This was going to be a story about a visit to three wonderful areas: Provence in France and the Italian regions of Tuscany and Umbria. I made it to Provence in May, but a September trip to Italy was put on hold after the events of 9/11.
Two weeks in Provence were filled with wonderful memories: taking a cooking class at Mas de Cornud in St. Remy; riding horses in the Camargue; walking the maze of narrow streets in hilltop villages of Les Baux, Roussillon, Gordes and Bonnieux; shopping town markets (there’s one somewhere everyday); touring vineyards and sampling wines; and, eating the food of Provence.
The first week my friend Scott and I were with seven friends in a house outside of St. Remy in the Bouches-du-Rhone area. The second week we packed up our rental car and set off to explore a nearby area of Provence, the Luberon and the Vaucluse.
Actually, we really didn’t want to leave the house–Domaine des Calans. It was discovered the previous year by Dede, one of our group and a planner extraordinaire who has a knack for ferreting out terrific restaurants, shops, cooking schools, you name it.
The five-bedroom, four-bath house was soooo comfortable that, on a return and more leisurely stay, it would be difficult to venture far beyond: tennis court, swimming pool, a fireplace, terraces for al fresco dining (there’s also a cook), acres of grounds to walk and a view of rugged-looking Les Alpilles.
But, we were there to explore St. Remy, the Camargue, Aix-en-Provence, Tarascon, villages perched on top of hills (sometimes called perched villages) and, of course, markets, museums, shops and restaurants.
A highlight–particularly for the shoppers in the group, and that meant the five women–was Sunday, and that meant it was market day in the town of L’Isle sur la Sorgue, about an hour from our house, and reputed to have the best market in Provence.
Not only is the market huge, but the town has dozens of antique shops that also are open on Sunday. One of the best is Michel Biehn at avenue des 4 Otages. It’s filled with incredible fabrics, linens and other items. His book, “Colors of Provence” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $50) is worth getting for information about the area and trip planning.
Just down the alley is a cluster of antique shops. In fact, antique shops are all over.
Then there’s the market–which is actually three markets. One has stall after stall of food–fruits, vegetables, cheese, herbs de Provence, olives, olive oil, etc.–interspersed with vendors selling prepared food (paella, pizza). The second market attracts a major tourist crowd with dozens of vendors selling Provencal fabrics, tablecloths, clothing, straw baskets, dishes, pottery, soaps (lavender is the big scent here) and more. The third is a huge flea and collectibles market with some furniture.
There are markets throughout Provence everyday, but if you have time for just one market, make it this one.
Our Domaine time up, Scott and I headed to Les Baux and a night at La Cabro d’Or, where our group had dinner earlier in the week. On the way to the hotel, we passed through St. Remy and stopped on the outskirts at Glanum for a look at the Greco-Roman ruins, followed by a short walk nearby to the Clinique St-Paul, where Vincent Van Gogh spent time recuperating after an illness.
Our dinner reservation was just up the road at Cabro’s sister hotel, L’Oustau de Baumaniere, home to one of the most renowned restaurants in Provence. It was a blow-out that did not disappoint.
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Next morning we got an early start to tackle the perched village of Les Baux, its fortress built in the 10th Century. There are several museums to explore (and shops and restaurants along narrow cobblestone streets), but don’t miss walking to the top for the dramatic view–on a clear day you can see Avignon, the Camargue and other parts of Provence.
The second week we headed into the Luberon and to the charming little town of Lourmarin, home to Peter Mayle, author of “A Year in Provence” and other books about the area. (Mayle used to live nearby in Menerbes.) Our bases to explore the area were the comfortable Moulin de Lourmarin and Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave. (Like the Moulin and La Cabro d’Or, Crillon is a member of the Relais & Chateaux group.)
The second week seemed to speed by faster than the first–visits to the perched villages of Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux and Lacoste. A drive through the Vaucluse with stops in Vaison-le-Romaine (home to a huge market and Roman ruins) and the charming little towns of Sault and Brantes. Not to forget the drive through the picturesque Gorges de la Nasque (deep gorges, waterfalls) with areas to pull off the winding road and take in the view. Take lots of film.
We ended the week with a whirlwind trip to the wine towns of Gigondas, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras and Beaumes-de-Venise before heading back to Avignon to drop off the car and take the TGV back to Paris.
Notes collected on the trip:
Best place to spot celebs: Peter Mayle lives in the Lourmarin area; actor John Malkovich and playwright Tom Stoppard are rumored to have homes near Lacoste (where designer Oleg Cassini bought the Marquis de Sade castle and is said to be planning to turn it into a performing arts center).
Best place to buy Provence fabrics: Plentiful in any market and in lots of shops. Devotees of Soleiado (a.k.a. Pierre Deux in the U.S.) might want to head to the Soleiado Museum in Tarascon where there’s also a shop with a big selection.
Best place for chocolate: Joel Durand in St. Remy. What a gimmick this guy’s got–he numbers his chocolate squares. If you like a hint of lavender in your chocolate, take number 13; number 18 has rosemary; and number 32, violet.
Best place to buy olive oil: Lots available in shops, but I recommend the olive oil cooperative in Maussane, and their olive oil soap makes neat little gifts.
Best little wine town in Provence: Gigondas, where a shop run by some of the vintners offers tastings–and the wine is for sale (and usually cheaper than in the States). Close second: Chateauneuf-de-Pape.
Best place for an incredible dining experience: Tie among L’Oustau de Baumaniere, Le Moulin de Lourmarin, Le Bistrot d’Eygalieres and La Feniere. (Two Michelin stars for Oustau and Moulin, and one star for the others. How much money do you want to spend?)
Best place for a casual and moderately priced meal: Bistrot des Alpilles in St. Remy. Known for its rotisserie lamb; personable wait staff.
Most over-the-top dining experience: The multi-course tasting menu at Le Moulin de Lourmarin. Plan to stay at the hotel if you order it. Navigating afterward may be difficult.
Best restaurant to leave it to the chef: Le Petit Bru, run by the owners of Le Bistrot d’Eygalieres. Three-course set menu each night–like it or leave it. With wine, about 180 francs (about $25).
Best hotel room: Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave. Different decor for each room. Some with a view of Mt. Ventoux.
Best hotel bathroom: Crillon le Brave. Soaking tub and a separate shower! Close second: La Cabro d’Or.
Best hotel toiletries: Crillon le Brave. Close second: Moulin Lourmarin.
Best hotel to get sick in: Crillon le Brave. The front desk person called three local doctors before one agreed to come (it was a holiday).
Best place to be around 4 in the afternoon: Extremely personal choice, this one, but the “Sheep Show” was hard to beat. That would happen when a shepherd brought his flock to drink at a stream near our rental house. A Great Pyrennes dog kept the flock together.
Best place to spend a kitschy few hours: Aboard a horse in the Camargue. Forget about a cantor, a gallop or a trot. These horses will do what they want to do, as we found out.
Weirdest looking structures: The “bories,” beehive-shaped stone huts near Gordes that were homes to farmers as far back as the 3rd Century B.C.
Worth renting if you’re traveling with a group: Cellphones. “Watch out for that roundabout!” “Where are you guys?”
Best traveling buddies: Marijo, Bob, Kitty, Bill, Cuz, Dede, Tom and, of course, Scott.
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E-mail Carolyn McGuire: [email protected]
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