(This post from Provence)
As we drove up north to Julia's home from the Nice airport last Friday, we passed through a most-picturesque little town called Valbonne. Today was our day to explore it!
I decided to stay up near the parking area while my friends descended the steps into the main part of town. Here are a few shots of the surrounding hills, of what seemed to be a little chapel down by the Brague River, and of the terraces and shops!
Speaking of shops, I scored a copy of the 2017 Michelin Guide for France in one of them! It's 2,000 pages of info about premier restaurants and hotels in big cities and tiny villages throughout the country, plus maps and other helpful info. Yup, 2,000 pages-worth of small print for a relatively small country (population 65 million, vs. U.S. population of 326 million). And these are just the premier establishments. I haven't counted them, but it's a lot! I've never owned one of these books before, so just imagine how excited I am!!! Much of the info is available online, but it really is a unique experience to be able to read and explore it and compare listings in book format.
And oh, ya, I also picked up the current issue of La Gazette Drouot, the almost-weekly magazine published by the biggest auction house in France, Hôtel Drouot, located in central Paris. This magazine lists their own upcoming auctions of fine art, antiques, and antiquities (as well as auctions at other sites), with schedules and locations for viewing and bidding on the items as well as photos and estimated sale prices for various items. My personal favorite in this issue was this traveling writing desk with built-in articulated gold candleholders that belonged to Jerome I, King of Westphalia, in the early 19th century. Expected selling price: 150,000-200,000 euros. (BTW, I have a section in "Mariellen's Paris 'Must Do' Guide" about this auction house and how to get in there to look at the items and maybe even bid - just ask me if you'd like a copy!)
Tonight we dined on sautéed rouget (red mullet) with saffron beurre blanc sauce, boiled potatoes, green beans, green salad (which actulally included a variegated blond and red lettuce (perhaps a variety of endive) that I found at the Valbonne market), and my caramelized apple tarts. We're not suffering! Thanks to Donna Hackler for these great photos of our feast!
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| I look a bit like the madwoman of pastry here, no? |
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