Arrived in Toulouse which is the fourth largest city in
France with 1.25 million residents of which 103,000 are students. It is the
home of Airbus and I was planning to do a tour but non EU residents are
required to apply three days in advance to obtain security clearance. Shitty
world we live in really.
Walked around the old part of town and opted for a galette
(buckwheat crepe) for dinner with a gelato chaser. Feeling tired went to bed relatively
early.
Anyway up early for the mandatory pane chocolate (choc
croissant) and café au lait – their version of cappuccino. More walking around
the old city including the old Synagogue before I head off for Montpellier.
On the way to Montpellier I stopped for lunch at the seaside
town of Seste – unfortunately the seafood lunch didn’t match the beauty of the town.
Arrived in Montpellier (formerly a mountain with a bare top
hence the name peeled mountain) 8th largest town in France known for
its university especially its medical school.
Checked in at the hotel and walked to what I would find out
is the largest square in Europe and walk around looking for somewhere to have
dinner. Settle on a restaurant where I order a small salad – think a salad that
I would normally serve for 12 at a dinner party and some salmon tartar. Luckily
the waitress forgot about my dessert order as I was stuffed.
Good night’s sleep, FaceTime to kids/grandkids I leave
relatively late (10:30) and take the tourist train around old part of Montpellier
which is exceptionally enlightening about the history of this city.
I head off around midday with a plan to stop briefly in Nimes
but a phone call from the person I am renting the house from brings forward the
meeting time so straight to Cabrieres d’Avignon. The house is superb. It used
to be a silk mill built in 1791 and has been loving restored. I need to be
careful on the uneven staircase but apart from that it is everything advertised
and more – have a look.
Down to the local Super-U to stock up on supplies for the
next nine days.
Finally a relax in the pool followed by dinner in the only
restaurant in this small town – 1700 including the immediate surrounds, just a
100 metre walk away. I was pleasantly surprised by everything about the
restaurant. There were about 35 diners which the owner who has been running an
8 room hotel and the restaurant for 12 years tells me were mostly locals. Foie
Gras and Lobster were exceptionally well executed for my taste and the terrace
setting added to the enjoyment.
Next morning manage to sleep in till 08:00 before heading to
the Boulangerie for a chocolate croissant and orange brioche both amazingly
good. Around 10:00 I head off to Bonnieux where Friday is market day. A lucky parking
place and I walk around the 100+ stalls selling crafts, jewellery, food,
produce, cheeses, clothing, soaps and fragrances and heaps more. After buying
nothing more than a few drinks to quench my thirst in this 35+ very humid
weather I walk to the top (think upward by roads and steps) of the village
which is no mean feat. However the view from the top is amazing somewhat
assuaging my sweating aching body.
Anton provides me with some air conditioning relief as I drive
40kms to Avignon. I park Anton within the old city and wander around. I am
somewhat amazed at how many shops are closed for vacation (in the middle of
tourist season) as well as shops vacant and for rent in what seems to be a
tired and run down town. Past the “insignificant” Synagogue to the markets,
shops and finally a restaurant where I have a salad for lunch followed by an
argument with the owner who charged one Euro for butter with my bread – as in
one pre-packed portion of butter. She tried to convince me with the usual
French way that without that her business would not survive, “if I give
everybody butter then where would I be”. I ask if she charges for milk and
sugar with the coffee and she doesn’t know how to answer. Couldn’t help myself I
left a review on TripAdvisor telling my story.
I head to the Papal Palace which I don’t recall having
visited internally before so I buy a ticket (over 60’s for 2 Euro discount) and
walk around what was the home of the Pope from the early 1300’s to the late 1700’s.
My reading is that the Papacy was more of a diplomatic role than a totally
religious one at that time. Anyway the building is amazing considering it is 700+
years old and on a grand scale. Unfortunately it was used as a prison and
military installation so not everything has been able to be restored.
On the way back to the house I bought a BBQ chicken for
dinner which is usually very tasty although this one was just average.
An hour’s swim, ok walking up and down the pool in the sun before
some quiet time.
Saturday morning left for Apt around 09:15 to the largest
market (300 stalls) in Provence. Anton threw a wobbly with the entire media/GPS
system freezing but the area is very well signposted so not too hard to find places.
Finding a parking place had its usual worries and while much of the market was
the same as yesterday there were enough different and new things to make it
interesting apart from which it is very relaxing to walk around the old town
with the market drawing thousands of people. Again the weather is very hot –
around 30 at this time but would get up to 35 in the afternoon. Only purchase a
small jar of Foi Gras made by an older gentleman who gave me a sample telling
me how he lovingly makes it himself – anyway tasted good so I’ll see.
Luckily Anton reset himself and started guiding me for my
lunch at Petite Maison, a Michelin one star restaurant in the small village of
Cucuron. I was disappointed to arrive and find out that the chef had just
finished a cooking class which included: lobster soup, zucchini flowers with lobster
mousse and fresh lobster followed by cheesecake – DAMN. But it was still worth
it with an amazing lunch punctuated by Amuse Bouche of the items from his
cooking class. The meal was amazing and “relatively” cheap $A75 for 5 courses
of outstanding food. I chatted with the rotund and very jovial chef for a while
and found out there is only one two star Michelin restaurant in the Luberon
Valley with the rest being one star. Sitting on the terrace with a pergola
covered in greenery while watching the waitress constantly carrying a stray and
playful cat out of the restaurant.
I wander around the adjoining village of Lourmarin before
visiting the very interesting Lavender Museum. There are two types of Lavender –
The high quality Lavender grown higher than 800 metres yielding one litre of
essential oil per 130 kilograms and the inferior Lavandine grown below 800
metres yielding one litre of inferior essential oils per 40 kilograms. Showed
how they processed the crop to yield the oils and of course the shop. I swear
they pumped Lavender scent throughout the museum to encourage sales.
Interestingly there were two or three busloads of Chinese adults and students
and credit to the museum, the tour was available with Chinese audio sets as
well as many other languages.
Catch all soon
XD
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