.

Though our request to share a meal was frowned upon in Paris, it was accommodated here. DD and I have small appetites so one meal is always plenty for both of us. And it's not like the local culture condones taking the unfinished portion home in a doggie bag the way we do back in California.

I speak Canadian French well enough to get by but decoding the menu is a real challenge. No idea what 'gambas', 'seiches' and 'pave' de something are, but thankfully Google Translate does.

We made our way back to the apartment, stayed up a bit longer unpacking and getting settled, then went to bed around 9:30pm. DH and DD slept right through til 8am. I woke up at 2am but was eventually able to fall back asleep. After those long hours of travel, it was a delight to wake up to the sound of songbirds and the most charming views of rural Provence.

To be continued.

Boots en Provence

PART 2

I was still groggy but managed to make eggs with sliced tomatoes and toast for breakfast. The coffee maker they provide is a Nescafe pod model, slightly different than our Keurig. DH loves cream with his, so he had bought what he thought was the kind of solid cream we'd been served with our coffee years ago in Paris. It came in a little square plastic tube thingy with a screw cap. Well this couldn't have been what we'd had in Paris because it didn't dissolve when we added it to the coffee. We stirred and stirred until the lumps were at least small enough to make the coffee drinkable.

After breakfast my husband drove my daughter and I into town so that we could attend the last day of the Just Rose festival, an annual tribute to this area's famous rose wines. The main street had several tents set up for wine tasting, and the small alleys were decorated with pink flowers, streamers and other pink decorations. My daughter was in heaven as she loves both wine and the color pink, and in fact wore a shell pink coat and shoes for the occasion. She fit right in with the pink theme and more than a few people complimented her on the chic outfit.

When the merchants started tearing things down, we walked around looking for a place to sit and have a drink. And walked and walked. The town was packed with people and the only available outdoor table we found was at a rather plain looking restaurant on the main street called Le Sport. We were hungry and thirsty and hoped they had something decent on the menu to hold us over until DH could join us for dinner.

We ordered a half bottle of rose wine and the only item on the limited sandwich menu that looked good to me was a "tartine"? with ham, fig jam and chevre. Well it turned out to be delicious! The place is by no means fancy but it does have the classic French cafe table and chairs and a friendly wait staff. We plan to return to enjoy that particular delicious appetizer.

We lingered there for some time, chatting with a local couple seated next to us. The friendly woman owned the shop next door and as a loyal regular, sang Le Sport's praises.

When it was time to find a place for dinner, again we walked and walked and found that all of the nicer looking places were booked solid with reservations. We were told more than once that the earliest availability would be 9:30pm – way too late for us to eat even by France standards. Finally we stumbled across a little corner spot called l'Evidence. Nothing fancy and a choice of only two meals on the final day of the Just Rose theme menu. DH ordered the wok with gambas (prawns) and DD and I shared a fish called Loup with a white sauce. The meal was decent but there was nothing special enough about the experience that would warrant a return visit. Total bill with a small pitcher of wine and a glass of lemonade came to about 64 euros.

Part 3

We woke up a bit earlier, still groggy, and after we had our coffee I made us all an omelette with charcuterie meat, olives and a soft cheese called "Bethmale Vache".

My husband works virtually for a California-based company and because he didn't take vacation time, he works throughout the day, taking breaks to sit by the pool or go into town with us for lunch, etc.

During this time I am puttering, cooking and cleaning, researching restaurants and excursions, and spending some time by the pool with my daughter.

We didn't have all the groceries required to make dinner so we decided to head into Sanary. It was raining and we had no umbrella to walk around the streets with after parking so my husband Whatsapped the hosts downstairs to see if they had one we could borrow. Three minutes later the monsieur knocked at the door with one, apologetic about not having an additional one, and after we thanked him, he returned only minutes afterward with the madame's raincoat - a very nice hooded Burberry that kept me dry while DD and DH huddled under the umbrella.

After walking the main street looking for an available table (when are we going to get with the program and actually make a reservation??), we found a small, casual restaurant by the pier named Quai 16. The waiters were super friendly and accommodating, genuinely thanking us for making the effort to order our food in broken French. A few seemed a bit tipsy but what odds, they were fun and attentive.

DD and I shared a half bottle of vin rouge, a salad chevre chaud (not quite as good as Le Scotch's) and our plat was fish with saffron and pesto sauce, served with a broiled tomato and small salad. DH was happy with his salmon dish. The food was good and reasonably priced. I'll check with DH to see if he remembers what the bill came to, but we enjoyed our dinner and will likely return.

Part 4

Today was another leisurely breakfast and pool day. We've enjoyed le calme here, reading while observing the local wildlife - doves and pheasants flying to the water's edge to take a drink, a little lizard scurrying across the clay tiled roof below the dining room window that hubby named Bandol Boy, and a white cat in the backyard who, in DD's words, "takes off in a gallop" when we approach. We've thus named him/her Seabiscuit.

DH made a quick trip to Le SuperU to pick up a list of items, then while he worked, I prepared dinner: roast chicken with potatoes and onion, accompanied by steamed asparagus. I didn't have all the ingredients I would've liked (rosemary and garlic for instance), but the 'thym' and paprika I found in the cupboard gave the organic chicken a nice flavor. I'm sure there was wild thyme growing somewhere nearby but I don't really know how to identify it, and I didn't see that Madame was growing any herbs on our side of the property. By all accounts our first home-away-cooked dinner was a winner, in both the 'taste' and 'sea-view' categories.

Side note from DH's trip to the grocery store: having become a raving fan of rose a day earlier at the Just Rose festival, I had scratched 'bottle of rose' at the top of our grocery list. Here we were, living in a French Villa, surrounded by hillside vineyards, with the unique opportunity to savor wine from grapes grown right here in the most famous rose region in the world. As DD and I excitedly unpacked the bags in search of the bouteille, our glee quickly turned to uproarious laughter. Clearly marked on the label were the words "made in California". Note to self: next time, in block caps, include the word LOCAL!

We watched the sun set over the mountain while enjoying a patisserie and a cup of tea on the patio. I noted that there were no flies or mosquitoes. At this time of year in Canada (where we're originally from), sitting outside at dusk in May would have meant getting eaten alive.

Needless to say, we are thoroughly enjoying the rural bliss of our Provencal villa.

Off to town for a nice dinner - thanks to our proactively having made reservations :tu:

Boots in Provence

I’m really enjoying your report- thank you!

Thank you zoecat - that means a lot! Writing doesn't come easy to me and it's encouraging to know someone is appreciating my efforts.

Part 5

After cleaning up and doing a load of laundry, and hubby finished up his work, we headed into town to meet up with DD for dinner. She had spent the day shopping and hanging out at cafes. She bought soaps made in Marseille (3 for 6 euros), some rose-scented hand cream and a mug for me that said “Ma Maman c’est la plue Belle”, and on the back “Pour de vrai”. Coffee will never taste better than when served in that mug.

Well, I can understand why you need reservations at L’Endroit. Everything we tasted tonight was top notch. I ordered the “entrecote avec sauce poivre” (steak with pepper sauce), which came with delicious French fries and arugula salad; hubby had the loup fish with roasted carrots, zucchini and potatoes in a lemon sauce, and DD had shrimp in a pastis linguini. Who would’ve thought pastis would give the pasta such a nice flavor!

The last couple of times I ordered a steak in France they were very tough and almost inedible. It made me hesitant to order one tonight, but this one was tender and juicy, and the pepper sauce it came with made it all the more so.

They don’t do medium-well here, the steak temperature I prefer, so I took a chance on “saignant” and it was fine. I’ve gone from well-done, to medium well and am slowly working my way down the scale.

DD ordered some silky, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate mousse that came in a little jar, and there was just enough for DH and I to steal a few bites. Total bill with a 10 euro half bottle of wine came to 85 euros – the most we’ve spent on a meal so far but worth every cent!

We’d had trouble deciphering the menu items (entrecote, roquette, cepes, etc.) so asked our server if they had wifi. She said sorry they didn’t, but then came back a few minutes later with a code to connect to a server. This is the second time this has happened – where the restaurant doesn’t officially have wifi but then will discreetly slip us a piece of paper with a code. Maybe they changed their mind when they realized we needed it to decode the menu rather than for hacking someone’s bank account.

When we got home, it was late and I was tired but had to take all the wet clothes out of the washer and be very creative with where to hang them to dry. We’d mistakenly thought the washing machine doubled as a dryer like the one in our Paris rental but not so. Ah well, it felt good to put a dent in the laundry.

We were going to head out to the Camargue tomorrow for my love of horses, but upon learning that there’s no guarantee of seeing any, we might just do Aigues-Mortes and Aix-en-Provence. I have a note in Evernote titled “France Cities, Towns and Villages” where I’ve compiled descriptions of different places based on the input of many Fodorites, and those two places sounded interesting to us.

However, we are open to other suggestions. We would like to head west, and maybe drive two hours at the most, distance wise as opposed to in total. We have all day Saturday and Sunday for sightseeing. (We will be exploring the eastern region later next week when we stay in Beaulieu).

Thanks for reading my report,

Boots in Provence

Sounds lovely.

Doggie-bags are de rigeur in France these days. In fact, there are new laws that require restaurants not to throw out food but to offer doggie bags or make restaurants give their leftovers to charities.

Thanks for your great reports. It's wonderful to see the adventures through a new set of eyes! If your french is not up to booking a restaurant over the phone, The Fork/La Fourchette is relatively active in the larger towns, especially as you head east (booking engine -- but definitely less used rurally).

In addition to google translate, you can use Reverso (there is also an app) to get the meaning of words in context. Sometimes a direct translation in limited, especially with turns of phrase used in menus and the colloquialism. Oh, and loup is sea bass, and pave is a term for "thick slice or slab", as in pave de bouef or pave de saumon.

StCirq, are you saying it is now acceptable to ask for one? If so, how would I say it in French?

Est-ce je peux avoir...?

gooster: I'd forgotten about The Fork - thank you for the reminder. We use OpenTable frequently in California but it's pretty much useless here.

And I just downloaded Reverso - what a great app! A perusal of a restaurant menu on The Fork mentioned "souris d'agneau", and it instantly gave me a clear translation. It'll no doubt greatly reduce our ordering time.

Merci a tous!
Boots en Provence

Grocery/Epiceries Talk

We are impressed with the price of food items here.

The exchange rate is 1 euro = 1.20 U.S. so we have to add very little to the price in our calculations.

• the two mini baguettes we bought were only 34 cents each!
• a wheel of Coeur de Lion creamy cheese 1.20
• any of the wine we bought was under 5 euros
• butter was much cheaper than what we pay in California - 1 euro for a half brick
• the yellow chicken I roasted was 5 euros
• the most expensive item was a small bag of almonds from Marseille - 6.50

On our first shopping trip, the madame at the cash handed the bags of fruit back to us and told us we had to go weigh them ourselves. I felt bad because there was a lineup behind us and said never mind about the fruit, but she insisted it would be fine for the people to wait. So DD and I each ran to the weigh scales with a bag each. We figured out to put the produce on the scale and select the corresponding photo. A little sticker appears which we affixed it to the bag and then ran back to the cash. I apologized to everyone in line "C'est notre premiere fois ici..." and they were all so kind and patient. There were no clerks in the store when we needed help to find something, so any time I asked a local for help, they were super kind and more than happy to assist.

We had a hard time finding good peanut butter, (a breakfast staple for us). DD mistakenly chose a gingerbread spread that looked exactly like peanut butter, shelved beside the only other choice - Skippy (no thanks). On DH's next visit to the store he asked for natural peanut butter. He said, "Avez-vous du beurre d'arachides naturel?" His French is basic, his accent not great but most French people can understand him. The mademoiselle had no idea of what he was talking about and said no. We later learned that he should have said "cacahuetes" for peanuts, a french word rarely used in Canada. Yet the label on the bag of almonds from Marseille mentions that it could contain traces of "d'arachides", and some candied peanuts I bought were called "arachides sucrees".

C'est curieux.

Boots en Provence

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about your experience Boots. We're leaving for Paris and Provence a month from today, though we will be staying a little further inland, near Avignon. So this sets the tone...:)

Peanut butter is purée de cacahuètes in France. The Québecois call peanuts arachides, but that is the name of the plant - arachide - not the peanuts themselves. The French make a distinction, calling actual peanuts cacahuètes and the plant itself arachide - hence huile d'arachide.

Enjoying the report!

Thank you all !

Apologies in advance if there is bad formatting below. I wrote my entry in a Word document and there were spacing problems in the preview after I copied and pasted.

Part 7

We woke up (a bit too late), and over a petit dejeuner of homemade omelette et cafe, discussed which route we'd take to see some of the hilltop villages in the Luberon. After scanning maps, referring to Stu Dudley’s itinerary, reading trip reports, and consulting my Time Out South of France guide, we decided on Aix-en-Provence > Viens > Gordes > Menerbes > Bonnieux. I would've liked to include Avignon but hubby wisely said that would be too much driving for one day, especially given our late departure of 2pm.

Up to this point, we paid for DH to have data on his phone whereas DD and I made do with turning off global data, setting our smartphones to airplane mode and using WiFi where available. We both turned our data on for the day, at a cost of $10 U.S. ea, our cell provider’s International all-in plan.

We made our way towards Aix, and though we’d originally planned to have lunch there before heading to the mountains, we just weren’t hungry enough so just drove through. For those of you who don't know, Aix is pronounced EX, as in "My ex wouldn't take me to Provence."

There was quite a bit of construction going on as we entered the citybut what we saw of it was quite nice. Beautiful plane tree-lined streets, parks, squares, statues and fountains. Some have aptly referred to Aix as a mini Paris. We took a few wrong turns and ended up on some extremely narrow back alleys but the beauty and charm of the city made the whole adventure a pleasurable experience.

Our car had only a ½ tank of gas so we pulled into a gas station to top it up just outside of Aix. While DH tended to that, DD and I checked out the goods in the store. I bought 3 bottled waters and a little Michelin Cote d’Azur-Alps-Provence map (3 euros), and DD bought a donut with pink icing and sparkles. It was rather stale but she couldn’t resist because of how pretty it was.The madame behind the counter inside told us she wasn’t serving food but that we could get something to eat at the boulangerie up the road and bring it back there to have with wine - a proposal you’d never hear in California!

The village is a relaxed place to stroll about with huge plane trees lining the wider street at the top of the hill. On our way to the boulangerie we saw a number of locals, about a half-dozen tourists, and three cats.

The boulangerie had bread aplenty, a few small square pizza/galette slices, and a sign that said “sandwich 3.50”. Though DH very much is, I’m generally not a sandwich person but I thought how bad could it be if it’s made with French bread? The madame told us the choices were “jambon et beurre" or "saucisses et beurre” – ham with butter or sausage?salami? with butter. I was intrigued by the inclusion of butter which isn’t served with French bread in restaurants here. We chose two hams (DD and I would share one.)

We thought it would be nice to have some cheese with the sandwiches so while the madame was in the back preparing them, I walked to the épicerie a few doors down, greeted the storekeeper (we strictly adhere to this cultural necessity) and spied the cheese selection. The one that looked good was a little disc wrapped in brown paper. But the madame informed me it was a soft cheese that wouldn’t be ready for consumption until next week (I’d forgotten about the waiting-for-cheese-to-ripen ritual in France), however the cheeses on the shelf below were ready to go. I asked did she have one that’s not too ‘cremeux’ and more on the firm side, with the aim of tearing pieces off without having to ask anyone for a knife. She pointed to one that fit the bill – a small white disc with a cluster of red peppercorns on top (2.50 euros).

We walked to the restaurant with wrapped sandwich et fromage in hand, smiled again at the monsieurs outside, and were directed by Madame out to a patio where we could choose our own table. She came back shortly afterward to take our drink order: “Une demi bouteille de vin rouge, et une limonade s’il vous plait.”

She brought us the wine in a bottleneck carafe and both DD thought it was superbe. The sandwiches were the best basic ham and butter sandwiches I'd ever tasted. They certainly didn't need any cheese as the big slabs of butter were so flavorful! Regrettably I ate more than I should have and this would establish a pattern any time I am in the vicinity of a baguette.

At our little cafe table, DH kept looking around and saying, "I have so many questions." (He always does.)

This morning, I asked him to jot down his thoughts so that I could add them to my trip report. This is his contribution:


I notice that dogs are tethered but cats roam free. We’re sitting in the outdoor patio of Le Jardin, wondering what kind of narcotic the madame at le boulangerie snuck into our ham on baguette sandwiches besides locally churned butter, when one of ‘les chats’ coils it’s way under the ancient wooden gate, ambles over to our table, sits directly between my feet and stares up longingly into my eyes as if to say ever so slowly in his Provencal accent, “Monsieur Tourist, do you have any idea all that I’ve seen and experienced in this 1,000 year old village? Yes you, tourist man, I know you’re dying to grasp the history of my city. Well today, in return for just one hunk of the meat in your baguette, I will regale you with anecdotes that will curl your wife’s pretty blonde cheveux, stories not even our local humans are aware of, tales passed down to me alone for 10 centuries?”

The truth is, le chat has read my mind. Although my senses are tingling with wonderment at the sheer age of everything around me, I’m mainly overwhelmed by having so many questions. I’m stressed by not having the time to keep track of them in my mind...

- Who lives here?

- Might those guys sitting in front of Le Jardin have been born and raised here?

- Are there more ‘come-from-aways’ than those born and raised living in Viens?

- Who cleans the streets?

- Is there a Mayor and City Councilors?

- What do they discuss at Council meetings?

o Agenda Item #1 – Roads. A pompous American tourist driving an enormous SUV, knocked 7 ancient stones out of the wall at the corner of Rue d’Anciens and Rue de Bievre. Questions for consideration: Who will be assigned to repair the damage, Gaston or Luc? How is our stockpile of mossy ancient stones which allow us to repair this kind of damage and retain the wall’s 1,000 year-old appearance?

- At the Council meeting does one Councilor stand up and say “we need to increase our marketing budget to attract more tourists” only to have another Councilor stand up and shake an angry finger at the first Councilor, “Mais non! We already have too many tourists walking all over our town, gawking in our windows, why just look at the broken wall …”

- Where is the hidden wine cellar where only the most revered patriarchs of Viens go to secretly imbibe in the very best of what the local vines have to offer?

- The locals eyeing us right now, do they like the roaming cats? Or do they detest them and thus despise tourists who keep the feral annoyances hanging around by feeding them chunks of ham off baguettes they bought at le Boulangerie and then so rudely sat to eat at Le Jardin?

- In 957-AD was there a Ministre de Construction for Provence who had a mad obsession that resulted in a region-wide decree whereby anyone considering the idea of raising a new municipality must comply with an architectural design requiring cramming the entire town onto a half-acre parcel of land atop a small mountain, or face the guillotine?

Clearly we will have to return to le Luberon and schedule enough time to sit with a local historian and have these and so many other questions answered.


Clearly he will have to brush up on his French so that I'm not saddled with translating these ridiculous questions.

More to come...

Boots and Mr. Boots in Provence

ps - we nicknamed the cat "Jambon"

Am enjoying this so much Boots, can't wait for the next installment....

Continued bravas, boots08. A year in Provence is such a nice read. May he rest in peace. Our guide said that Mr. Mayle ended up in Loumarin. Too many tourists dropping by! More please.

Another great report! I had to chuckle about your comment on Gordes -- so many people are dissuaded by reports of overrun destinations, but in most cases, the place is so crowded because it is a wonderful place to visit. We did a short break away from our place in Nice to Luberon in April -- the places were blissfully free of the hordes, even the great market in the town square. I'm also happy you were able to stop by Lourmarin, I didn't see that on your original itinerary.

Gordes is not crowded during peak tourist season if you get there by 8:00am. Have a cafe creme & croissant, then wander around - including downhill to the base of the village - all the way to lavoire. By the time you are ready to leave Gordes - shops will start to open & the hordes will be hovering near the giant parking lot below. However - don't go on a Tuesday morning (their market day) and expect small crowds.

>>so many people are dissuaded by reports of overrun destinations, but in most cases, the place is so crowded because it is a wonderful place to visit<<

As Yogi (US baseball player & coach, and sage) stated "nobody goes there anymore because it is too crowded". When we stayed nearby in a gite for 2 visits for 2 weeks each - our garbage "recyclables" containers were actually at the back of the huge parking lot at the base of Gordes. We therefore had to pass "the view" on the way to & from the garbage dump/parking lot several times a week.

Stu Dudley

Thank you geetika, TDudette and gooster :)

gooster, you're right about Lourmarin not being on our original itinerary. The truth is it didn't register until I saw it on the map route home. I remembered hearing positive things about it and am so glad I caught it and suggested stopping there for dinner.

Part 10

Sunday morning was cold and rainy so we took our time in getting up. I don’t know if these are normal temps for this area but it’s been cold and cloudy. The madame downstairs is apologetic about it but I keep telling her "Ca ne fait rien - nous sommes heureux" (It doesn't matter - we are happy) :)

We’ve maintained a cute WhatsApp texting relationship with our French hosts, a retired couple who live on the ground level below us. Anytime either of us have a question, we WhatsApp each other and get a quick reply.

Yesterday they invited us to their place for an aperitif at 6pm. We happily accepted the invitation and pushed our dinner reservation to 7:30pm.

When DH had gone to the Super U earlier in the day, he texted them with: “Bonjour, j’allez a l’epicarie, est ce que vous avez besion des choses?” (Hello, I’m going to the grocery store, do you need anything?) The errors in spelling and grammar mustn’t have been so bad because they immediately replied with “Non merci.” Then “Du Soleil”. Ha.

At 6:05 we headed down the stairs and knocked on the door. I never know when to greet people here with the French bisou kiss on each cheek or with a handshake. So when in doubt, I default to the latter, which I did in this instance. DD on the other hand always does the bisou.

(Last night in the Lourmarin restaurant, we watched a teenaged boy approach a table of 3 thirty-something couples to kiss each and every one of them on the cheeks. It was a beautiful, heartwarming sight that will always stay with us.)

Monsieur and Madame led us into a warm and cozy living room where the coffee table was set with platters of appetizers and wineglasses. Monsieur offered us the choice of rose or champagne. When I said we would be happy for them to choose, he said well we bought the champagne for you. So champagne it was, and a good one at that. We nibbled on pissaladiere and olive tartinade on French bread while we chatted and got to know each other. We instantly hit it off and feel that the connection will extend beyond our stay.

Though the visit could have gone on longer, our reservation time was approaching. I confess to relying on my more extroverted husband to carry the weight of conversing in social settings, and I was feeling drained after doing all the translating. Because my French is so rusty, the effort it takes can feel laborious.

Upon leaving, I took the initiative and did the bisou kisses. Chalk it up to the champagne followed by rose, or to it just feeling right.

We drove the 15 minutes to the beautiful and highly recommended medieval hilltop village of Le Castellet. We made reservations at Le Farigoule, which I think is the translation for organic thyme, or Provencal herbs. The restaurant has a warm, cozy, casual vibe.

Earlier in the day, I’d seen ‘tournedos Saint Jacques’ on the online menu and couldn’t find a clear translation. But when I selected images, the results showed pics of 4 scallops wrapped in bacon with a cream sauce. Yum. So that’s what DD and I ordered and it was delicious. DH ordered the fish of the day.

The waiter (and I think owner) seemed a bit surprised when we ordered only one entrée between DD, so we ordered dessert. DH and I shared a delicious and generous portion of pain perdu with apple and a custard-like sauce, and DD ordered a large pink macaron. With coffee, a half bottle of wine, and a “limonade” that came in the form of a yellow can of Sprite, the bill came to 75 euros. We loved our meal and time at Le Farigoule and highly recommend it.

We realized after we left that we forgot to leave a coin or two on the table - a restaurant etiquette faux pas we hope to never repeat.

Boots in Provence

(I forgot to include...)

Part 9

Things I Would Do Different Next Time

- It’s been cold and I didn’t bring a warm enough coat. And I should’ve brought boots. This is my first time to the Cote d’Azur/French Riviera/Provence and neither were things I thought I’d wear in springtime here. Also more socks (I only brought one pair and had to borrow a pair from hubby)). FYI - the women here are wearing light ski jackets and trench coats. Many of the men are wearing light ski jackets as well.

- Bring more plug adapters. I brought 4, one of which turned out to be useless. Between DH’s two laptops (he uses one for a video lounge), his smartphone, my laptop and smartphone, and DD’s laptop, smartphone and camera battery charger, 3 wasn’t enough so we bought 3 more today – two of which will work in all countries. They were hard to find, but we finally found some at Electro Depot, at a cost of $13 euros each. They probably would have been cheaper on Amazon, where I’d purchased the other ones. FYI - they are called “adaptateur electrique”.

More to come....

Boots in Provence

Part 11

After enjoying a breakfast “at home”, the three of us drove into nearby Bandol for market day. The streets were lined with vendors selling goods like cheeses, paella, herbs, Turkish towels (I forget the name for them), Marseille soaps, lavender everything, tablecloths, clothing, hats, belts, jewelry, purses, etc. I didn’t see a warm coat but bought a lightweight golden yellow cotton cardigan and a sage-colored sweater. Those will at least add a layer until I find a coat – hopefully at the market tomorrow in Sanary-sur-Mer.

After dropping us off, hubby found a table in the main square and enjoyed a café and some paella while we shopped. We met up with him afterwards and shared some yummy French fries.

It was still a bit cold but the sun finally prevailed over the clouds and provided a bit of warmth. After we parted ways with DH, we enjoyed much of the afternoon walking along the port. DD and I ogled the many yachts and joked that we needed to get to befriend one of the owners. :)

We eventually stopped at a bar/café called Le Nautic and ordered a salade chevre chaud and a glass of rose. And then a coffee. I asked for a ‘café Americain’ and got a ¾ full coffee in a small mug to which I could add heated milk from a small pitcher. It was some of the best coffee I’d tasted. And I love how they give you a little cookie. This one was gingerbread and I wished I would’ve taken note of the brand.

Hubby picked us up (only a 10 min drive) and once we got home I prepared dinner: a filet mignon roast of pork (I’m guessing that’s pork tenderloin) with potatoes, carrots, scallions, garlic and Provencal herbs. After putting it in the large countertop oven, I sat down to write this part of the report and DD handed me a glass of red wine. Life is good in the south of France.

Boots in Provence

Attachment 724
Boots and Mr. Boots in Gordes

There are hundreds of brands of speculous cookies all over Europe. They are all delicious! You can buy packs of them at any grocery store.

And you haven't committed a faux pas by not leaving change at a restaurant. It's not at all obligatory, and no one will bat an eye. If you feel like it, it will be appreciated, but it's definitely not a faux pas.

The Turkish towels I think you're referring to are serviettes fouta or serviettes hammam. At least that's what they are here.

Yes, a filet mignon in France is almost always pork; what Americans call filet mignon is a tournedos in France.

Sounds like you're having a lovely time!

Attachment 726
Boots, Mr. Boots and "Jambon" at Le Petit Jardin in Viens
Attachment 727
Off to Le Petit Jardin in Viens with sandwich au jambon et beurre in hand
Attachment 728
Boots and DD in Gordes
Attachment 730
Attachment 732
The three of us La Farigoule in Le Castellet

Thank you, StCirq - I remember seeing the word "fouta" on the signs for the Turkish towels. And good to know about the tip - I always value your expert input.

Boots

Attachment 741
Here's a pic of the "cafe Americain" I ordered at Le Nautic yesterday. The waiter gave me way too much hot milk for how little my mug was. DD said I should just order a cafe au lait next time (If there's no difference, duh me).

Also, I can see the brand name "Lotus" on the delicious cookie and will look for it at the epicerie :)

This is our last night here in Sanary before we head to our second home swap tomorrow in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (near Cap Ferrat and Villefranche).

We WhatsApped our hosts last night to see if they could join us for an aperitif by the pool tonight for one last visit. I will look for appetizers to serve, as well as a hostess gift for them at the market today (held every Wednesday from 8am to 1pm).

Instead of buying a new bottle of rose we will serve the one from California. They have a great sense of humor and will appreciate the irony.

A bientot,
Boots en Provence

Enjoying this very much, and sounds like you have been, too :)

It looks like you are having a terrific time. It's great to put some images to your excellent narrative. Sorry it seems like the weather is not fully cooperating -- normally this time of year it is much better.

BTW, they actually stock Lotus Biscoff speculous at the Costco near my regular home in Northern California -- and I of course have a multipack.

Everything sounds wonderful, boots08.

I found plug hubs in the hotels on my last two U.S.A. trips. Hope hotels in other countries follow suit.

Thanks for the wonderfufl photos!

Part 12

The market in Sanary was much larger than the one the day before in Bandol. I wanted to take pictures of the stacks of cheeses, the paella station, the Marseille soap display but didn’t want to be an annoying, presumptive tourist. In front of the port there was a vendor selling thick red cross-section slabs of fish. I wondered what kind of fish it was til I saw the head of a swordfish on display at the end of the counter. Talk about fresh. If we had’ve been staying longer, I would’ve bought some to cook.

I finally found a warm sweater coat worth buying, nice and thick with a hood. It was 45 euros but the monsieur accepted DH’s offer of 40 (it was near closing time). The sweater is 100% cotton and aptly, the same shell pink color as the area’s many buildings.

We got the last table at a restaurant facing the port called Max Sym, beside three men, two of which smoked. A bit annoying but we had no other choice. DD and I ordered their trademark salad and some frites. We got talking to them and the one seated closest to DH introduced himself as “un architecte”, and his friends as “un artiste” and “un policer”. DH said it sounded like the beginning of a joke. We had a lengthy, convivial conversational, and at one point Architecte Smoker points to my fries and makes a joke about how they’re going to make me fat. I looked at him pointedly and said that’s pretty rich coming from a s m o k e r. He indicated that his cigarette was super slim and said he jogs every morning. Hey – whatever works for you.

He invited us to his artist friend’s house that night to watch the last soccer/football match between Marseille and Spain. We said we likely couldn’t make it because it was our last night in Sanary, and had planned a visit with our hosts before having to pack and get to bed a decent hour.

The visit with our hosts was very enjoyable. The laugh we had about the California rose was one of many we would have that night.

The next morning we had a quick breakfast, finished packing, stripped the beds, cleaned up and vacuumed. We bought our hosts a hanging flower basket, wrote them a thank you card and placed both outside our door on a little patio table.

They met us in the driveway after we loaded our suitcases and we parted ways with bisous and plans to keep in touch.

The route we decided to take to Beaulieu-sur-Mer would include some scenic roadways, with a stop for lunch in Saint-Tropez (which DD always wanted to see).

The town is smaller than I’d pictured, with a population of only 5,000. We parked in a parking garage (full of covered luxury cars and a complete p.i.t.a. to get out of) and walked throughout the small town square before deciding on Ciao Rino. DD and I split a meal salad and a pichet of rose. We were seated beside two gentlemen, one of which was aloof, the other annoying. He was enamored with DD and wouldn’t pick up on her (and our) social queues that contact would decidedly end as soon as our meal did. Ah well, I guess a man can dream.

We kinda knew we shouldn’t have but drove into Cannes – justifying the decision by saying it might be the only time we’d see it. It proved to be a traffic nightmare. We were stuck bumper to bumper around the Croisette for ages, among hordes of people (and policeman,) but we eventually got out of the gridlock and back onto the highway. It was neat to see, and was bigger and prettier than I’d imagined.

We finally got to our 2nd home swap in Beaulieu. We were thrilled to see that it was even more beautiful than the pics we saw. It’s on the fussy side (as I’m assuming most properties in this area are), well appointed, with a pool and sea view. The owners live in Belgium and arranged for a caretaker to show us around the property. It was late, we were hungry and he was lingering, offering to escort us here and there, until he finally left.

We drove into Beaulieu to find a restaurant. It's a nice little town that didn’t appear to be crawling with tourists. We found a parking spot on the street and a really nice restaurant called Aristee.

For the past week DH and I have been secretly colluding with DD’s boyfriend that would have him arrive at our restaurant of choice that night as a surprise to her. It was hard to keep it a secret but the look of shock then elation on her face when he walked in was priceless. This would be his first time in Europe and she is beyond thrilled that he’ll be here with us for the last week of our vacation.

The ambience of this restaurant is warm, chic and inviting, and the waitstaff superb. DD and I ordered the fish with artichokes and olives (delicious), and DH the calamari (very good). I highly recommend this place and would love to go back.

After a lovely dinner over DD and bf’s sweet reunion, we drove back to the villa, very tired but happy.

A bientot,
Boots en Provence

My last post is missing this part:

Thank you for saying you're enjoying my report...

and thank you for the heads up on the Lotus cookies and plug converters :)

Part 13

After the 13 millionth debate with DH on whether we should keep the rental car rather than return it, I acquiesced when the madame at EuropCar in Nice said it would cost only 71 additional euros for the 6 remaining days of our trip. Weighing that against the cost of a taxi to the airport (DD’s bf paid 60 euros), getting Ubers here and there, we thought it was a great deal. Plus the car would also allow us to venture out from the coast to do more inland sightseeing.

After signing our rental car documents, we found the parking garage in downtown Nice the madame recommended, then walked to Promenade des Anglais to meet up with the kids for a late breakfast at Villa Rina (they have an all-day breakfast menu). DD and I shared a mushroom omelet and each had a delicious croissant. Total for 4 breakfasts came to 72 euros. DD’s beau and DH agreed to split the cost so gave the waiter their cards, to which he said, “Is a 40/40 split okay?” Not sure of the procedure, they agreed. After the transaction and him bidding us a bonne journee, we realized he had just given himself a tip of 8 euros. Did he just pull a fast one on us or is this standard procedure in Nice when it comes to splitting “l’addition”? While we’re more than happy to tip wait staff, our understanding is that it’s not customary in France. I’d love to hear your comments on this particular experience.

DD and her beau branched off to walk along the Promenade while DH and I headed downtown to look around. I needed sunglasses (forgot mine by the pool in Sanary) and DH needed to find a place with wifi to get caught up on some work.

I liked Nice more than DD does – the old buildings, the Promenade, the downtown shops and numerous restaurants. Some sections and aspects of it seem a bit low-class but all in all it was nicer than I thought it would be. Still in terms of an extended stay, it’s tourist culture doesn’t create the same appeal as our recent stay in Sanary/Bandol, where the smaller, less crowded environment feels more authentically Provencal.

After doing some shopping, we found a place on a pedestrian-only street lined with cafes and restaurants called La Femme du Boulanger. Once I explained that DH needed to do some work on his “ordinateur” (laptop), the madame led us to a quiet table. We weren’t hungry yet but ordered a tartine salade with chevre. We’ve had several salades a chevre chaud on this trip, and love that each restaurant presents them differently. This one had discs of melted goat cheese on large slices of bread (tartine), dotted with golden raisins, chives, a cinnamon stick, a star-shaped spice of some sort, tomatoes on the side, topped with a section of pear and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. I would've preferred more greens and less bread but it was very good. The restaurant’s décor is quite neat and it was the perfect spot for DH to get caught up on some work and make a few calls.

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^ DH on a call in his virtual office, downtown Nice

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^ The kids met up with us, enjoyed some rose while waiting for DH (this time served with ice cubes), then we made our way toward the parking garage. We stopped at a pharmacy along the way where I bought a multi-vitamin, and DD some nail polish. I’ve been looking to buy some new lipstick but I've not found a store with anywhere near the multitude of choices Walgreens or C.V.S. does.

Later that night we walked down to the port in Beaulieu to have dinner. There are several restaurants alongside the port with a variety of themes. We had reserved a table at Pourquoi Pas based on reviews, and this would be our worst meal of the trip. The ambience and décor were nothing special, none of our entrees were good, and it made us wonder why the restaurant received so many positive online reviews. However our waitress was friendly and the wine was fine for the price.

After breakfast the next morning, we drove northwest to show DD’s bf a few hilltop villages. We decided on Eze Village > Saint Paul de Vence > Tourrettes-sur-Loup.

Eze is a spectacular medieval “eagle’s nest” village definitely worth a visit. Its proximity to Nice, Monaco, and other coastal hotspots means you're going to see far more tourists than you will at hilltop villages further inland.

We had the most difficult time finding a parking spot, but after circling for a long time, eventually found ourselves in line for a spot vacated just seconds earlier. This specific parking lot is immediately below the drive leading up to the main entrance and with a separate entrance/exit at each end of a very small lot, vehicles continue to enter while you're following other vehicles in a never-ending loop around the perimeter hoping for someone to exit at just the right time. Think Musical Chairs only with cars.

DD and her beau had gone up ahead of us to find a table at whatever restaurant might have seating available. They texted to say we were on a waiting list at La Taverne.

One needs to be fairly fit for Eze Village - the hike up to the top through a maze of alleys can be quite arduous. Another note to first-time visitors: it is virtually impossible to find each other by trying to describe where you are. "I'm at the corner of a small alley where it meets an even smaller alley that has stairs going up..." So we officially challenge Google to create a walking maps feature specifically designed for France's medieval villages. We eventually found the restaurant but only because we briefly glimpsed the kids in the distance at the corner of an alley where it met an even smaller alley...

The outdoor seating, convivial waitstaff, good rose and salade au chevre chaud at La Taverne made for a pleasant lunch.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ix...=w961-h1281-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h_...=w961-h1281-no

Three of us topped off our meal with gelato bought from a cave-like shop across the alley. My two ‘boules’ of chocolate and pralines were so yummy!

We walked around some more, up and down stairs, through narrow alleys, then finally stopped to enjoy the breathtaking views of the coast. The vivid blue of the Mediterranean sea reminded us of why the region is aptly named “Le Cote d’Azur”.

Saint Paul de Vence is the most upscale version of the villages we’ve seen, with art galleries and higher end goods. It was very difficult to find parking and even harder to find where we’d parked through the maze of alleyways upon leaving. We met up with another couple who had the same dilemma. But it was all good in the end because it meant more walking, more exercise :)

Next stop - Tourrettes-sur-Loup...

Boots in Provence

THank you for the trip report. Provence is one of my favourite parts of the world. Amazing scenery, food, wine, weather, cute towns, it really has it all

I haven't read all of your report yet, but I'm enjoying it very much. Lots of nice detail about your interactions with people. So kind of you to arrange for your DD's beau to visit. What a surprise for her! Thanks for writing.

It's so good to hear your report, through fresh eyes. I've eaten in La Femme du Boulanger, and the staff is quite nice. However, I think the waiter at Rina enjoyed having Americans -- an 8E tip is on the generous side. It's a bit more tourist oriented. The best restaurant in that little cluster is Franchin, right around the corner. In general, the restos right on the Rue de France/Rue Massena have disappointed me, but the streets perpendicular are actually much better (we are not far away), like Coco e Rico and Octopussy. And some over in the Old Town are also superior. You will also see less tourists and more locals in the newly trendy areas near Rue Bonaparte (le petit Marais) and the once-gritty Port.

Often these restos on the waterfront let service and food quality lag due to their prime location, others can rise above it. In neighboring Villefrance-sur-mer, you'll have the same experience. The best is La Mere Germaine, but the price reflects it. There are also some fine dining choices on Cap Ferrat like at the Four Seasons, with the price tags to match. However, right around the corner (or over the hill) in the Nice Port area you can find some good choices.

To buy lipstick, you might try a Carrefour Hypermarche There is one just past Place Garibaldi and near the Riquer (with underground parking), and others around Antibes and outer Nice. Since you have a car, there is also a large mall called Polygone Riviera on the road that leads from St. Paul de Vence, and another near the airport called Cap3000. However, if you end up in Nice again right on the main Jean Medicin street (with the trams) there is a Sephora and several department stores like the lower end Monoprix and the high end Galleries Lafayette plus the mall at Nice Etoile. You'll likely to head to Cannes and you'll find most of the same shops there.

Thank you Colleen, trophywife and gooster :)

Helpful tips gooster - we have to go into Nice today to buy Nespresso coffee pods (the rental manual says to buy them in Nice).

Franchin is the restaurant we wanted to eat at that day in Nice but we got there just as they were closing. We looked at their website a few days ago to reserve a table but they're closed and we leave for the U.S. tomorrow :( La prochaine fois!

Thanks for the shopping and restaurant recommendations, gooster. We like the idea of exploring Old Town Nice so will look around there for a place to eat.

Boots in Provence

Part 14

Well, it just figures that the village to which I feel the strongest kinship has at its beating heart a community of 40 artists, each one passionate about their own individual craft of weaving, pottery, painting, jewelry, sculpture.

I read that Tourrettes-sur-Loup is predominantly a tourist center, with an economy sustained by the sale of wares created by the artisans within the village. But this commercial side was far less noticeable than Saint Paul de Vence imo, at least in its more subdued, tasteful presentation.

Peeking through the gallery doors and windows while meandering through the narrow streets and vaulted alleys felt more like tiptoeing through the hum of a collective art studio.

Years ago I used to dream of having an apartment in Paris. That changed on my last visit after seeing the hordes of tourists. But Tourrettes-sur-Loup speaks to me – to my love of French culture, art, le calme...balanced with just the right amount of village activity and conveniences. My dream has shifted to images of spending much time here, within the walls of this quiet, centuries old artists’ commune.

I’m an avid fan of pottery and try to collect at least one small piece wherever I travel. I have been on the hunt for a cup and saucer or a coffee mug, and was delighted to come across a splash of blue pottery in a shop window.

I entered the quiet, rustic shop and barely noticed the artist/owner in the back before greeting him and ogling the wares. I asked him a few questions about the pottery, the clay, where it was from, etc. He said a place south of Paris that I’d never heard of. Sensing it was important to me, he wrote the name of the region down on a small piece of paper.

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Somewhere on the road between the Loire Valley and Normandy many years ago, I bought a small collection of pottery that took on a beautiful brown color with mauve tones after firing. The artist said it was the only place in the world where that type of clay could be found.

While I examined the one espresso cup and saucer visible in the shop, the monsieur informed me that ten or so more would be ready soon after the second firing. I liked it but preferred this larger blue mug, explaining that it was more suitable in size as it would allow for the addition of milk to my coffee. He smiled derisively and said "I know how you people in the U.S. have your coffee – I had some in New York City, and it was weak." Fair enough.

I told him I’d like to buy this mug - would he be able to wrap it for air travel? He pointed to a large roll of bubble wrap in the back – not a problem. I paid him the 17 euros, thanked him and walked out with a mug, a smile, and my soul complete.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q2...=w961-h1281-no
Boots en Provence, bubble-wrapped mug in hand