Tulips in the Vaucluse put on a dazzling display of color near Jonquieres.

We are back in Sablet after an unusually long absence for us. One of the highlights of our sojourns in Provence, are the flowers that you find in various seasons of the year. 

You can see cherry orchards in bloom in April and early May around the Plus Beaux Village of Venasque. The time to enjoy their fruit is late May to early July. 

Then Shirley's favorites, bright red poppies, known in France as Coquelicots make their appearance in fields in May. The Coquelicots grow wild rather than cultivated so you can never tell where you will find them. 

Lavender, the most famous flowers to be seen in Provence, bloom from mid-June to mid to late July, depending upon elevation. Sunflowers bloom from late June to the end of July and are typically harvested in August. 

Back in 2010, I was surprised to discover fields of tulips growing near Violes, a small village near Sablet. I was surprised because we had never seen fields of tulips or read about them in any of the various guidebooks I have perused over the years. 

Since now is the time of the year when the tulips bloom, we went out to look for them on our first day back. We went to the area where we have seen them previously. Nothing! So, we made inquiries in Sablet, and discovered the tulips were growing in a different field farther from Sablet, near Jonquieres. 

So yesterday, we went out again and were happy to find multi-colored rows of tulips alongside the Route de Carpentras into Jonquieres, with views of Mont Ventoux in the distance. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres with view of Mont Ventoux

I grew up in Southwestern Michigan about one hour south of Holland, Michigan. An annual field trip in elementary school was our trip to Holland, Michigan to see the tulips.

Tulip field near Jonquieres

I learned back in 2010 that these tulips are not grown to be sold as cut flowers by floral shops or vendors at weekly markets that occur throughout France. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Rather, these tulips are grown for export to the Netherlands. In a few days, the flowers will be cut by a lawn mower type machine to save the bulbs. The bulbs will be harvested and shipped to the Netherlands. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

If you are going to be in the Vaucluse during the month of April, keep your eyes out for fields of multi-colored rows of tulips.

If you are planning a trip to the South of France, we would be honored if you would consider making our house in Sablet your home for your sojourn. We have weeks available in May and June, July 23 to August 5, and August 12 to September 2. Please reach out to me for information about availability and rental rates. www.sablethouse.com 

The Original Van Gogh Experience in the Carrieres des Lumieres at Les Baux de Provence

I figure that many of you have seen the immersive Van Gogh Experience in one of the many US cities that have offered this program. But how many of you know that the "Van Gogh Starry Night" art and music program was first exhibited in the Carrières des Lumieres at Les Baux de Provence in the South of France from March 1, 2019, to January 5, 2020?

Les Baux de Provence is a picturesque village about 47 miles southwest of our home in Sablet, France. The village sits in a strategic location on a rocky outcrop with ancient houses and a ruined castle perched on top of the village overlooking vineyards and olive groves to the south.

Les Baux de Provence is officially classified as a Les Plus Beaux Villages de France - one of the most beautiful villages of France. The beauty of the village and the surrounding Alpilles mountains, makes Les Baux de Provence a very popular place for tourists all year long as I told you here.

The name Les Baux refers to its site, a baou is a rocky spur. Aluminum ore bauxite was first discovered near Les Baux in 1821 and named after the village of Les Baux de Provence. Bauxite was extensively mined in the area but by the end of the 20th century, the bauxite had been completely extracted. 

Les Baux de Provence

The Carrières des Lumieres is located 800 meters from Les Baux de Provence, a 10-minute walk from the village so you can get there easily if you are parked near the village. There is limited parking near the village or the Carrières des Lumieres, so you may have to walk a little.

Arrival at Les Baux de Provence

The quarry of Les Grands Fonds, now known as the Carrières des Lumieres, was opened in 1800. The area's white limestone was easily worked and was used to build Glanum, the village of Les Baux de Provence and for the construction of the castle of Les Baux.  

As I mentioned earlier, a red mineral was discovered in 1821 in the limestone quarries. The mineral was used to extract aluminum and named bauxite after the nearby village. In 1935 after the first world war, with the emergence of new building materials such as steel and concrete, the quarry closed. 

In 2012, the village of Les Baux entrusted Culturespaces with management of the quarry. Every year since opening, Les Carrières de Lumieres has offered an immersive digital exhibition devoted to a major artist. In 2019, we had the opportunity to see "Van Gogh, Starry Night" in July and again in October.

Entrance to the Carrières de Lumieres

To the right of the entrance, a larger gallery leads you under the mountain, towards an enormous hall divided by huge pillars left by quarry workers to hold up the roof. The 7,000 square meters (75,000 square feet) of walls and ceilings are used as natural screens to project beautiful 14 meter-high (45 feet) images. 

There are no seats per se. Audience members walk around, viewing the changing images from different vantage points as their own shadows are eerily cast on the paintings. Some people sit on a few concrete slabs around the perimeter, some huddle together for warmth. 

The pictures which follow show some of the artwork which was displayed as the program ensued during our visit in July 2019.

In 2023, the Carrières des Lumieres will present two new immersive exhibitions: a long program, "From Vermeer to Van Gogh, the Dutch Masters", and a short program, "Mondrian, the architect of colors".

If you are planning a trip to the South of France, we would be honored if you would consider making our house in Sablet your home for your Sojourn. Please reach out to me for information about availability and rental rates. www.sablethouse.com 

Francis Mallmann's Gastronomic Restaurant at Chateau La Coste

Dear friends, we are in Northern California and enjoying fall weather in contrast to the crazy hot weather we experienced this summer, both here in California, and in Provence. We certainly appreciate that we now have a/c in our house in Sablet.

You will recall that I told you about our visit to Chateau La Coste in Le Puy-Sainte-Reparade in early January to see the unusual art installed around this 600-acre organic winery and art center which includes a luxury hotel and 4 restaurants.

This past August, we were invited by new friends Cesar and Danielle to eat at Francis Mallmann's restaurant at Chateau La Coste. Francis Mallman is an Argentine celebrity chef, author and restauranteur who specializes in Argentine cuisine, especially Patagonian cuisine with a focus on Patagonian methods for barbecuing food.  

He currently operates 9 restaurants worldwide including Francis Mallmann at Chateau La Coste. 

Francis Mallman at Chateau La Coste

One of the first things you see when you walk into the restaurant are the cooks in the open kitchen with its wood burning oven. The dining room is very comfy with wood ceilings and beams. 

Wood burning oven at Francis Mallmann restaurant

The menu is large, offering 9 entrees (starters) and 10 plats (main courses), and they all sounded delicious. I will be truthful; Cesar and Danielle and Shirley and I, we all love food. Cesar comes from a restaurant family in Nice, France, and you know my love of food; we went crazy ordering dishes to try.

Melon Salad, Goat Cheese, Radicchio, Cucumber and Fresh Mint.

Grilled Artichokes, cream of Gorgonzola, Raisins, Olives and Chicory

Fresh Nectarine, Iceberg Lettuce, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Hazelnut Powder

Grilled Octopus, Potatoes, "Anchoiade" and Spring Onions

Wood Oven Beef Empanadas from Mendoza

Butterfly Sea Bass

We don't eat pork, but I can vouch that the look and smell was awfully tantalizing. 

Slow Roasted Suckling Pig with Fennel, Rocket Salad and Grilled Potatoes

Vegetarian Tower

Sirloin Steak on the Bone accompanied by Mustard Potatoes and Grilled Onions

Mustard Potatoes with Grilled Onions that accompanied the Grilled Steak

We chose a lovely bottle of red wine from Hermitage.

2017 Delas Ligne De Crete Hermitage

Shirley and I with our friends Danielle and Cesar

The menu offered 8 choices for dessert. We really didn't have room for dessert, but we chose a couple to share to finish our wonderful meal. 

Dessert #1

Dessert #2

View towards the Chateau La Coste vineyards

We loved our meal and time spent with our friends driving to and from Chateau La Coste. If you are in Provence, we definitely recommend you visit Chateau La Coste and walk through the art installations that are spread around the grounds. It will take about 3 hours. Plan ahead and make reservations to dine at Francis Mallmann. 

If you want to try Chef Mallmann's food, but can't get to one of his restaurants, consider purchasing one of his cookbooks. I have tried a number of dishes from his latest book "Green Fire" and they turned out great.

Excellent Seafood Restaurant near the Port of Le Grau-du-Roi and a Water Jousting Match to Boot

On a warm Saturday a couple of weeks ago, we headed seaside to Le Grau-du-Roi, a fishing port and beach resort, with cousins Jean-Marc and Christine. We figured we would find cooler temperatures near the Mediterranean Sea and bonus, we could try out a new restaurant I had read about.  

Le Grau-du-Roi is a commune in the Gard Department about 1.5 hours south from Sablet. Le Grau-du-Roi is the only commune in the Gard Department to have frontage on the Mediterranean Sea. Le Grau-du-Roi is the second largest French fishing port on the Mediterranean. 

Port of Le Grau-du-Roi

I made reservations at Le Vivier Restaurant early in the day. As we made our way toward Le Grau-du-Roi, it became clear we would be quite late for our reservation because of heavy traffic on the A-9. So I called and they said come ahead, but get there as soon as possible.

When we finally got there, we were kindly welcomed and seated at a table on the terrace. The charming owner told us they didn't mind tardy arrivals but since the chef works by himself in the kitchen, they try to keep to their posted hours as closely as possible. 

Le Vivier in Le Grau-du-Roi

The menu offers a wonderful selection of seafood and fresh fish with very tempting accompaniments. I debated between Couteaux, Razer Clams in English, that were dressed with a Safran Cream sauce and Tellines also in a cream sauce. For those who don't know, Tellines are tiny triangular shaped multi-colored clams. 

Cousin Jean-Marc order a platter of mixed seafood that includes oysters, sea snails, and shrimp. The ladies passed on starters and said they would order dessert instead. 

The owner steered me to the Couteaux, saying the Tellines were really tiny right now. I didn't know what to expect as I had not tried Couteaux before but was really happy I took her advice. They were perfectly tender and delicious with their sauce. 

Couteaux (Razer Clams)

The main courses offer a nice selection of fish, any of which I would have been happy to try. Cousin Christine chose the "Poisson du Jour" which this day were Rougets accompanied by veggies and a sweet potato puree. 

Rougets with Sweet Potato Puree and Vegetables

Shirley opted for the filet of Daurade (Sea Bream) with a mint, dill and citrus broth accompanied by tomatoes and zucchini. 

Filet of Daurade (Sea Bream) with a Mint, Dill and Citrus Broth accompanied by Tomatoes and Zucchini

Jean-Marc and I both ordered Whole Wild Fish which were a duo of whole fish, which changes plate to plate with a citrus cream sauce accompanied by crushed potatoes and veggies.

Duo of Wild Whole Fish with a Citrus Cream Sauce and Crushed Potatoes and Vegetables

Our dessert selections were Frozen Citrus Souffle accompanied by a citrus coulis and fresh fruit,

Frozen Citrus Souffle with Citrus Coulis and Fresh Fruit

Lingot Glace accompanied by caramelized peanuts and fresh fruit,

Lingot Glace with Caramelized Peanuts and Fresh Fruit

Frozen Chocolate Souffle and fresh fruit. 

Frozen Chocolate Souffle with Fresh Fruit

After lunch, we walked along the canal that connects the fishing port to the Mediterranean to see the lighthouse at the entrance. As we walked, we watched the water jousters (Joutes Nautique in French) in combat on the canal. 

In water jousting, two wooden boats are rowed towards each other by eight or ten oarsmen. One jouster on each boat stands on a raised platform at the stern of the boat about 10 feet above the surface of the water. In addition to the jouster and rowers, the crew consists of a helmsman and two musicians, and jousters who will participate in the next match.

Water Jousting Team

Jousters carry a shield 70 cm high and 40 cm wide and a lance 2.8 meters long. They must wear white outfits and white shoes. As the boats approach each other propelled by the rowers, the jousters crouch with their lances directed towards their opponent. A direct hit will propel the unlucky jouster into the air before he falls into the water. 

Water Jousting Team

In case you think these matches have been created as tourists attractions, you will be interested to learn that jousts have been carried out since ancient times. There are records of jousts going all the way back to the time of Christ. This form of jousting is practiced in eight towns in the Herault Department and one town in the Gard, Le Grau-du-Roi. 

The Water Jousting Teams Meet in "Combat".

Our meal at Le Vivier with the dishes of very fresh fish and seafood prepared by an excellent chef made the trip from Sablet worthwhile. Finding out they were jousting on the canal was just icing on the cake.  

I would recommend making reservations at Le Vivier as its a very good restaurant and very popular, especially during tourist season. Parking is available a short distance away. 

Le Vivier Restaurant

7 Rue du Commandant Marceau

Le Grau-du-Roi

Tel: 33 (0) 4 66 53 23 36

website: https//levivier-restaurant.fr