Category: Escapes

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Braseria La Llar

Braseria La Llar

Traveling from Barcelona, Spain to Narbonne, France lunch seemed like a great idea. Our early morning coffee and pastries were just a memory. Not even a crumb remained.

Problem was…where to stop? Restaurants were not evident along the highway, so we pulled into a small town where we noticed a sign for a restaurant atop a building.

Weaving through the many side streets of the village, we finally came upon the restaurant with the sign. This side trip turned out to be one of the best lunch adventures we have had.

Scents of smoking meats permeated the air, getting more fragrant the closer we came to the restaurant’s courtyard. If we weren’t already hungry, these smells would certainly have jump started our stomachs. Inside, we were greeted by a woman speaking a variation of Spanish. I can understand and speak some Spanish. So, some of her words made sense and others not so much.

Then it dawned on all of us, we were in the Catalonia part of Spain. The language was similar but different.

Telling us we were a little early for Sunday dinner, she seated us close to the kitchen. At least that’s what I think she said.

The smells became more demanding. In a good way.

When she handed us menus, I could only make out a few words. This was definitely a type of Spanish I did not know. Trying to tell her we did not speak the language only got us a smile from her before she disappeared. Wondering if I said something wrong, we looked around the restaurant. There was only one other table with people seated at it, a large one with about 20 people ranging in age from a baby to an elderly lady. That was it. The large group sounded like they were having a great time.

Our waitress stopped at that table and said something to a young girl of about 10 years old.

When she came to our table, she explained that she knew English from school. Her aunt was the waitress, her uncle ran the restaurant, and the party was for her grandmother’s birthday. We told her to wish her grandmother happy birthday.

As we enjoyed a lunch worthy of the smells, a second bottle of wine was brought to us compliments of the other table. All was good. They were having a great time and so were we.

After our plates were cleared, pieces of the most delicious birthday cake I have ever eaten were brought to us…again compliments of the birthday party.

Wishing grandma another happy birthday, we reluctantly made our way out to the car and headed for the highway.

Best impromptu birthday party we have ever been to…

If You Go: The Braseria La Llar Restaurant is located at the entrance of the village of Sant Celoni, at the foot of Montseny, strategic location for nature lovers, Easy access to the street: Mossen Jacint Verdaguer, 5. It is the star place to taste Catalan and mountain cuisine, in a classic style. In the dining room you will find an ideal space to make your meal quiet.

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Dessert in the Abbey

It’s not often you can wander around a magnificent Abbey in the hills of France and then sit down to lunch with amazing wines and melt-in-your mouth dessert.

Within the Abbey is La Table de Fontfroide restaurant, complete with its Gault & Millau chef’s hat. The mostly Mediterranean cuisine is paired with wines produced by the abbey, from the abbey’s vineyards. They are open for both lunch and dinner. It’s best to check ahead of time for hours and reservations.

In the old 19 th century cellar of the Abbey of Fontfroide, converted into a sales cellar, discover their wines selected and labeled South of France. This allows you to share in the viticulture and its history of the Abbey.

OPENING
HOURS Tasting cellar open every day.
Sunday & Monday: 10 am to 6.30 pm
Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm

If You Go: Abbey de Frontfroide is located at Route Départementale 613, 11100 Narbonne, France.

Tel cellar: 04 68 45 50 72 – caveau@fontfroide.com

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Abbey du Fontfroide, France

The Cistercian Abbey du Fontfroide is nestled in the foothills of the Corbières, south-west of Narbonne. Founded in 1093, Fontfroide, now classified as a Historic Monument and a Great Site of Occitania, crosses centuries, eras and events, witness to history for present and future generations.

Abbey du Fronfroide was founded in 1093, on land given to a few Benedictine monks by the Viscount of Narbonne. It takes its name from the nearby source, the Fons Frigidus, the Froide Fountain. Besides water, the monks could find wood and stone in the massif for the construction of the monastery.

But Fontfroide did not really develop until after 1145 and its attachment to the Order of Cîteaux . The Cistercian monks, under the direction of St Bernard of Clairvaux, wish to return to the purity of the rule of St Benedict, advocating poverty, austerity and architectural sobriety.

The Abbey du Fontfroide is imprinted within its walls with rich testimonies of these residences, including the monumental triptych by Odilon Redon “Day, Night and Silence” as well as stained glass windows by Richard Burgsthal.

Today, the descendants of Gustave Fayet still maintain the Abbey du Fontfroide with the same passion.

We spent the better part of a day wandering and exploring around and through the Abbey with its thick walls, massive stair cases, impressive gates and doors, and graceful archways. Peaceful courtyards beckoned for us to sit and reflect in the silence. Overhead, fragrant flowers perfumed the air. Statues watched over us. Garden paths wove in and around it all.

The sheer size of the Abbey and the grounds are amazing. Look out over the rooftops to the hills beyond.

If You Go: Abbey de Frontfroide is located at Route Départementale 613, 11100 Narbonne, France. Their phone number is +33 4 68 45 11 08

Check more posts for information on France https://travelsandescapes.net

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Cossy Champagne…Definitely a Favorite

Cossy Champagne

The Cossy estate is based in the 1er Cru village of Jouy-lès-Reims – just a few minutes outside of the center of Reims, and dates to 1764. They started bottling under their own label in the 1950s, in addition to managing the Cooperative winemaking facility for their village and the neighboring hamlet of Pargny-lèsReims.

Sophie’s wines all clearly have a graceful, feminine touch. They are all from her estate vineyards within a kilometer or two of the winery, so they’re all from essentially the same terroir.

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Ruinart Champagne

The House of Ruinart is unlike any other. It was the first established House of Champagne in 1729 and inspired by the intuition of a monk well ahead of his time.

Chardonnay is the very soul of Ruinart. The grape, mainly harvested from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims terroirs, is at the heart of all our cuvées.

A unique part of our visit included a tour of the crayères, or chalk galleries, classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2015. It’s hard to describe the feeling when you know you are 125 feet down into the earth with the silent chalk surrounding you.

Vaulted ceilings and large galleries, the crayères almost remind you of being in a cathedral where you really should be quiet. The only other souls we saw were rows upon rows of bottles. Probably millions. Not a bad sight.

The cool, dark crayeres are lit by spot lights in a few places. Other times, light comes in from a hole far above you.

Centuries of graffiti are carved into the walls, bearing names, doodles, and even tiny altars with crosses.

The blend for Blanc de Blancs

The blend is 100% Chardonnay from various years (20 to 25% of which are reserve wines from the 2 previous years).

A large majority of Premiers Crus from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims vineyards for aromatic refinement, supplemented by Sézannais wines known to provide maturity. Finally, several wines from the north of the Vesle valley give a light, fresh touch.

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Epernay, France

Home to the great wine production and trading houses, and listed as a Remarkable Site of Taste, the majestic Avenue de Champagne has 110 kilometres of cellars.

The first Champagne House opened in Epernay in 1729, founded by Nicolas Ruinart, a draper at the time, who wanted to try his hand at producing sparkling wine.

Other establishments would also set up on Avenue de Champagne (in particular Moët & Chandon, in 1743). The Avenue de Champagne, previously known as Rue du Commerce, became an important economic hub in the 19th century and other Champagne Houses followed: Perrier Jouët, de Venoge, Mercier, etc.

In February 1925, the Rue du Commerce became the Avenue de Champagne.

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Eguisheim, France

Eguisheim, France

Voted favorite town of the French in 2013, Eguisheim is surrounded by gentle hills covered with vines.

In the heart of the Alsace region, the town flows with its concentric circles, interesting alleys, and multicolored houses.

Stork’s nests sit on chimneys. Geraniums flow out of window boxes and pots. Half-timbered houses with their balconies fill the narrow streets.

Take some time to explore the town and the wines.

For us, it was a side trip from Colmar, only 5 km away.

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JY’s in Colmar, France

Housed in an elegant 17th-century residence in the heart of Colmar’s Little Venice, Jean-Yves Schillinger’s canal-side restaurant impresses with its style and substance. This Michelin two-star restaurant delighted us throughout every course.

As for the food, Schillinger’s style marries whimsy with technical brilliance. Every course was a delight, first for our eyes and lastly in our bellies.

Our amuse bouche was an array of stuffed olives presented on a olive wood tray with an olive branch hanging over it. Yummy and pretty.

The soup course was almost too pretty to eat. Tomato broth, olive oil, and vegetables and edible flowers…melt in my mouth.

What appears to be an egg in an egg shell was not. The bite of creamy custard was the perfect palette cleanser.

As a complimentary dessert tray, these bites disappeared quickly.

This experience was our highlight of the day. Be sure to check out JY’s if you are in or near Colmar. By the way…reserve ahead and arrive hungry.

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Colmar, France

Our trip took us to Colmar, a town in the Grand Est region of northeastern France, near the border with Germany.


Spices at the market in Colmar.

Like most towns, Colmar has a Saturday market. This one is indoors, in a building designed by architect Louis-Michel Blotz in 1865. Local products, fruits, vegetables, meats, and more are only part of the attraction. Located inside and spilling outside to the Lauch River is a bar and terrace.

Shop for your produce and stop for a drink. Coffee, wine, or both…

The market building is located at 13 rue des Ecoles, in Colmar.

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Reims, France Cathedral

This church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and acclaimed as a Gothic masterpiece for its sculptural decoration and architecture.

Parts of the building are much older than the gothic period, as the romanesque nave and transepts are from the 1000s.

Later gothic additions like the choir ambulatory and facade are masterful in the way they help form a unified whole.

The historic relics of Reims’ patron saint are inside: Saint-Remi was the bishop noted for baptising Clovis the King of Franks around the turn of the 6th century.