Nice hinterland - La Parare

Yesterday we drove from Aix en Provence to a village in the Nice hinterland (Chateauneuf Villevieille). We are staying in a lovely bed and breakfast (La Parare) about 25 minutes inland from Nice.


The surrounding countryside is spectacular. Very mountainous, with narrow winding roads for Bill to navigate!

Today we visited an old bastide village, Peillon, perched high on a single hilltop where the narrow streets were only accessible by foot (photos 1 & 2). We also visited the famous town of Eze, well known for its breathtaking views of the Cote d'Azur and its perfumerie.

Unfortunately the rain has settled in, so sight seeing was somewhat limited. No complaints, as we have been very lucky with the weather. It was perfect for snuggling up in our cosy room (photos 3, 4 ,& 5 show our terrace and view).

Two more days and then we head off to Bangkok on our way home (sigh!).

Au revoir Aix

Today is our last day in Aix. We devote our last Aix blog to our home away from home. For the last seven weeks we have delighted in the offerings of a town large enough to satisfy all consumer needs and wants, while intimate enough to feel familiarity in a short period of time.

Not only have we enjoyed the benefits of Aix's location in experiencing provencial France with relative ease, we have also been spoilt with our apartment's utility and location; inside the old town (le vieux village) in the Quatier Mazarin, surrounded by narrow winding streets and other apartments, shops, cafes and boutiques. It is close to the intersection of rue Fernand Dol and rue d’Italie.

So we thought we might wax lyrically in attempt to give a sense of the surroundings that we regretfully leave behind.

We will miss the daily one minute walk to the boulangerie, the weekday interaction with the hairdressing students (and their experimental hairstyles) as they loiter downstairs on our steps while waiting for their college to open, and the sounds of the daily rituals of hosing down the street and garbage collection (where rubbish bags are simply left on the street for daily pick up).

We will be waiting for the chorus of church bells (right behind us!!!) to chime at 7.50 am (two lots of three chimes and then a peel of several - we never worked out the significance of the number of chimes, if any).

We will remember the "high-end" home interior decorating shop next door, the fashion house opposite and the 'bonbon' (lolly) shop on the corner. Not to mention the patisserie, the men's boutique, the 'cave' (wine shop), the florist and the boucherie (butcher; with home made sausages, trussed quail, chickens, ducks and geese with their heads and feet still intact for identification, succulent smelling chickens being cooked in the portable rotisserie on the pavement, and in-house daube, ratatouille and veal stew). All within 50 metres or so!

No doubt we will recall the 3 minute walk past colourful cafes, restaurants, beauty parlours, boutiques and other apartments to Cours Mirabeau, the beautiful main promenade; a walk where one must be alert as one navigates the narrow street with many other pedestrians, (prams, so many prams!) their dogs (and their deposits), bicycle riders, scooters and cars. An invigorating workout for all senses!

And we will wonder at the success of the tattoo parlour, come 'adult' shop, that opened just this week across the road!

So, if you are planning a trip to Aix-en-Provence, we would recommend our digs for all that it offers including a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable Irish landlord! (See link and photos right).

A bientot Aix!

'La Petite Maison' - a Provencal finale

Fittingly, we concluded our holiday in Aix at "Le Petite Maison", a superb restaurant in Cuceron, about 30 minutes north. The chef, Eric Sapet, is well regarded in this part of the world and we now know why!

We shan't go on about the menu ( see opposite link for all the sumptuous details), suffice to say that we had a great time and it was a beaut way to spend our last day. After our meal we languished outside in the pretty Place de L'Etang, where we met some sated Brazilians who kindly took our photo.

You may recognise the pond in the background - it featured in a scene in the movie 'A Good Year' (starring Russell Crowe).

It really is better in real life than the photo depicts.

Winter Fashion

This one is for the girls!

Aix may not be an iconic fashion centre in France, but there is still an abundance of fashion 'savoir-faire' ! Autumn has arrived and we have observed a few trends that might interest the fashion conscious as a "heads up" for next winter in Perth.

There are many students here so we see lots and lots of jeans, and the ripped/destroyed look is still making a statement. Scarves and boots are 'must haves'; shorts with leggings and boots are very 'in', and multi layer necklaces (especially chains) are popular accessories.

Fur is BIG (faux, I hope!) and fur trim is everywhere: scarfs, coat collars, dress collars, handbags, shoes and boots!

Animal print is still very prominent. Leggings are popular and range from lacy and flowery through to animal print. Leggings with ready made holes are also making a statement (go figure!).

Shapes/cuts are all over the place, ranging from drapey cardigans through to clinched waists. So it seems anything goes. While winter colours dominate, there are splashes of pink, blue and orange, in particular with shoes and other accessories.
We've noticed that cocktail rings are huge, and animal 'themed' rings seem to be a big hit. Other notable fashion features include:

• Chunky knits
• Capes
• Checks
• Exotic prints
• Shoulder bags with chains
• Zips
• Bomber and military jackets
• Padded shoulders
• Gloves
• Ruffles
• Big jewellery

See link right for more photos (some boy fashion snaps included!).

The challenge is putting it all together and making it work. It seems everyone here, from young filles to grand-meres, is so accomplished at getting it right - with that typical French flair.

Lacoste

We have visited many villages, but one (more) that is worth singling out is Lacoste. Apart from its ancient appeal, it has a most colourful past, thanks to the Marquis de Sade, and a rather exciting future, thanks to the designer Pierre Cardin. Lacoste is a picturesque old mountain village about an hour’s drive north from Aix. The regional architecture and cobblestone streets give the impression of a village where time has stood still. It has Roman structures dating back to the 1st century B.C.

Lacoste is perhaps best known for its most notorious resident, the Marquis de Sade, who in the 18th century lived in the castle overlooking the village. Following a series of incidents involving local women and the police, the Marquis fled the castle and was eventually imprisoned for the last 13 years of his life. His compulsion for physically and sexually abusing others gave rise to the concept of sadism (so, we can’t blame the Romans for everything !).
The Marquis de Sade’s castle is now owned by Pierre Cardin, who has partially restored it (and other properties) and holds cultural events there. Adding to the village's reputation as an artistic haven, a School of Arts has also been established in Lacoste. The revived interest that has resulted from Cardin's investment appears to have set the town up for a bright future.

Cours Mirabeau

The main promenade in Aix is "Cours Mirabeau". It is 440 meters long and 42 meters wide, and is one of the most popular and lively places in the town.
It is lined with many cafés, one of the most famous being Les Deux Garçons; during its history was frequented by famous French cultural figures such as Paul Cézanne, Emile Zola and Albert Camus. The wide thoroughfare was named after Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau (March 9, 1749 – 2 April 1791), a French revolutionary, as well as a writer, diplomat, freemason, journalist and French politician at the same time (whew!).


The pretty street has wide sidewalks planted with double rows of plane-trees and divides Aix into two portions, the Quartier Mazarin, (the new town) which extends to the south and west, and the Ville comtale, (the old town) which lies to the north with its wide but irregular streets and its old mansions dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. (BTW, to us it's all old!!!)

In the middle of the avenue (spaced well apart) stand three beautiful fountains, the center one of which, the "Fontaine Chaude", is fed with warm spring water. The Place du Général de Gaulle forms the western boundary of the line of streets, where the great Fontaine de la Rotonde stands (pictured).

It is such an atmospheric place, perfect for a morning coffee, afternoon wine or a post dinner Amarino ice cream. And it is THE spot for people watching! We have been enchanted by Cours Mirabeau and have taken many photos - some of which can be viewed by following the link to the right.

Aix by night

Aix is a wonderful town to wander through on a balmy summer evening, although the change of season is clearly here. The air now has a discernable chill at night and the rain is appearing. We are located close to the centre of the old town and it affords us the opportunity to explore all that "old" Aix has to offer.

Quite apart from the beautiful Cours Mirabeau (the main thoroughfare through the old town), the side streets are full of shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. There are many squares (places) scattered through Aix, all offering a space for people to collect. As Aix is a university town, there is always plenty of lively students out and about, adding to the atmosphere.

We have attached a link (right) with a collection of photographs highlighting some of the side streets by night.

Avignon

When planning our holiday, we laboured over the choice between Avignon and Aix. A return to Avignon confirmed that our difficulty in choosing was justified. Avignon is on the banks of the Rhône river and is sprinkled with buildings and monuments ranging from the new to the old, the very old, and the ageless.

We noticed a new modern art addition to the main town square.

Quite inconguous but somehow in typical French fashion, it seemed to fit perfectly!

So too did the modern dancing by the local
lads in the ancient square.

The city is well known for its ''Palais des Papes'', where several popes and antipopes lived from the early 14th to early 15th centuries. Ramparts, built by the popes still encircle Avignon and they are one of the finest examples of medieval fortification in existence. They were erected to keep the plague and invaders out during the turbulent middle ages, when Avignon belonged to the papacy.

A popular attraction is the Le Pont Saint-Benezet, a ruined bridge not far from the Palais des Papes. The bridge was also built in the Middle Ages, but soon became unsafe and following numerous floods, mostly derelict. Originally, the bridge had 22 arches but only 4 of the 22 arches now remain.

It would have been a beautiful site!

Tarte fine aux tomates

This weekend we had some local friends over for dinner. A little intimidated, we kept the fare simple and discovered a wonderful recipe that would be a perfect match for a beautiful Australian summer day. The recipe is from an apt cook book by Alex MacKay (with Peter Knab) "Cooking in Provence" (see link on right).


A tomato tart, it was dead easy to make, if a little time consuming. It looked quite impressive and was well received, so we thought we would share. Unfortunately, no photo (seemed a little poncy to do so in front of our guests!!!). This picture looks nearly as good as the tart this recipe produced. Hope you can make use of it one day.

Tarte Fine Aux Tomates by Alex Mackay

350g (12oz) puff pastry
1.5kg (3lb 5oz) tomatoes, all about the same size
150g (51/2oz) mascarpone (We used 250grams)
50g (13/4oz) Parmesan, freshly grated
1 biggish bunch fresh basil, leaves picked from the stalks, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 200c. Roll the puff pastry into a circle slightly larger than 30cm (12in) in diameter. (You can use a plate). Put the pastry circle on a tray and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes or so. Remove the cores from the tomatoes and slice them about 5mm thick. Keep the slices together and put the ends in a separate pile.

Mix the mascarpone with the Parmesan and basil and season well. Spread the mascarpone across the centre of the pastry circle, leaving about 10cm (4in) at the edges. Layer the sliced tomatoes around the outside of the cheese, making a full circle. Overlay them by about one third of each slice. Continue towards the centre in ever-decreasing circles, overlapping the earlier circle each time. Tuck the tomato ends under each layer to prevent them caving in, then continue toward the centre. Put the last slice right in the middle. (Your tart will get higher towards the centre, but this flattens during cooking).

Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 150c and bake for a further 45 minutes. When cooked there should be almost no liquid left in the tomatoes and the pastry base will be crisp. (The tomatoes we used were really juicy so we cooked it for an additional 15 minutes).

Voila et bon appetit !

Cassis

Cassis is located about 50 kms from Aix, on the coast. It is a most spectacular location and epitomises the Mediterranean seaside village. We loved everything about it - the cliffs, the clear clean blue ocean, the impressive boats in the harbour, the salty beach smell, the fish swimming so close you could reach out and grab them, and the aromas from the restaurants lined along the harbour. A "must have" is the moules et frites, a delicious bowl of mussels with a sauce of saffron, fennel, cardamon, star anise, garlic and cream served with chips. This is to be accompanied by a large beer. Pure heaven!

Don't believe us - put this spot on your bucket list and see for yourself !

Markets

Going to the morning food markets is a highlight of our daily routine and certainly gives our senses an outing. Along with the great variety of seasonal produce, there is often a busker to add to the bustling atmosphere. There is colour in both character and goods.

While it can get very busy, there is plenty of room to move, time to procrastinate and many opportunities for us to practice our French. September is the season for mushrooms. We were amazed at the number and variety - many of them looking like something out of Doctor Who!

It is difficult to capture the experience, but we have taken some photos in an attempt to share our impressions (see right).

Pilgrimage to Mont Sainte-Victoirre

Here are some photos of our mountain climbing expedition yesterday!

Mont Sainte-Victoirre is a symbol of Provence and a major landmark of the Aix area. It reaches an altitude of 1011 metres.

At its peak, there is a 17th century priory (a place of pilgrimage) and the cross of Provence, from where there is a magnificent panoramic view of Provence's mountains and the rolling plains of the Aix area.

The mountain was also made famous via eleven oil paintings and seventeen watercolors by Paul Cézanne.

In the middle ages when Christianity made its appearance, the mountain was sanctified to hunt the demons of paganism. This was our pilgrimage to mitigate against our demons, the French food and wine!

Cathedrale D'Images Australia

We recently visited Les Baux de Provence, a small village which is a popular tourist stopover because of its history, spectacular architecture and panoramic hilltop (bastide) location. Our intention was to visit an Australian exhibition by French artists (Jean Charbonneau and Dong Wei), that our friends Ann and Jack had recommended.

We were not prepared for the grandeur of the exhibition, nor the emotion it evoked. We have never seen anything quite like it. Staged in an old quarry in the side of a stone hill (with ceiling), giant images were projected on the many walls and the floor at the same time. The exhibition was in the dark and lit only by the illumination from the images.

For example, there were several pictures of our 'weird' ant hills on all the walls so you felt as if you were in a forest of them and on the floor, there were images of ants scampering about. At the same time, evocative Aussie music was playing. It was so beautiful, and a bit surreal. Australia looked fantastic.
Given Australia hardly rates a mention in French press, it was a boost to see Australia presented in such a predominant and well received way.

A Special Treat - Hotel Particulier

It's not what you know, but who you know!! Recently we were in a unique position of being invited to view one of the very grand homes in Aix en Provence. The fellow we rent our apartment from very generously invited us to walk through the grand historic home (a friend of a friend sort of thing). It was luxuriously furnished inside and it had a large formal garden - very rare for a private home in central Aix. It was spectacular. The home was so unassuming from the front. One could be forgiven for thinking it was just a group of apartments. Armed with this knowledge we have realised there are many of these grand homes which we have been walking past each day, none the wiser!! .

From the experience we have learnt to look for the indicators of a grand mansion. In France, these grand historic homes are referred to as "a hôtel particulier"; an urban "private house" of a grand style, which when built were often free standing.

This home, called Hotel D'Olivary, was built in the 17th Century in the Mazairin Quartier of Aix en Provence, outside of the original city rampants (at the time a rural area). Now it is in the centre of town. We were made aware of the enormous upkeep required for such a property. Apparently 6 of the 7 children who were in line to inherit the property did not want the financial burden of owning and maintaining such an asset.

Since our visit, we have discovered that photographs of the home are in many well respected publications. We have attached a couple of our own images to share with you !!