Category: Provence

AOP Les Baux de Provence
Launched in 1995, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Les Baux de Provence was a bold step for a group of winemakers. They joined forces to carve out a unique identity in the ocean of, at that time, mediocre Provencal wine. Previously (since 1972) these wineries fell under the umbrella of the AOP Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence. The les Baux vintners felt that their production was blurred in the vast volume produced by that large AOP. Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) Les Baux was re-established in 1995 reverting to the original appellation formed in 1956. Today ten vineyards are members of the AOP and follow the same guidelines for making wine.

The Stunning Alpilles
The landscape of the Alpilles is not exactly the land of milk and honey. Rather this is a harsh alpine climate that supports the growth of grapes, almonds, herbs de Provence, and olives. Known as the Alpilles (small Alps), this 30km band of jagged limestone cliffs and scrub…

Recipes & Travel:
Alpilles Mountains Provence, French Wines, Vineyards in Provence

No one expects to find the Heart of Darkness or Niger Focus (later Nerluc) in Provence. It might have been an appropriate name for the hamlet on the shores of a murky, swampy river. The muddy, opaque waters fueled rumours cultivating the nightmares of residents who asked was the beast:
A huge serpent?
A dragon?
A fierce half-lion?
A vicious turtle?

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Recipes & Travel:
Provencal Mysteries, Tarascon and Beaucaire, Tarascon Castle, Tarascon Monster, Tarasque the Monster

Château de Vauvenargues is located in the village by the same name, a few kilometers from Aix-en-Provence. This castle has a lengthy history.  The present structure was built on the site of a former Roman settlement. Over the centuries, Provencal counts and then the Archbishops of Aix occupied the castle. Clearly, it pays to be the doctor of a king; in 1474 Roi René gifted the Château to his physician Pierre Robin d’Angers.

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Recipes & Travel:
Aix en Provence, Artists, Mont St Victoire, Pablo Picasso, Painters, Picasso, Provence

Whether fiction or not, Nutmeg thinks it is appropriate that Casanova the infamous Venetian writer, gambler and reputed womanizer is weaved into the history of les Jardins d’Albertas.
This garden, owned by the Albertas family, is located just a few minutes outside of Aix-en-Provence in the town of Bouc-Bel-Air, where the ancient village was built on a bouc (small hill).
The roots of the Albertas family stretch from Alba, Italy to Aix-en-Provence, where their influence on the Provençal city is notable. Henri and his son Jean-Baptiste d’Albertas, both held the high-ranking title of Président de la Cour des Comptes (Court of Auditors).
One of the most recognizable and photogenic squares in Aix is Place d’Albertas.  This sunny plaza carved out of the narrow winding streets of the old town resembles a small Italian piazza. Henri felt that the exterior of his home and his “view” were not distinguished enough. He commissioned a local architect to renew the façade of his house and…

Recipes & Travel:
Aix en Provence, Bouc bel Air, Gardens, Jardins d'Albertas, Provence, Travel in France

Provençal postcards, Pinterest boards and Instagram are filled with photos of sunny sunflowers. Long before the Internet these beautiful flowers inspired Vincent Van Gogh to paint a still life series called Tournesols (Sunflowers). He painted the first of the group in 1887, in Paris, and then later (1888-89) in Arles.
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Recipes & Travel:
Provence, Sunflowers, Tournesol, Van Gogh

Beaucaire is a small Provencal town located on the banks of the Rhone river and the Rhone-Sète canal, the name means beautiful stone. There is evidence of a Gallo-Roman settlement in this hilly area as early as 11 B.C.. The ancient community gave way to a medieval town in 1067 and the establishment of a castle in 1180.
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Recipes & Travel:
Abbaye de Saint-Roman, Abbeys in France, Beaucaire, Provence, Provence Travel

Nutmeg is self-admittedly not a patient person. She develops a plan, does not appreciate too much external input, and certainly is not thrilled when there is a proposed change. Living in France, with life at a slower pace, has helped with her natural inclination somewhat. Although, Ginger is certain that she may never be fully cured of her affliction.
Here, are some verbal “pictures” of life in slow motion:

Walks with a 12 year old yellow lab
Sunday morning coffee service at the village café
Opening hours/days for the local boulangerie and boucherie
Watching a dog sleep in the sun
WiFi access in a thunderstorm
A swimming pool warmed only by the sun
Waiting for your tax refund

This post is about the ultimate lesson in patience, a heavy dose of bureaucracy, mountains of paperwork and long queues. Welcome to the world of the sous-préfectures (home of French Administration)! Nutmeg has had the pleasure of visiting a couple of these offices while in Provence, the location in Aix-en-Provence…

Recipes & Travel:
French Visas, Provence, Sous-Prefecture in Provence, Travel, Visas

Most people (read tourists) go to l’Isle sur la Sorgue for one of two reasons:

The Sunday market – one of the largest in the region
The 300+ antique stores and dealers

Very few would go because they were expecting Venice in Provence.

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Recipes & Travel:
Isle sur la Sorgue, Markets in Provence, Provence Travel, Travel in France

This post will most likely make Nutmeg’s Corsican friends angry.
Why bother with the hassle of an overnight ferry, crowded beaches and small twisty roads? If you want to feel like you, have experienced a bit of Corsica without leaving the French mainland, plan a trip to the Ardèche region.
The similarities between, the beautiful island of Corsica and the Ardèche are significant, see below:

Corsica

Ardeche

Surface Area
8,680 sq km
5,550 sq km

Widest Point
82 km
75 km

Highest Peak
2,706 metres Mont Cinto
1,754 metres Mont Mézenc

Population
302,000
309,000

Annual Visitors
Roughly 2 million
Roughly 3 million

Agriculture
Chestnuts
Chestnuts

Olives
Olives

Grapes
Grapes

Goats, Sheep
Goat, Sheep, Cows

Figs
Figs

Beaches
1000 km of coastline
Countless River banks

Geographic Formation
Volcanic
Volcanic

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Recipes & Travel:
Ardeche, Provence, Rhone Alps, Travel in France

Nutmeg is writing this post on a rainy Sunday afternoon while Ginger is napping off the effects of a long Sunday lunch.
It is a long tradition in France that stores are closed Sunday afternoon, allowing everyone the opportunity to have a leisurely lunch en famille.

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Recipes & Travel:
Food in France, Markets, Provence, Provence Travel, Sunday Lunch, Travel in France