LE CHATEAU IN LES CALANQUES: A WELCOME REFUGE ON A HOT DAY IN PROVENCE

Posted on June 24, 2012November 27, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Lunch at Le Chateau in SormiouWhen the summer temperatures begin to rise in Provence, one of our favorite destinations for lunch is Le Château, perfectly placed atop Sormiou, one of the region's best known calanques. Located just 15 minutes from the Old Port in Marseille, you will find dramatic views of aqua-colored water dotted with sail boats next to towering white cliffs as well as cool breezes and terrific food. It is just an hour and a half from our beloved Lourmarin, so it can be a quic...

CARRIÉRES DE LUMIÉRES: A COOL PLACE TO VISIT

Posted on June 17, 2012November 27, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Entrance to Carrières de Lumières © CulturespacesThe Carrières du Val d'Enfer--the quarries in the Valley of Hell--have provided limestone for over 2000 years. The Romans exploited the quarries for material to rebuild the nearby Celto-Liguirian town of Glanum back in 200 BC and later to create the Roman city of Arles. In the 11th century, the notorious Lords of les Baux built their formidable chateau out of limestone from these neighboring quarries. (Now referred to as the Chateau...

BEETS: CAN’T BEAT BETTERAVES CUITES FROM THE FRENCH MARKETS

Posted on June 10, 2012November 24, 2015 by Susan Manfull

I was in the Lourmarin market one Friday many Junes ago when I first noticed them. There, in the midst of the gloriously fresh produce—the bright green clusters of lettuce leaves, the plump red tomatoes, the huge heads of perfectly formed cauliflower, and an impressive pyramid of dazzling green cucumbers—were these dark purple bulbous things. The misshapen balls, each encased in what looked like a very thin and slightly shriveled leathery skin, appeared dense and heavy. The outside covering h...

THE STEINS COLLECT: AN EXHIBITION OF MATISSE, PICASSO, AND CEZANNE

Posted on May 26, 2012December 30, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Blue Nude: Memory of Biskra by Henri MatisseThis post coincides with David Scott Allen’s current post (5/26/12) on Cocoa & Lavender. Entitled “When A Brownie Isn’t A Brownie,” David writes about two desserts that may well have been served on Saturday evenings at 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris in the early years of the last century.We had dinner with friends in Manhattan a few weeks ago. The discussion naturally gravitated to what we were doing for the weekend. Somewhere between...

LOURMARIN HAS A NEW FARMERS’ MARKET ON TUESDAY EVENINGS

Posted on May 20, 2012January 23, 2016 by Susan Manfull

If you love markets, now there is one more reason to love Tuesdays in the Luberon. I have already written about Tuesday markets in Aix-en-Provence, Cucuron, and Gordes and haven’t even had the chance to cover two other favorite markets that take place on Tuesdays in Tour d’Aigues and Vaison-la-Romaine. And now, I just found out about another Tuesday market—at least this new addition won’t put pressure on the vacationer to decide which one to visit! The latest addition to the Tuesday line up i...

GORDES MARKET: I DIDN’T WANT TO LIKE IT…BUT I DID

Posted on May 14, 2012January 23, 2016 by Susan Manfull

Gordes, the village, has never been one of my favorite places. Just a little too trendy for my tastes. From a distance, it is a picturesque hilltop village. It is a simply stunning sight as the sun sets and a golden hue is cast on the ancient stone dwellings that climb the hill. (As you approach the village on D15, pull over and get your camera out—it is a picture perfect shot of Provence.) So quintessential, it beckons you to visit. My visits, however, have always been disappointing. Eve...

20 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN AND AROUND LOURMARIN

Posted on May 7, 2012January 3, 2016 by Susan Manfull

While we are in Provence, we spend a lot of time around the table, thoroughly enjoying the food before us. Most of the time that table is our own (although we are also fortunate to often find ourselves around the table in Pierre and Muriel’s home!). Readers of The Modern Trobadors know that we love to go to local markets and fill our baskets with goodies to take back to our own kitchen to cook. But, we also love to eat out. Several people with whom I correspond are each planning a trip t...

MAY DAY IN FRANCE: PARADES, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND LILY OF THE VALLEY MARK THIS PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Posted on April 30, 2012November 27, 2015 by Susan Manfull

May 1st is La Fêtedu Travail in France. As in many other countries, it is “the worker’s holiday.” It is a very important day, a public holiday in which public offices, post offices, banks, and many private businesses are closed and some public transportation schedules may follow a holiday schedule. Parades and demonstrations to champion workers’ rights typically cause congestion and delays in traffic in metropolitan areas. This May Day will be no exception: demonstrators around the world,...

THE FRENCH LAUNDRY THAT HANGS IN LOURMARIN

Posted on April 21, 2012November 27, 2015 by Susan Manfull

This post coincides with David Scott Allen’s current Cocoa & Lavender post entitled “The Other French Laundry”French laundry conjures up all sorts of images. For my friend and fellow-blogger, David Scott Allen, visions of delectable meals from Thomas Keller’s famous restaurant surface…things like Creamy Maine Lobster Broth and English Pea Soup with White Truffle Oil and Parmesan Crisps. For my friend, Betsy Tabor with whom I have been exchanging gifts, poems, and postcards about l...

PAQUES EN PROVENCE: CHOCOLATE FISH, FLYING CHURCH BELLS, BULLFIGHTS, LAMB, AND OMELETS

Posted on April 10, 2012January 3, 2016 by Susan Manfull

It is quiet in Provence today. It is Lundi de Pâques, a public holiday in which post offices, banks, many stores and, especially in small villages, restaurants and cafés are closed. Look for family and friends gathered together for an Easter egg hunt, attending a parade or La Féria (which marks the start of bullfighting season in France) and, later, look for them around the table for the traditional Easter Monday meal of omelets. In our favorite village of Lourmarin, we checked in wi...