Back Home to the Rivah!

One of my favorite places to eat out.... Sunday evening and not a boat in sight! Capt Faunce's crab, Morse Farms sweetest corn and Vault Fields Chardonnay..... all thanks to the Farmers' Market! Glad to be back in Tappahannock and back on the Rivah!

The Ochre of Roussillion

To the Northern side of the Luberon valley we make a date with the market on July 14 - Bastille Day - a national holiday! From the market place we can see the ochre cliffs that gave this village it's raisin d'être - red, yellow and brown pigments from the banded layers that were a critical element in artists palettes in the late 19th century.

Farmers' Market

Saucisson sec - basic dried and cured pork sausage in it's many garlic, herb, seasoning variations is a staple French snack or lunch charcuterie fills an entire booth - not recommended prior to amourous encounters....

Macaroons for Dessert

Is this the same delight as we picked from Harrods last May?

Dessert to Remember!

Ile flottante = floating island of meringue on a chilled custard lake.. while in the bottom left lurks a lemon which has been emptied and refilled with lemon sorbet... accompanied by a flaky crispy toffee wafer... then follow it with coffee and baba au rhum... then bed and sweet dreams!

Bastide de Marie

Last evening in Provence takes us to Menerbes and to a hotel called Bastide de Marie. The resort has it's own vineyards with fine wines and electronic gates to keep out the riff-raf... the kitchen in full view has a large staff toiling over a stream of delicacies served by a delightful team of young ladies.. three hours later the gates open to let us out, somewhat poorer in cash but richer in experience of fine cuisine of the Provencale region.

Les Deux Garcons, Aix-en-Provence

Les Deux Garcons, infamously reviewed because of the bad waiter attitude yet revisited some four decades later!

No Trip to France is Complete Without....

... a dozen oysters, a cold dry white wine, and some vinegar/shallot mignonette dressing... Aux Deux Garcons, Aix-en-Provence, scene of Margaret's 21st birthday celebrations!

Working Mill

Self Trained Pigeons

Pigeons have learnt they have about a minute to land on the left of the water wheel on the mill, rotate clockwise, and fly off as the paddles dips into the stream.....

All the Gear You Need.....

Capturing the moment in sight and sound with my Nikon D80 (left the D300 with 18-200 mm lens at home), my iPhone 4 for video and non-intrusive photography, also used for blog updates over cell network or better still wait for a wifi connection for free! The quiche is not for real men but it does keep the energy levels up just like recharging equipment at every opportunity is a necessity!

Farmers' Market Thistles

Mas Coccinelle

The inside court of our Villa in Provence - all windows and doors are covered in locked wrought iron grills to prevent burglary which is endemic to most of France...

A Week in Provence

Our little hideaway in Oppede-le-Vieux has thick 2 foot thick local stone walls and massive ceiling beams that stay cool in the heat of the midday sun. It is called "Mas Coccinelle" - ladybird house!

Public Art

At the Marquis de Sade's castle several ultra contemporary pieces of art jump out at you. This frame is 10 ft high, and about 12 by 12 ft sides. Hanging blue plastic tubes at about 6" intervals give a very weird affect as you walk through it! ...like a blue rain shower??

Campanile in Lacoste

Overlooked by the Marquis de Sade's castle lies the beautiful village of Lacoste. The town gateway is domed with a bell in an iron framework and the narrow cobblestone lane leads up to the castle above town where the evil Marquis lurks...

Marquis de Sade's Summer Retreat

The word sadist originated with this gentleman's sexual frolics in his castle at Lacoste - his remote retreat in the Luberon. Not much left of the castle - two rooms only. The Marquis spent as many as 32 years of his life imprisoned for his outrageous (in those times) books, novels, plays and views. Most of his work was written while in prison!

Weekly Public Wash

Bring your dirty laundry to the village washing trough! Only a few decades ago, before the middle class French affluence, wives would bring the dirty laundry to the communal wash place and have a god gossip too! Looks like washing machines have won the day!

Where are the Truffle Potatoes?

The 60 euro menu ($90) at the Jules Cesar is a packaged 5 course starting with Creme Brûlée of Fois Gras, Bass fish course over black rice from the Camargue, Lamb with mashed potatoes(?), cheese course and dessert.

Hail to Cesar!

Some ten or more years ago we spent a few days in Arles at the Hotel Julius Cesar.... the name was much more impressive than the rooms... however the restaurant did redeem the experience!

Back to the Amphitheatre

Roll back to 53 BC and this was just being built.... major restoration under UNESCO world heritage is now in progress... this month the arena is being prepped for bull races, bull fights and concerts!

Stop for a Quick Beer

Local brew - La Cagole - a Brew from Marseille - quite refreshing in the noon hour with a hot sun chasing us all day...

My Seat at the Roman Amphitheatre

Ah-ha! Found my seat at the Arles Roman amphitheater - over 2,000 years of spectacles ranging from the usual gladiator, slaves and lions to modern day bull fights and musical concerts. What would you have seen from seat #26 over two millenniums???

Al Fresco Dinner at Le Petit Cafe

Top of the hill at Oppede-le-Vieux on a summer evening, having a splendid fixed price menu (29 Euros) surrounded by 50 other diners, young children playing, cats peering over the edges of the roofs, dogs sniffing around the tables, and a horse riding party taking a ride through the square!

Farmers' Market - Coustoullet

Sampling of floral produce - sunflower and thistles... beautiful !

Farmers' Market Music

Not all Farmers' Market musical acts are what you expect.... at least they are enjoying their Sunday morning....

Farmers' Market - Provence

The cheese makers booth has cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses in mild to sharp extremes, from fragrant to really smelly, aged from a few weeks to several months, finished in regular rind, vine leaves, straw, or ash - can I offer you a sliver to taste she says!

Mussels by the Boatload!

Auchan - a major player in the French Hypermarket business has produce beyond the wildest imagination of Food Lion shoppers - one part of the fish offering is a dinghy boat full of ice and 3/4 full of mussels, the rest of the boat is full of live Dungeness Crabs - what a delight! I bought Brittany fish soup, rouille, croutons and gruyere shredded cheese for a special lunch!

Cistercian Monks Lifestyle

There are six monks at the Abbey of Senanque near Gordes in Provence who really have it figured out - they grow beautiful Lavender, fields an fields of it, and sell all kinds of variations in the abbey shop. However a 24 hour day split into 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and eight one hour prayer sessions does require a commitment beyond self... not ready for that yet!

Travel at TGV Speed

TGV = Train Grande Vitesse = high speed train typically running 170 to 200 mph on the main French network on our way from Lyon to Avignon and on to week 3 in Provence...

Tour de France - Margaret style

Down the canal tow path she swoops! A quick post lunch excursion to the top #1 lock in the flight of seven locks... uphill on the way out, and downhill all the way home...

Top of the World

Top of the locks between Mediterranean to the Atlantic - lock #1

Our Last Day Cruising

Passing through the last set of eleven locks and on to St. Julien-sur-Dheune for rendezvous with our last restaurant and last night on board before catching the TGV down the Rhone valley to Avignon and Oppede in Provence....

Lunchez-vous?

Burgundy fare: pate forestiere, roast chicken, mâché salad, orange peppers, avocado, brie, tome de savoie cheese and a fine white wine of the region: Vieilles Vignes Mercurey "Les Carabys" bottle no. 4926... oh well.... Bon Appetit!

The Olivier Leflaive Selections

Lunch time at Olivier Leflaire restaurant in Puligny-Montrachet! The menu takes second place to the wine offerings....

Charles Served it Up!

The Montrachet, the Mersault or the Puligny? Then decide if you want the Villages, 1er Cru, or the Grand Cru? Well ten glasses later we still can't make decision... amazing how the same vintage can taste one way on its own and quite different with food.

Local Shopping Options

Eight bottles of Grand Cru offered in this village storefront as we stroll through the village. Every building seems to have cellars, tastings, and inevitably cases available for immediate sale!

Dinner at the Terroir

Rabbit terrine, sautéed duckling, escargots, entrecôte, sorbets, assiette gourmande (five small tasting dessert samples), fruity Santenay white wine sitting in the village square by the fountain.

Santenay Town Square

Appelation Controlee puts a premium on your real estate - the surrounding vineyards generate a huge income in premium wine sales and some of that munificence washes off on the town's infrastructure... the town fountain this evening with alternating water jet strength and color!

Twenty Cheeses to Taste!

At least twenty different cheeses are offered to diners on the third course at the Terroir (means local produce) Restaurant.... most diners will select up to four and taste in ascending strength sequence!

That Flowery Bridge at Santenay

Back again to the village for dinner at the Terroir Restaurant in Santenay, crossing that elegant bridge welcoming you to this small community with a big wine reputation.....

Savigny-de-Beaume

A little white wine with our salad Nicoise, tuna for us and smoked salmon for you know who!

Artistes at Work

In the vineyards above Santenay, a local group of painters have taken a prime spot in the vines and started their artistry in oils, watercolors, and mixed media of the iconic windmill composition while happily chatting away the beautiful day in Burgundy.

Bridge of Flowers

Walking into Santenay from the canal we pass over a small stream - the bridge is covered in flowers in planters and baskets... now on to lunch and a bottle of Santenay!

Air Draft Critical

Sliding under dozens of bridges we have to quickly get our rear ends seated or get our heads knocked off... the air draft for the canal is 3.5 meters and Bonheur's clearance requirement is 3.45 meters, a small difference of 5 centimeters or 2 inches. Captain's alert is "Bridge ahead" and we all race for our seats... no bruises yet!

Dinner on Board at Chagny

Shortly after 8 pm the sun starts setting and we take our places around the dining table on the top deck of Bonheur. Captain Paul and first mate Annie have prepared another Bonheur dinner, foie gras salad, chicken stuffed with cheese and wrapped in ham, the cheese course, delicate pastries from the patisserie accompanied with white Rully and espresso to finish ... "Bonheur!"

Canal Cruising?

Thought this might be a Pikmeer Cruiser but the French couple on board say it is a Finnish boat! Recognize it?

Annie Cooks up a Storm

First mate Annie over a hot stove preparing a gourmet dinner for the four of us on our third night aboard Bonheur.... yes definitely happy guests!

Lock Order

Lock #35, that's the 35th lock starting at the watershed between the Mediterranean side and the Atlantic side... along way to go regardless of which direction you are heading.... In this case it is 250 meters to #36 downstream or 300 meters heading upwards to #34 - each lock gives to 6 to 8 ft in altitude change.

Roadside Offerings in Beaune Wine Country

Lunch in the village of Volnay, one of the major "names" in the Burgundy wine production area - we had Sandra fish, steak tartars (raw) and burgundy eggs washed down with red Volnay and followed by souffle, parfaits and sorbet desserts...

Locking 6 - On Our Way!

Locking 5 - Lock Reaches Upstream Level