Vive les amis et France!

Setting out for another epic French holiday of cheese, bread and wine, we were  suitably prepared with the new car, a roof rack and an empty trunk.

La Ferte-Gaucher

First stop was a warm welcome in La Ferte-Gaucher with our friends Sylvie, Jose and Anne-Marie. 

Nothing says welcome more than sharing a bottle of Champagne with dear friends...before we call the fire department.....

With everything under control, delicious dish after delicious dish kept appearing.  The coq au vin was a little late though...;)

Gorgeous evenings in the garden having aperos that turned into dinner.  Frederic taught us that its called "apero- dinatoire".  Hoity-toity as it might sound, its very civilized.

Its  not like it was just all chillaxin' and aperos in Sylvie's garden of the converted 16th century monastery... we had some serious touring to do.  

Reims

Seeing we set out with a wine mission - next stop was Reims, home of Champagne.  

We were treated regally with a private tour of Taittinger Champagne house.  The perfect family outing - combining the UNESCO heritage site of vast chalk caves with important archaeological and war history, agricultural and scientific history (those bubbles didn't get there all by themselves), alcohol and French flair.  

The chalk caves were originally dug by the Romans for building material.  Lo and behold, the constant 13C and humidity makes for perfect wine cellaring!

The extensive tunnel system was used during the World Wars to hide and protect citizens.  Schools, bakeries, hospitals and theatres were set up in underground villages.  

 

Ancient carvings

So, how does the riddler do this?  I can feel the carpal tunnel syndrome coming on.

Spot the broken bottle.

The beautiful private tasting room with enthusiastic tasters.

The lovely Scottish Leah who guided us through the tunnels and poured the bubbles.  

How about those tiny bubbles?  And the little people in the bottom corner?

Feeling thankful for the wonders of secondary fermentation and tiny bubbles, we paid homage at the Reims cathedral.

A little prayer on Dom Perignon's grave in Hautvilliers.  

Provins

Keeping with the theme of thanks, we then visited the church in Provins, a gorgeous medieval town.

Our own private historian tour guide.... Sylvie always has some interesting French history for us.  

Impressive ramparts in Provins

And what does this mean? There is an epic sized pig on the hilltop? 

The next day was random castle visits... yeah, just your country house dotting the landscape.  

Uzes 

Heading south, we arrived to the warm welcome from Frederic and Marie-Ange in Uzes.

Last picture taken with the Nikon before the skylight filter shattered.....good thing there were tapas to distract us.

Salome et E.  I think she's Stephanie Lawrence's doppleganger

Enjoying a lovely patio meal with the Richieros

Sense there was an ulterior motive to this French trip?  Not only did we satisfy the need to visit culturally important sites AND cathedrals (Adrian's favourite thing to do in Europe), but with France having wine country surrounding it - we also got to visit wine regions.  E would argue there wasn't enough swimming.

Pont du Gard

Aqueduct at Pont du Gard

Wading in the Gardon

Going for a dip in the Gardon.  

The Pont du Gard - a perfect tourist site.  A great interpretive centre and museum, huge archeological site and a swimming hole - all roled into one reasonable entrance fee!

Gorgeous views!

Nimes

The Arena in Nimes.  It is still used for bull running to this day (they don't kill the bulls, just pull tokens off the horns but I'd be angry too).

Auditioning for a gladiator role

Maison Carre in Nimes

.....and you were saying....

... encore du cafe svp!

Avignon

 Between 1309 and 1377 during the Avignon Papacy, seven successive popes resided in Avignon and in 1348 Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I of Naples

Views of the Rhone from the Palais des Papes park.

Dancing SUR or SOUS le Pont-Avignon?

Sous le Pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sous le Pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond

I'm liking this French thing

Wha?!  Un autre cafe svp!

Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape

Rainy day in Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape

Looking for the perfect "galette" rocks that absorb the daytime heat to release at night.   Makes the grapes happy.

Aigues-Mortes & Les Camargues

 Another beautiful sunny day and we headed to Aigues-Mortes in the Camargues.  The Camargues are famous for the salt marshes, wild horses and pink flamingos.

The "Pink" sea, somewhat like the Red Sea?  The salt marshes are inhabited by a shrimp that makes the water pink.  Flamingos eat the shrimp and turn pink.  The water depth is controlled by sluices and when there has been enough evaporation through Mistral wind and sun, the salt is harvested.  This is where the famous Fleur de sel comes from.

Snow banks in the Med.  No, just mounds of salt!

Les camelles de sel

Flamingos doing the flamenco in the distance

A few refreshments after all that salt.  Makes your lips pucker!

Another oh-la-la seulment en France experience.  A dress code at the entrance of the Aigues-Mortes walled town.   Do we need to wear white and have a black dog?  No swimming trunks, Speedos only?

Beautiful vistas from the ramparts in Aigues-Mortes

No, this isn't staged!  This scene is for real, with a real working bicycle.  

Le Toquet-Paris-Plage

We had a fantastic time visiting with friends, and it was hard to say good-bye.  After saying our adieus to Frederic & Marie-Ange, we headed back north with a very long and rainy drive to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage on the English Channel.  A gorgeous, trendy town full of bakeries, boucheries and cafes.  If Santa Barbara California was in France, it would be here. 

More cheese on the beach

Beautiful fine sandy beach

Only in France....

...and only in France can they have a chi-chi boutique store devoted to sardines and other canned fish!  E was in heaven.  Dr.  Darrell would have been over the moon.

Some more water after all that salty fish

Its not a trip until E falls asleep

We'd like to thank our gracious, generous and joyous hosts, Sylvie & Jose and Frederic & Marie-Ange.  Your hospitality made for a very personal vacation full of great memories.  A bien-tot!