AT PLAY

For the home enhancers, the foodies, the wanderers

‘Wine o’clock’ somewhere yeah?…

‘It’s ‘wine o’clock’ somewhere in the world right now’ 

Said I, justifying my ‘nosing’ the first wine at 10.00am, sipping 3rd at 10.20, chugging 5th, a lovely little Rosé ‘party wine’ so named for its instant drinkability at 10.50, before letting the palate go wild on the 7th and final, a beaut little vintage poured with deftness from a Jeroboam by our extremely knowledgeable young Sommelier.

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The backdrop? A Potager (kitchen) garden ripe with fruit trees, veges and herbs behind which a well manicured garden leads to languid rows of grape vines heavy with fruit and edged with slender Cypress receding into the distant mountains. My fellow tour mates and I concur (somewhat noisily as the lovely Sarah our guide gently herds us like wayward sheepdogs back to the car) a wine tasting session at the Val Joanis winery (near Pertuis) is an absolutely splendid way to start the day touring southern Luberon & Cassis!

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Next, a visit to the ‘perched’ village of Ansouis, a pretty little hamlet clinging to a rocky cliff pinnacle with spectacular views of the surrounding Luberon Mountain ranges (between the Alp20130927-182313.jpgs and the Mediterranean). Too late for the Poppies (May), Lavender (July) or Sunflowers already drying in readiness for reaping (Sept); instead I content myself with the glorious amber colors of Plane Tree leaves clustered across the long pond in nearby Cucuron while making a note to watch the movie ‘A Good Life’, parts of which were filmed here. Sadly, said trees across Europe are being destroyed by a fungus from the inside out. Equally so the thought of how badly this pretty little place was affected by the plague epidemic spread from nearby Marseille 1720-1.

20130927-174153.jpg20130927-174210.jpg20130927-174223.jpgWe lunch on local wine and fresh seafood hot off the wharf in the quaint fishing village of Cassis, famous for its white limestone; quarried to build nearby harbors as well as the plinth on which the Statue of Liberty (NY) sits.20130927-174722.jpgNext we board a boat that takes us deep into the 5 calanques: Port Miou, Port Pin, En Vau, l’Oule and Devenson; sheltered inlets created by river erosion through the limestone cliffs and affording safe and protected havens for yacht anchorage and swimming, rock climbing and abseiling.20130927-211713.jpg20130927-182217.jpg

Follow this up with a drive up the Route Des Cretes to the Cap Canaille where a magnificent view of Cassis and the Parc national des Calanques is unfortunately veiled by a natural hot air turbulence, a phenomena both eerie and majestic. I’ve just scratched the surface of what Provence has to offer.

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And I’m now officially a Sarah fan. A visit to this beautiful region cannot be fully appreciated without the warmth, knowledge and deep passion displayed by her. Visiting the area soon? Head to this site…http://www.discover-Provence.net and make the most of her expertise!

Now about that wine…

Bike short bulges!

Got your attention? There’s an Iron Man comp in progress in Aix en Provence today. I discovered this by following the beat…the welcome to the finish line doof doof beat…heck it even made me want to join in! Shame I don’t rock Lycra, not in public anyway. Used to seeing the rangy, lean forms of serious competitors in Australia, I can’t help but stare at the beautifully sculpted equivalent here. Stringy calves and skinny arms replaced with quality definition, shoulder to ankle…and the bits in the middle too! (No photos out of respect)

Dragging my salivating self away, I wander up the Cours Mirabeau, lose myself and discover why Aix is oft referred to as the ‘city of fountains’. 20130923-091358.jpg20130923-091512.jpg
The fountains? They’re everywhere; one of natural hot water and covered in a dense growth of cool green moss and ferns, others upholding statues of important folk or various obelisk and still more mere fonts pressed into action for hand washing, doggie drinks, cooling feet and for splashing in on a hot summer’s day.

20130923-091001.jpg20130923-091253.jpgIn every square under leafy canopies and along the curved narrow alleyways there are bars and bistros spilling with beautiful people for the city is home to a huge batch of top notch Universities. I select a bar and observe the city morph into dusk over a chilled cider. Couples everywhere. Loneliness replaced with speculation as I observe a pair nearby enjoying a carafe of chilled rosé. In their 60’s, German, silent. Not a word. I suspect a companionship so comfy they simply don’t need conversation.

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Markets abound. They’re fabulously enticing. Different ones almost daily. Clothing and home wares that meander for miles around half the old town. A daily lush, fresh produce market piled high with fat green and black glossy grapes, cheeses, cured meats, seafood, mushroom species I’ve rarely seen, deep velvety aubergines, baby carrots, zucchini flowers. Yes! Flower markets too, blossoms, plants and small trees abound…a fabulous feast for the senses.

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Trying hard to spot a grimace but it seems the men enjoy as well. Small dogs munching on salami tit-bits, kids in strollers chewing on baby sized baguettes, me on a Palmier and all of us supping caffe, glaces, vin or a bière over a lazy lunch. Je pourrais vraiment m’habituer à ça. I really could get used to this…

Today’s mission? A snap of every fountain! Below the Cours at dusk.

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Squeezed in Èze…

Squeezed a quick peek into the quaint medieval village of Èze today and immediately fell in love with the village motto – Isis Moriendo Renascor ‘In death I am Reborn’ (its emblem is a phoenix perched on a bone); and here’s why…

The village circles the ruins of a12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706) which is perched atop a narrow rocky outcrop 429m above sea level. Tiny red brick centered lane ways wind their way upward to the Jardins Exotique surrounding the castle and which afford the most spectacular views east to Cap D’Ail, straight ahead to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and west all the way to 20130919-215012.jpgAntibes and beyond on a good day. The restored walls and buildings crowding the lanes now house interesting hotels, cave dwelling art galleries and tourist driven gift shops and enticing little tree shaded squares dotted here and there make perfect ice cream retreats along the way. Reborn indeed.

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20130919-215022.jpgÈze commune extends from Èze-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean up to Èze-Village and Saint-Laurent-d’Eze connects the two, along with a rather irregular bus service for those less willing to slog up a steep irregular pathway.

The wise take the bus up and dawdle the walk back down. The views along the way would thrill even the most jaded traveller’s taste buds.

 

Bono (U2) thinks so too for he has a home in Èze-sur-Mer. A big pink and white concoction not at all in keeping with his image yet totally in keeping with the ‘hood’.

Such a pretty, atmospheric element of the region, a last minute ‘so glad I did’ visit.

A few photos – can you spot a golden goat?20130919-215034.jpg20130919-215028.jpg20130919-215041.jpg20130919-215046.jpg

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