We saw April in Paris, May in Provence, a gaggle of geese in Sarlat and sunset over the Loire.
May 10th, 2005, 09:46 PM
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We saw April in Paris, May in Provence, a gaggle of geese in Sarlat and sunset over the Loire.
Just back last night from 20 days of seeing Paris and driving around France. I'm still pretty jet-lagged so will add to my report gradually.
I can't thank the people on this board enough! Every time we pulled into some incredible little hotel in a picturesque little town my husband would ask how on earth I found it.
Our trip didn't start very auspiciously with two out of our three flights cancelled and our luggage not showing up until our second day in Paris.
So much has been said about Paris that I will try to condense that part. We saw lots of dogs (mostly Westies) but not that much dog poop.
We stayed at the Millesime. I was prepared for the room to be small but I guess I expected something more stunning in the decor department. The Rue Jacob location was ideal for us and the staff was very helpful.
If I ever get to go back, I liked the location of D'Aubusson and the looks of the Madison.
We did have breakfast at Paul's Boulangerie two of the mornings. I enjoyed eating things like little onion tarts from the shops in the area.
We used Pont Neuf for our boat ride on the Seine. It was quite sunny that day. The April showers were before breakfast. We didn't have rain again for two weeks!
Sorry, grogginess is taking over. More tomorrow.
I can't thank the people on this board enough! Every time we pulled into some incredible little hotel in a picturesque little town my husband would ask how on earth I found it.
Our trip didn't start very auspiciously with two out of our three flights cancelled and our luggage not showing up until our second day in Paris.
So much has been said about Paris that I will try to condense that part. We saw lots of dogs (mostly Westies) but not that much dog poop.
We stayed at the Millesime. I was prepared for the room to be small but I guess I expected something more stunning in the decor department. The Rue Jacob location was ideal for us and the staff was very helpful.
If I ever get to go back, I liked the location of D'Aubusson and the looks of the Madison.
We did have breakfast at Paul's Boulangerie two of the mornings. I enjoyed eating things like little onion tarts from the shops in the area.
We used Pont Neuf for our boat ride on the Seine. It was quite sunny that day. The April showers were before breakfast. We didn't have rain again for two weeks!
Sorry, grogginess is taking over. More tomorrow.
May 11th, 2005, 05:59 AM
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We did a lot of walking around our neighborhood. Around the corner from our hotel were signs for Pierre Frey, Colefax & Fowler, Manuel Canovas etc. I would have loved to have gone on an all day looking spree and ordered 10 yards of something to recover a chair but it wasn't that kind of trip. Especially not with my husband in tow.
We enjoyed having wine at some of the outdoor cafes. Of course I had to see Deux Magots. Our favorite walks were early when the food markets were setting up and late when those same areas were teeming with people.
We both enjoyed exploring the two islands in the Seine and touring Ste Chapelle. Since the sun was out, we were able to see how breathtaking and reverent the building is.
We had wine at the Tavern Henry IV. It was an experience getting used to the tiny tables and tight seating. We had wonderful French onion soup on Rue Buci. We couldn't seem to go wrong ordering Cotes de Rhone rouge everywhere. For one of our breakfasts at Paul's I had Flan Normandie. For another--omelette fromage and cappucino.
We took a long walk through the Jardins de Luxembourg and enjoyed the tulips and people watching.
I had to coerce my husband through the Musee d'Orcy. I was a bit surprised, but he did finally admit he enjoyed the Impressionists. We went to the rooftop of the Samartine department store and looked at the view. It was very warm that day with lots of people in line for food so we didn't stay long.
Both nights we listened to jazz at Cafe Laurent next door to the D'Aubusson.
There was a wonderful bookstore full of garden books across the street from our hotel. I bought "Secret Jardins de Mediterranean" in French, so that I will be forced to keep studying.
Next: heading north
We enjoyed having wine at some of the outdoor cafes. Of course I had to see Deux Magots. Our favorite walks were early when the food markets were setting up and late when those same areas were teeming with people.
We both enjoyed exploring the two islands in the Seine and touring Ste Chapelle. Since the sun was out, we were able to see how breathtaking and reverent the building is.
We had wine at the Tavern Henry IV. It was an experience getting used to the tiny tables and tight seating. We had wonderful French onion soup on Rue Buci. We couldn't seem to go wrong ordering Cotes de Rhone rouge everywhere. For one of our breakfasts at Paul's I had Flan Normandie. For another--omelette fromage and cappucino.
We took a long walk through the Jardins de Luxembourg and enjoyed the tulips and people watching.
I had to coerce my husband through the Musee d'Orcy. I was a bit surprised, but he did finally admit he enjoyed the Impressionists. We went to the rooftop of the Samartine department store and looked at the view. It was very warm that day with lots of people in line for food so we didn't stay long.
Both nights we listened to jazz at Cafe Laurent next door to the D'Aubusson.
There was a wonderful bookstore full of garden books across the street from our hotel. I bought "Secret Jardins de Mediterranean" in French, so that I will be forced to keep studying.
Next: heading north
May 11th, 2005, 06:56 AM
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Thanks Scarlett. Was it you who wanted that house in Portland's west hills? If so, I'm coming to visit! That's always been my idea of paradise.
We took a late morning taxi back out to CDG to the Hertz car rental. Our reservation request was for a Renault Laguna. No luck. The clerk (who did speak English) kept telling us what car she did have. It sounded like Czechoslovakian gibberish and we weren't renting any car we'd never heard of! I asked her to write it down, so she did: Toyota Corolla.
The Toyota was the kind with a luggage cover and hatchback, not our favorite choice, but... Actually, it performed well and took us 3000km unscathed. As everyone here has said a bigger car would have been a nuisance. Under the luggage cover we had 2 hardside medium-size suitcases, one softside, and a carry-on. The other carry-on and coats etc, were sort of hidden behind the seat under the cover. My husband said diesel gas mileage was good and power on the autoroute was OK.
We nicknamed it The Spitter because every time you put the key in it shot it back onto the floor.
We were heading toward Giverney which should have been the A13. For some unknown reason the Hertze clerk told us to get on the A104. So we were soon heading off toward the Marne valley.
When we figured out that mistake, we were then whirling around the Paris BP with my husband saying "you promised I wouldn't be driving in Paris!"
We finally pulled off to regain our sanity. A lovely truck driver read us through what interchanges to make, then actually got onto the freeway ahead of us and waved us through several choices until we were north of Paris and heading toward Vernon. Now who said the French aren't nice, or friendly?
Monet's Garden at Giverney was everything I expected and more. The more appeared to be lots and lots and lots of people. Unfortunately it was a Sunday afternoon. Several of them appeared to be German tourists who had no desire to stand aside on the paths.
I loved the kitchen and dining room in the house; could have passed on the rest of the rooms. We were there around April 24 and the iris, lilacs, giant white parrot tulips, clematis, flowering trees, espaliered cherry etc were all I had hoped.
Upon leaving the gardens we drove on to Petit Les Andelys and stayed at Le Chaine d' Or. Thanks Jean for recommending this one; we loved watching the Seine outside our window.
One thing my husband loved about France was being able to open the big windows. Several of our rooms advertised air conditioning but I think we only used it in a couple of places.
This night was our first experience with the 3 hour French dinner. Mine culminated in the tarte tatin with flaming Calvados. My husband had chocolate on poire tart.
Watching the sunset cast pastel reflections on the trees in the Seine made me realize that what Monet had painted was real. That's what it looked like! There were swans and ducks on the river and the ubiquitous old church across the street chiming the hour. One of the things I loved in every town was hearing the church bells chime.
Next day: getting really lost
We took a late morning taxi back out to CDG to the Hertz car rental. Our reservation request was for a Renault Laguna. No luck. The clerk (who did speak English) kept telling us what car she did have. It sounded like Czechoslovakian gibberish and we weren't renting any car we'd never heard of! I asked her to write it down, so she did: Toyota Corolla.
The Toyota was the kind with a luggage cover and hatchback, not our favorite choice, but... Actually, it performed well and took us 3000km unscathed. As everyone here has said a bigger car would have been a nuisance. Under the luggage cover we had 2 hardside medium-size suitcases, one softside, and a carry-on. The other carry-on and coats etc, were sort of hidden behind the seat under the cover. My husband said diesel gas mileage was good and power on the autoroute was OK.
We nicknamed it The Spitter because every time you put the key in it shot it back onto the floor.
We were heading toward Giverney which should have been the A13. For some unknown reason the Hertze clerk told us to get on the A104. So we were soon heading off toward the Marne valley.
When we figured out that mistake, we were then whirling around the Paris BP with my husband saying "you promised I wouldn't be driving in Paris!"
We finally pulled off to regain our sanity. A lovely truck driver read us through what interchanges to make, then actually got onto the freeway ahead of us and waved us through several choices until we were north of Paris and heading toward Vernon. Now who said the French aren't nice, or friendly?
Monet's Garden at Giverney was everything I expected and more. The more appeared to be lots and lots and lots of people. Unfortunately it was a Sunday afternoon. Several of them appeared to be German tourists who had no desire to stand aside on the paths.
I loved the kitchen and dining room in the house; could have passed on the rest of the rooms. We were there around April 24 and the iris, lilacs, giant white parrot tulips, clematis, flowering trees, espaliered cherry etc were all I had hoped.
Upon leaving the gardens we drove on to Petit Les Andelys and stayed at Le Chaine d' Or. Thanks Jean for recommending this one; we loved watching the Seine outside our window.
One thing my husband loved about France was being able to open the big windows. Several of our rooms advertised air conditioning but I think we only used it in a couple of places.
This night was our first experience with the 3 hour French dinner. Mine culminated in the tarte tatin with flaming Calvados. My husband had chocolate on poire tart.
Watching the sunset cast pastel reflections on the trees in the Seine made me realize that what Monet had painted was real. That's what it looked like! There were swans and ducks on the river and the ubiquitous old church across the street chiming the hour. One of the things I loved in every town was hearing the church bells chime.
Next day: getting really lost
May 11th, 2005, 08:09 AM
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We need to wear Fodorite T-shirts - or at least buttons! - so we'd know there were other Fodorite friends at Giverney or in the same restaurat rather than finding out later!
Wouldn't that be a hoot!
Wouldn't that be a hoot!
May 11th, 2005, 08:47 AM
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Marcy, too funny! We usually went to eat as early as allowed. When you walk into the restaurant, we would have been to the right by the first window. My husband probably was wearing a navy blue jacket and I had a navy dress with a light green shawl. The only people I remember were at the next table -- a dark-haired woman I think in black, maybe black slacks.
Scarlett, we only had wine at the Henry IV. My impressions were that it was a very small place in a great location. I guess "worth it" is sort of relative.
Before I continue my report, I guess I should mention that I varied our hotels a lot. I was willing to stay in a b&b one night, or a lesser expensive room in a couple places in order to offset that with Bastide Moustiers, etc. Also, I bet there is a lot of variance between "standard" rooms and specifying 'hey, I want the white room' or 'if it's vacant, I would really like the blue room'. So, if a person likes/recommends a place, I guess it's good to keep in mind that another's experience might be different.
OK, on to one of the more difficult days of the trip. After an excellent breakfast at Chain d'Or -- the only place where the rolls were actually hot, fresh, and baked right there, we took off for Beaune in Burgundy.
A little service station gave me a free map of France that was more detailed than the one I had. Since it was mostly freeway down to Beaune I couldn't see buying the local map. I had the via.michelin directions, right?
The map thing continued to plague me. In all of Provence I only had the michelin Regional map. I looked daily for the local map to the Cote D'Azur. By the time I found one I thought I wouldn't need it any more. Boy, was that a mistake! Leaving Carcassone I finally found the desired local map (329?) for the Dordogne. That turned out to be the only local map I used on the trip.
Anyway, we sailed along making good time with only minor stresses until the Paris Peripherique threw us off a "deviation" through Pont Ste. Cloud.
We came to dread the word "deviation".
Then we somehow ended up on the A10 instead of the A6. Two weeks later I recognized the spot we had had to turn around as we were returning from the Loire valley.
At this point I still had plans for lunch in Vezelay. We got off the A6 at the recommended spot and through the first 3 turns, then ANOTHER DEVIATION. Up and down the N road. My first of many days using the sun to navigate. We had the compass, but of course it was somewhere in my husband's luggage.
Somehow we were swept back into signs for the A6. I said OK, fine, we've wasted enough time. I'll see Vezelay some other year. Then, suddenly we were exited off the A6. (Obviously we hadn't been quite back on it). We were back on the N road with signs pointing the right direction. OK, we're destined to go to Vezelay after all.
Keep in mind that we've spent the last 23 years in Alaska where there are 2 or 3 highways and few minor roads.
I'm hoping our distance shots of Vezelay perched above the mustard fiels turn out. I must warn that I don't use a digital camera so I won't get to bore you guys with my pictures.
Vezelay was interesting and I'm glad we went there. Just as we were leaving, a tour bus unloaded. Everywhere we went I thought "if we are pre-season, what must summer be like!"
Back onto the autoroute and heading for Beaune. We planned to stay at the Hotel Grillon. I had a simple map direction from them but somehow took the wrong exit. We saw every hotel in Beaune mentioned on this board except ours! Round and round! Even through the medieval center of the town. I stopped twice and asked directions. The second time I threw myself on the mercy of an English-speaking woman at a hotel desk. She called the Hotel Grillon and handed me the phone as they spoke English.
As it turns out, it was a very pleasant place which would have been easy to get to if I'd picked the right exit. The woman at the desk couldn't have been nicer. She said she almost came to pick us up in her car. The room was a nice size and nicely decorated. The heavy wooden shutters at night cut out any traffic noise. We walked into the edge of town in the evening for dinner.
Next: A day that went smoothly so my husband could see why we had taken such pains to come so far.
Scarlett, we only had wine at the Henry IV. My impressions were that it was a very small place in a great location. I guess "worth it" is sort of relative.
Before I continue my report, I guess I should mention that I varied our hotels a lot. I was willing to stay in a b&b one night, or a lesser expensive room in a couple places in order to offset that with Bastide Moustiers, etc. Also, I bet there is a lot of variance between "standard" rooms and specifying 'hey, I want the white room' or 'if it's vacant, I would really like the blue room'. So, if a person likes/recommends a place, I guess it's good to keep in mind that another's experience might be different.
OK, on to one of the more difficult days of the trip. After an excellent breakfast at Chain d'Or -- the only place where the rolls were actually hot, fresh, and baked right there, we took off for Beaune in Burgundy.
A little service station gave me a free map of France that was more detailed than the one I had. Since it was mostly freeway down to Beaune I couldn't see buying the local map. I had the via.michelin directions, right?
The map thing continued to plague me. In all of Provence I only had the michelin Regional map. I looked daily for the local map to the Cote D'Azur. By the time I found one I thought I wouldn't need it any more. Boy, was that a mistake! Leaving Carcassone I finally found the desired local map (329?) for the Dordogne. That turned out to be the only local map I used on the trip.
Anyway, we sailed along making good time with only minor stresses until the Paris Peripherique threw us off a "deviation" through Pont Ste. Cloud.
We came to dread the word "deviation".
Then we somehow ended up on the A10 instead of the A6. Two weeks later I recognized the spot we had had to turn around as we were returning from the Loire valley.
At this point I still had plans for lunch in Vezelay. We got off the A6 at the recommended spot and through the first 3 turns, then ANOTHER DEVIATION. Up and down the N road. My first of many days using the sun to navigate. We had the compass, but of course it was somewhere in my husband's luggage.
Somehow we were swept back into signs for the A6. I said OK, fine, we've wasted enough time. I'll see Vezelay some other year. Then, suddenly we were exited off the A6. (Obviously we hadn't been quite back on it). We were back on the N road with signs pointing the right direction. OK, we're destined to go to Vezelay after all.
Keep in mind that we've spent the last 23 years in Alaska where there are 2 or 3 highways and few minor roads.
I'm hoping our distance shots of Vezelay perched above the mustard fiels turn out. I must warn that I don't use a digital camera so I won't get to bore you guys with my pictures.
Vezelay was interesting and I'm glad we went there. Just as we were leaving, a tour bus unloaded. Everywhere we went I thought "if we are pre-season, what must summer be like!"
Back onto the autoroute and heading for Beaune. We planned to stay at the Hotel Grillon. I had a simple map direction from them but somehow took the wrong exit. We saw every hotel in Beaune mentioned on this board except ours! Round and round! Even through the medieval center of the town. I stopped twice and asked directions. The second time I threw myself on the mercy of an English-speaking woman at a hotel desk. She called the Hotel Grillon and handed me the phone as they spoke English.
As it turns out, it was a very pleasant place which would have been easy to get to if I'd picked the right exit. The woman at the desk couldn't have been nicer. She said she almost came to pick us up in her car. The room was a nice size and nicely decorated. The heavy wooden shutters at night cut out any traffic noise. We walked into the edge of town in the evening for dinner.
Next: A day that went smoothly so my husband could see why we had taken such pains to come so far.
May 11th, 2005, 09:25 AM
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Am very much enjoying your trip report--and glad you liked La Chaîne d'Or and especially that warm apple tart.
Driving in France is always interesting. Deviations do allow you to see parts of the country that you hadn't intended...or usually wanted to see!
Yes, next time in Paris stay at the Madison. You'll like it.
Can't wait to hear about your adventures in Provence.
Driving in France is always interesting. Deviations do allow you to see parts of the country that you hadn't intended...or usually wanted to see!
Yes, next time in Paris stay at the Madison. You'll like it.
Can't wait to hear about your adventures in Provence.
May 11th, 2005, 12:20 PM
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hopingtotravel,
This is so funny-- that was us at the next table! I was wearing black slacks, and I think a red top.
I just called my husband and asked him, and he said he had recognized you & your husband at dinner from having seen you at Giverney earlier in the day, and he also talked briefly to your husband while they were taking the luggage out to the car, so he knew you were from Alaska.
Where were our Fodor's pins when we needed them!
I'm enjoying your trip report, and I promise I'll post one soon, too. I have some really good pictures (she says, modestly) of Giverney and of the Chaine D'Or that I'll be posting a link to.
This is so funny-- that was us at the next table! I was wearing black slacks, and I think a red top.
I just called my husband and asked him, and he said he had recognized you & your husband at dinner from having seen you at Giverney earlier in the day, and he also talked briefly to your husband while they were taking the luggage out to the car, so he knew you were from Alaska.
Where were our Fodor's pins when we needed them!
I'm enjoying your trip report, and I promise I'll post one soon, too. I have some really good pictures (she says, modestly) of Giverney and of the Chaine D'Or that I'll be posting a link to.
May 11th, 2005, 12:38 PM
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This is so great! The first time I have seen Fodorites actually remembering they saw each other!
The minute I read that the lady had on black, I bet it was Marcy LOL
yes, hopingtotravel, we are moving to Portland and will be looking for a house in them thar hills.
I am loving this report...don't stop
The minute I read that the lady had on black, I bet it was Marcy LOL
yes, hopingtotravel, we are moving to Portland and will be looking for a house in them thar hills.
I am loving this report...don't stop
May 11th, 2005, 01:26 PM
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What a lovely report, although I won't let me husband read about your driving adventures. I have told him that it will be sooo easy. I am really looking forward to your Dordogne report, thanks for taking the time.
May 11th, 2005, 01:44 PM
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This is a scream! Marcy I remember my husband mentioning that he talked to someone who had seen us earlier in the day. Gee, I hope he didn't see my husband complaining to me about all the crowds.
Scarlett, are you seriously moving to Portland? That's where my husband was born, but I think I've always liked it better than he does. Their downtown stayed vibrant while so many others decayed.
Let's see. Back to my report:
Tuesday. Smoother driving. Did not get lost once! We headed south from Beaune with the first stop being Pont de Gard.
Burgundy was beautifully rolling hills dotted with fields of mustard and steeples here and there. I wouldn't mind going back to see more of the villages and minor roads there.
Thankfully, my husband was impressed with Pont de Gard. We spent some time walking around there as the weather was just perfect and it was not too crowded. Weren't the Romans amazing?
The drive from there to St. Remy was downright bucolic with the red poppies, blue Iris and olive orchards.
We arrived at Chateau des Alpilles before 3pm on a lovely sunny day.
This was one of my splurges so we had a large corner room with parquet floor, marble mantel and red and white color scheme. The owners there all spoke good English.
I loved the plane tree allee both at the chateau and on the roads into town.
We ate at our hotel that night. I had a cocette of poulet (meaning chicken in a curry/coconut sauce casserole). It made me want to run right home and learn to cook all over again. My husband had rack of lamb. They do wonderful things with vegetables.
We visited with a couple from New York after dinner then ran into them in Gordes a couple days later. Gee, are they on here too?
Next: more sunshine and discovering the markets
Scarlett, are you seriously moving to Portland? That's where my husband was born, but I think I've always liked it better than he does. Their downtown stayed vibrant while so many others decayed.
Let's see. Back to my report:
Tuesday. Smoother driving. Did not get lost once! We headed south from Beaune with the first stop being Pont de Gard.
Burgundy was beautifully rolling hills dotted with fields of mustard and steeples here and there. I wouldn't mind going back to see more of the villages and minor roads there.
Thankfully, my husband was impressed with Pont de Gard. We spent some time walking around there as the weather was just perfect and it was not too crowded. Weren't the Romans amazing?
The drive from there to St. Remy was downright bucolic with the red poppies, blue Iris and olive orchards.
We arrived at Chateau des Alpilles before 3pm on a lovely sunny day.
This was one of my splurges so we had a large corner room with parquet floor, marble mantel and red and white color scheme. The owners there all spoke good English.
I loved the plane tree allee both at the chateau and on the roads into town.
We ate at our hotel that night. I had a cocette of poulet (meaning chicken in a curry/coconut sauce casserole). It made me want to run right home and learn to cook all over again. My husband had rack of lamb. They do wonderful things with vegetables.
We visited with a couple from New York after dinner then ran into them in Gordes a couple days later. Gee, are they on here too?
Next: more sunshine and discovering the markets
May 11th, 2005, 02:05 PM
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Loving this report!
What a hoot you met a fellow Fodorite couple without even knowing it. I guess if buttons are too obvious, we should all have a secret handshake, or a nod, or a hand signal or something.
Can't wait to read more.
What a hoot you met a fellow Fodorite couple without even knowing it. I guess if buttons are too obvious, we should all have a secret handshake, or a nod, or a hand signal or something.
Can't wait to read more.
May 11th, 2005, 05:20 PM
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It's funny. We did talk to a lovely couple from New Hampshire at breakfast in Paris (at Paul's) and I wanted so badly to ask "by the way, are you a Fodorite?"
Another aside, for more individual thanks: Cigalechanta for telling me about the oilcloth ( I got some), Stu Dudley for the route on linking up the towns through the Vaucluse AND for the Michelin # for the Dordogne map, Underhill, of course, for making us all aware of La Chaine D'Or and Le Hameau, plus all the car and driving tips, and St. Cirq for her restaurant list, and many other paragraphs about the Dordogne.
OK, it's Wednesday morning in St. Remy. Market day. You are there. We left the car and walked in to town for a croissant and coffee. It didn't take long to realize we needed to split up to shop the market. After two hours I don't think I'd made it past the first block. What a plethora of fabrics, etc.
As it turns out my favorite French fabrics don't seem to be from Provence. Portland carries Soleaido and some Olivades, but also some of the large checks, florals, toiles, etc, that I like.
I bought two blue and white patch print pillow shams (which turned out to be made in China according to their tag). I also bought some tea towels and napkins which I may or may not have seen in past Williams-Sonoma catalogs.
I also bought blue oilcloth with sprigs of lavendar and black olives in the design for our backyard table.
Isn't it funny about the things you didn't buy, or the picture you didn't get, or the place you didn't tour? I saw a lovely blue and white tulip floral sham at Giverney and thought "oh no, in a shop like this, it's probably over-priced". Never saw a piece of fabric I liked as well the rest of my trip!
My husband meanwhile was more into olive oil and knives.
We left the market early enough to move on to Les Beaux. It was a fascinating place and my husband enjoyed the drive to it and the view from it. We had lunch there and decided that we were past the days when we could scramble to the top of the ruin.
Back to St. Remy and my husband took a quick jump in the cold pool followed by a sauna and a dinner in town at a little restaurant our hotel recommended. I had asparagus risotto because I wanted to see how it was really supposed to be cooked.
Thursday we drove to Isle Sur La Sorgue. We may have been there before 10 a.m. but the town was still busier and more difficult to navigate than I expected. We had cafe noir and one antique shop. Remember, after the Musee D'Orsay I wasn't pushing my husband.
We drove by lots more poppies and iris on the way to Gordes where we spent the next two nights at Hotel Romarin. (With these hotel names I may have the Las, Le and Les mixed up).
We were able to leave our stuff in our room and go on to Abbey Senanque. This was a trip highlight for me even without the lavender blooming. It was up but not quite turning purple. They have a nice gift shop with music playing in the background that sounds like the monks chanting upstairs. (I'm assuming they weren't).
Our hotel had an outdoor terrace with a picture postcard view of Gordes. By this time the temperature was in the 80's. They said it was unusual.
We had a nice dinner in Gordes at Clos de Gusteauv recommended by our hotel. I noticed a lot of people were walking home down the road at night. It seemed well lit.
There we talked to people from Pennsylvania and from Alberta.
Our room here was smaller and older although I think they may have had larger ones.
Next: following one of Stu's routes.
It was still warm enough in the evening to sit outside and listen to the frogs croak when we got back.
Another aside, for more individual thanks: Cigalechanta for telling me about the oilcloth ( I got some), Stu Dudley for the route on linking up the towns through the Vaucluse AND for the Michelin # for the Dordogne map, Underhill, of course, for making us all aware of La Chaine D'Or and Le Hameau, plus all the car and driving tips, and St. Cirq for her restaurant list, and many other paragraphs about the Dordogne.
OK, it's Wednesday morning in St. Remy. Market day. You are there. We left the car and walked in to town for a croissant and coffee. It didn't take long to realize we needed to split up to shop the market. After two hours I don't think I'd made it past the first block. What a plethora of fabrics, etc.
As it turns out my favorite French fabrics don't seem to be from Provence. Portland carries Soleaido and some Olivades, but also some of the large checks, florals, toiles, etc, that I like.
I bought two blue and white patch print pillow shams (which turned out to be made in China according to their tag). I also bought some tea towels and napkins which I may or may not have seen in past Williams-Sonoma catalogs.
I also bought blue oilcloth with sprigs of lavendar and black olives in the design for our backyard table.
Isn't it funny about the things you didn't buy, or the picture you didn't get, or the place you didn't tour? I saw a lovely blue and white tulip floral sham at Giverney and thought "oh no, in a shop like this, it's probably over-priced". Never saw a piece of fabric I liked as well the rest of my trip!
My husband meanwhile was more into olive oil and knives.
We left the market early enough to move on to Les Beaux. It was a fascinating place and my husband enjoyed the drive to it and the view from it. We had lunch there and decided that we were past the days when we could scramble to the top of the ruin.
Back to St. Remy and my husband took a quick jump in the cold pool followed by a sauna and a dinner in town at a little restaurant our hotel recommended. I had asparagus risotto because I wanted to see how it was really supposed to be cooked.
Thursday we drove to Isle Sur La Sorgue. We may have been there before 10 a.m. but the town was still busier and more difficult to navigate than I expected. We had cafe noir and one antique shop. Remember, after the Musee D'Orsay I wasn't pushing my husband.
We drove by lots more poppies and iris on the way to Gordes where we spent the next two nights at Hotel Romarin. (With these hotel names I may have the Las, Le and Les mixed up).
We were able to leave our stuff in our room and go on to Abbey Senanque. This was a trip highlight for me even without the lavender blooming. It was up but not quite turning purple. They have a nice gift shop with music playing in the background that sounds like the monks chanting upstairs. (I'm assuming they weren't).
Our hotel had an outdoor terrace with a picture postcard view of Gordes. By this time the temperature was in the 80's. They said it was unusual.
We had a nice dinner in Gordes at Clos de Gusteauv recommended by our hotel. I noticed a lot of people were walking home down the road at night. It seemed well lit.
There we talked to people from Pennsylvania and from Alberta.
Our room here was smaller and older although I think they may have had larger ones.
Next: following one of Stu's routes.
It was still warm enough in the evening to sit outside and listen to the frogs croak when we got back.
