Month: March 2019

Avignon – our next stop on this adventure. Avignon is on the Rhone River and we visited here while on a River Cruise in 2009. It was July when we were here and it was HOT and it was the peak of the annual Avignon Festival. This Festival has been going on since 1947 and showcases all kinds of entertainment – all of which spills out onto the streets of this small town and made our visit difficult. This time, being in March, the town is quiet – not a lot of tourists and the weather is lovely.

Avignon has a little more than 90,000 residents (FYI, Alhambra, where we lived for 40 years has about the same number) and has been around for a LONG time. Between 1309 and 1377 Avignon was the residence of the popes – seems there was some political problems in Italy and Pope John XXII moved there and started construction of the Palace in 1316.

Construction continued by succeeding popes through the 14^th century with the Palace being completed in 1370. The historic center, which includes the Palace of the Popes, the Cathedral and the Pont d”Avignon became a UNESCO site in 1995.

The Ramparts, built by the popes in the 14^th century still encircle Avignon. They are one of the best examples of medieval fortifications still standing. Originally it had 39 massive towers with several gateways.

Much has changed but the walls still remain a tribute to the strength when the popes  were in residence.

We spent three days exploring, visiting museums, riding the mini train and generally having a very relaxing time.

One of the first things we discovered was the free parking lot that had a free bus into the city center! That certainly solved the parking problem and made the visits much more relaxing.

Most of the streets are narrow and provide for one-way traffic only.

Shops range from the local neighborhood stores providing basics for those that live near by to larger markets towards the city center.

Quite close to where the bus dropped us off, was Les Halles – a large indoor market that offers fresh produce,

meats and fish along with a variety of other goods. On the outside of the building is a “green wall” with some very mature plants. Beautiful.

We went to the Popes Palace but didn’t go it.

It is a huge 14th century building and we have been into large places with lots of rooms before, so it didn’t have a huge pull to get us inside. Plus any of the original furnishings are long gone so it’s really just a big building with lots of rooms.

On the river side of Avignon is the Pont d’Avignon. The original bridge, built in 1171 by a shepard in answer to a vision went across the river for a length of almost 3000 feet. Unfortunately, over the years, various troubles impacted the bridge and the river has destroyed much of it either during various battles or and it was abandoned in 1669. However, a section still juts out into the river and was made famous a French song, “Sur le Pont d’Avignon – On the bridge of Avignon in the mid 19^th century.

On the recommendation of our friends Tony and Gloria we booked into a restaurant called Les 5 Sens (The 5 senses). It took a bit of hunting to find the place as it is situated off a clothing shops street in what might have been a patio in earlier times.

To make things more difficult, the entire street was closed off with all the shops putting sales racks on the sidewalks and lots of people about.

It was well worth finding, as the meal was wonderful – see pictures.

 

All in all we had a nice visit and now it’s time to head on down the road.

On Saturday Ryan and Chris few in from Bordeaux to spend a couple of days with us and explore the area. After picking them up from the airport in Nice we ventured to Antibes. Antibes is one of many Mediterranean resorts along the coast. Situated between Cannes and Nice, the place sticks out into the Mediterranean and has a long history.

After finding a parking place, we wandered through the old town taking in the views, visiting the Market and generally having a lovely time. As with all villages and towns the old section is filled with lovely winding streets, colorful buildings, small shops and hidden treasures.

Walking through the market, it is always a colorful experience. Fresh fish, meats, cheeses, spices, flowers all the things you need. For some reason I am always drawn to the display of spices.

After a tasty lunch we walked along the coast taking in the views of the water and beaches.

Once we were done with Antibes, we headed back to Vence to the apartment to get ready for dinner at The Bacchanles Restaurant. This is a one star Michelin place very close to our apartment. If we had walked it would have only been about 10 or 15 minutes (but a LOT of up and down) so we drove. No big deal. We arrived about 15 minutes before our reservation and relaxed prior to heading to our table.

I was unaware that Ryan and Chris had never been to a Michelin Star Restaurant. It was great to see their reaction to the place.

The restaurant is small – maybe 24 seats – as we entered the place it was clear there is a relationship with local artists. Modern art was displayed throughout the lobby and again upstairs around the dining room.   Welcoming us as we came up the stairs was an older golden lab – must be the Owner’s dog as he just hung out in the dining room the entire time hoping for a treat to find its way to the floor for him to clean up.

The food and presentation where outstanding.   Our reservation was for 7:30 and I don’t think we left much before 11 – just about right for a Michelin star restaurant in my opinion. Each of us had several amuse bouche, a couple of starters and at least one main plus dessert.

All in all it was a delightful evening and a treat to show Ryan and Chris was a Michelin star restaurant is all about.

The last two years, Janeen has spent her birthday in Macomb Illinois – first for her dad’s 100^th birthday and the following year for his 101^st. When asked where she wanted to be in 2019, she chose the Violet Festival in the south of France. Early spring seemed a nice remembrance of Dad Harold. As reported in prior posts, we are in the village of Vence about 14 miles from Nice. So to celebrate her birthday I found a lovely 2-star Michelin restaurant in Nice called Flaveur.

Flaveur is really a story of passion and family. Gaël and Mickaël Tourteaux, two brothers, share the kitchen and create wonderful foods.

They are both different and yet complementary bringing different approaches to the kitchen. We left Vence with lots of time to find the restaurant and find parking. After we spotted the location, and got ourselves parked, we found the street of the restaurant to be filled with construction equipment.

Across the street from the restaurant is a major construction project but access was still possible to the restaurant. Arriving for at 12:45 for our 1:00 reservation, we found a small room decorated with figurative wooden sculptures, reminiscent of fish shapes, chic table art with beautiful glasses and a relatively camouflaged bar area behind which we surmise is the micro kitchen.

The menu had two options – the first was a menu that included starter and main or main and dessert or a tasting menu that covered a 6 or 7 different dishes. We opted for the all inclusive lunch menu.

The pictures tell the story of the meal – so I won’t speak too much about them expect to say it was wonderful. I would say, however, that the number of amuse bouche was amazing. There must have been 6 or 7 different little bites that were where served before the first course.   Very nice.

 

We were in the restaurant for almost 4 hours! Certainly not rushed and the pace of presentation of the various things was relaxed and quite enjoyable.

Our waiter guided us on what we had and suggested an approach to eating them when there where multiple items at the same time.

At the end of the meal we asked to have a picture taken with the Chefs’ who joined our gallery of gourmand. All in all Janeen had a wonderful birthday in Nice.

The Violet Festival has taken place in Tourrettes-sur-Loup since 1952. Violet production became this village’s main agricultural activity in 1880. Today, only the Victoria variety is cultivated in Tourrettes-sur-Loup.

Every year in March, the Violet Festival rounds off the violet season and celebrates spring. The village streets are full of activity from in the mid morning with serenades and local dances. The whole village is full of flowers and the sweet scent of early spring. A Floral Procession starts in the early afternoon. This is why we came to this part of France – to see and be part of the celebration of violets in this little village.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup is small with only about 4,000 folks.

Many of these have come to be part of the artisan community – potters, weavers, wood carvers, jewelers, painters, and sculptors – lots of people creating interesting things through the town. In fact, the City Council has encouraged artist by providing work areas within the old city.

We visited on a couple of days – just prior to the actual festival and again over the weekend during the actual event. On our first day it was quiet with little activity throughout the area. On Saturday, the first day of the festival, it was much busier with tents set up in the parking lot, musicians performing,

strolling groups of performers Rose, Violet and Lily of the Valley dancers on stilts, and flower bedecked music float. While Violets are the reason, flower decoration was happening in several areas using local flowers. It reminded me of float building for the Rose Parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, not so much as what happens in Pasadena on New Years Day but people decorating structures with pretty flowers was nice to see.

The tents had various vendors showing off their wares and selling stuff, including a contingent from Japan. We picked up some local olive oil and balsamic both of which are lovely. When we first got into town on Saturday it wasn’t all that busy yet so we stopped at the boulangerie for a Coffee Long and a taste treat.

When we came back on Sunday, admittedly it was later in the day and Sunday was the “big day”, the place was mobbed!

The decorations around the square where beautiful, the stilt walkers were doing great and other musicians were pleasing the crowds.

On Monday we went back to this little village for lunch at Clovis. To say the place was quiet would be an understatement for sure. Many shops were closed, no crowds, all the tents in the parking lot had been removed and most of the flower decorations had been removed. However, our lunch at Clovis was wonderful.

Chef Julien Bousseau, opened the restaurant in February 2012, dedicated to a creative, fresh and tasty cuisine. All the products he uses are chosen with the utmost care. They work as much as possible with local producers and our fruits and vegetables are largely from organic farming. The wine list was a surprise with some local and little known wonders and will also with renowned big estates.

 

The menu is created on a two-week cycle to be able to capture all the seasonal variations that occur during the year. This is a Michelin 1-star restaurant and has been on the list for the last 7 years.   We had a delightful lunch and would certainly consider returning for another menu.

Vence is our home village for our stay for the next couple of weeks.  Located about 14 miles from Nice in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France Vence is home to about 19,000 folks.  The history of the place goes back to a Roman settlement of Vintium and subsequently became the bishopric and domain of the Villeneuve family.  The remnants of a Roman triumphal arch still remain including several “Marsellais Columns”

Within the historic village, a medieval walled village, there are numerous interesting sights and monuments.

The Peyra Gate was remodeled in 1810. The fountain was rebuilt in 1822 replacing an older one dating from 1578.   Strolling through the area are various courtyards, dining areas and art displays.

 The castle is today the Fondation Èmile Hugues,  a modern and contemporary art museum.

The cathedral was built in the 4th century on the site of a Roman temple. The stone of the western façade dates from 239. Another, on the right, was engraved in December 220. Other stones in the external walls represent funerary dedications.

Also on the western side of the church, the Pierre du Tauroble evokes the cult of Cybele  and also the Great mother of the Gods of Mount Ido.  A chapel in the cathedral has a mosaic by Marc Chagall, dated 1911.

The rue des Portiques is a section of the old Roman road.

After our stroll, we stopped for lunch across from the Plaza du Grand Jardin.  This Plaza is where the local markets are held plus various events.  Surrounding the Plaza are a number of restaurants and shops – well mostly restaurants actually.  Sitting on a wide sidewalk enjoying the afternoon sun was a treat.  After our lunch we headed back to the apartment to drop off the car and walk to the Chapel of the Rosary.

The Chapel of the Rosary, or also know as Chapel Matisse is a small place just a 5 minute walk from our apartment. 

After major surgery in 1942, Henri Matisse went too Nice to recover.  During his recovery he met Monique Bourgeois who was his night nurse.  During his recovery they became quite close and she modeled for Matisse on several occasions.  However, she felt the calling and entered the convent and became Sister Jacques-Marie. 

Once she took her vows, she and Matisse continued to communicate and when she came to Vence he visited often.  During one of his visits he learned the sisters were beginning the design for a chapel – a small chapel due to the facilities available.  Matisse offered to help design the interior and he was granted the commission.  Over the next four years of intensive and exclusive work in collaboration wit the Dominican community a final design was created and built.  Henri Matisse is quoted as saying “Despite all of its imperfections, I see it (the chapel) as my masterpiece…It is the result of a life devoted to seeking the truth”…”What I have done in the chapel is create a religious space…To take an enclosed space of very reduced proportions and give it, solely by the play of cloys and lines, the dimensions of infinity.”

The Chapel is quite small and he created a space filled with light and color. 

In addition to the Chapel there is a small museum of his work – many sketches for the Chapel as well as other subjects.

The entire day was relaxing and filled with new sights and sounds.  All in all another wonderful day in the South of France.