Our Drive to the South of France

We left our AirBnb early on Sunday morning with high hopes of seeing a different side of France--of going from the ancient cityscape of Lyon to the rolling hills of wine country. We weren't disappointed! A diversion from the A7 took us down a two-lane road that led straight through the heart of Tain-l'Hermitage. We spent some time enjoying the sights of this modern farming community before we went on to Six-Fours Les Plages and settled into our accommodations there. The best part of this journey was the things we saw, so I'll tell the story in photographs. They don't do justice to this beautiful country, but at least I can share a taste of the experience.

Tain-l'Hermitage sprawls on the left bank of the Rhone in southeastern France. None of us had chosen this as a waypoint on our trip, but the view of mountain vineyards above the town drew us in just as it has drawn millions of tourists before us, including the likes of Thomas Jefferson.

In a small shopping center near the road, the town has placed water fountains designed for refreshing tourists. Children seem to love playing in them, and this is encouraged. There's also a cute little train that runs around giving rides to people.

Behind those fountains is a small neighborhood that one can walk through to get a better view of the grape arbors on the hillside. Winemaker names have been carved in stone as monuments to the successful empires they've built in the region.

@michelios and @tarc alumi "Tori" enjoyed a nice stroll through Tain-l'Hermitage.

There's a "Mon Petit Glacier" ice cream shop in the square, and we sampled as many flavors as we could.

One thing that has been on my mind in this move across the pond is whether or not I will be able to find the plants and herbs I've grown accustomed to using in every day food preparation and remedies. I have yet to locate a European chicory stash, but I did find Queen Anne's lace growing wild just as it does in my area of the U.S. I'll blog more about this later--as well as the stinging nettle, or "orti," that I discovered by unfortunate accident--but so far European Queen Anne's Lace is noticeably smaller with more deeply colored blooms and a less prominent red center. The first photo below is one I took of a roadside stand of Queen Anne's Lace outside of Lyon. The second is a photo of the same plant growing in my yard in Appalachia.

At the end of the drive, we arrived in Six-Fours Les Plages, a village in the Cote d'Azur region of southern France. This was my first experience seeing authentic Mediterranean architecture and decor. This is what the neighborhood looked like from the street.

The AirBnb was in someone's personal residence, so I won't show photos that could identify it to protect their privacy. But I did take several shots of specific features that spoke to me, like the real terra cotta roofing and stucco walls of the house.

Below is a photo of the small courtyard in front of our quarters. It was a great place to store Michel's fancy folding bike he brought with him from Lille.

The door leading to our quarters looked like a secret doorway to a fantasy kingdom. I loved this!

Speaking of doors, I also loved the way the doors to the toilet and shower room are so stylish with their rustic construction and peeling paint. The effect is quite intentional, not neglect. Whoever designed this space has a real eye for presentation.

And speaking of presentation, we enjoyed a spectacular culinary treat on the waterfront later that night. "La P'tite Bouff" served up some of the best fresh seafood I've ever eaten. Nobody loves a sampler from the Gulf of Mexico more than me, but a sampler from the Mediterranean is a tiger of a different stripe. Ho. My taste buds are still reeling.

Not to be outdone, Chef Michel whipped up some fine dining for @martiawilson and me the following night. Our little gardenside patio that looks like this in the daytime:

Became this in the evening. More bechamel with vegetables and cheese, with lemon pepper chicken and wine that was probably produced right there in Provence.

Oh, yes--cheese...it is true that France loves its cheeses. Check out the selection of gourmet cheese at the Six-Four Les Plages supermarche. I think I might actually have died in a plane crash on the way over and landed in heaven.

More to come soon, so stay tuned!