Tag: France

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Cite du Vin

NEW EXHIBITION AT THE CITE DU VIN:  ARGENTINA, LANDS OF CONTRASTS 

From 12 August to 17 november 2019

Direction South America! After having celebrated the vineyards of Georgia and the Douro Valley, the Cité du Vin is hosting Argentina from 12 August, for its next temporary exhibition featuring a Guest Wine Region.

A journey of the senses

From 12 August to 17 November, head for Argentina at the Cité du Vin! For 3 months, visitors are invited on a real journey across Argentina’s six main wine regions. Thanks to gigantic exhibits and digital and immersive displays, the exhibition offers a sensory and participative experience of Argentina’s nature in all its spectacular diversity. Visitors can feel the differences in altitude, landscapes, climates, geographical conditions… The goal is to understand the multitude of combinations allowing Argentina to offer such a wide range of wines with their infinite variety of flavours. The legendary Malbec and Torrontès, another famous grape variety to Argentina, naturally take pride of place. At each stage of this adventure, icons from the six regions relate the story of their wines, their gastronomy and their culture. Music and literature are also part of the journey, combining a past and a present that are intimately linked to the culture of the vine. 

2019 Guest Wine Region at the Cité du Vin 

Each year, the Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilisations gives a partner wine region or country the opportunity to present its wine heritage. “The aim is to let the public discover a great wine country from the point of view of its culture and civilisation, through an original exhibition accompanied by numerous cultural events. We are delighted that Argentina is our 3rd Guest Wine Region!” says Philippe Massol, Managing Director. 
Georgia, the world’s oldest wine country, was the first Guest Wine Region in autumn 2017. In 2018, it was the Porto region, one of the world’s oldest appellations whose Upper Douro valley is inscribed as a cultural landscape in the UNESCO World Heritage List, that took the place of honour.
Various events will be held during the Argentina, lands of contrasts exhibition, to explore the themes it addresses in greater depth.

About the Cité du Vin

Located in Bordeaux, the Cité du Vin is a new generation cultural centre, unique in the world, where wine is presented in its cultural, civilizational, heritage and universal dimensions. A cultural facility, a tourist site and a place of life and outings for Bordeaux residents, the Cité du Vin showcases vineyards from around the world through a permanent tour, temporary exhibitions, wine culture workshops and numerous events. Managed and developed by the Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilisations, the Cité du Vin is accessible to the greatest possible number and is open to all. A spectacular journey around the world, across the ages, in all cultures!

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Happy Bastille Day

Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year.

In French, it is formally called la Fête nationale and commonly and legally le 14 juillet. 

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Paris…Enjoy, Don’t Hurry

Paris Tips

Paris is a great city to explore. It’s also huge and can be confusing if you’re there for the first time. Check out these tips to help your visit be the best it can be.

There are many free things to do in the City of Light. If you don’t want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, at least walk to it to check it out. If you go early in the morning, you can avoid many of the crowds. For a great view of the city, head to Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement and walk up the steps of the Sacre-Coeur. Even if cemeteries don’t rank high on your list, you should visit Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, Paris’s largest cemetery in the 20th arrondissement. Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are buried there. It’s old and parts are crumbling. It’s still impressive.

If you are looking to maximize your time and budget, buy the Paris Pass. It’s worth the money and your time. Not only do you get admission to over 60 attractions and museums…you also get to avoid the long lines to buy tickets and then the long lines to get in. All for a one-time fee. Activate it when you are ready to use it for the first time. It’s good for the length of time you purchased…3 day, 5 day, 7 day.

Understand the difference between the Metro and RER. The Metro has 16 lines with short distances between its stations. The RER has five lines that are faster than the Metro. There are fewer stops as well. RER reaches the suburbs.

Unless you like sparkling water, ask for the carafe of tap water. It’s safe and free. Know that menu prices already include a 10 or 15% gratuity. You are not expected to tip. Many Parisians will round up and leave the extra Euro cents on the table.

With so much to see and do in Paris, you might be tempted to push to see as much as you can. There are museums, landmarks, attractions, and more all over the city. My first suggestion…don’t pack too much into one day. Chances are, you’re not going to see everything anyway on one trip. Do a little advance planning for places that are ‘must see’ on your list. Check a map to see what you can reasonably get to. My next suggestion…save some time to sit a sidewalk café for a morning latte or an early afternoon glass of wine. Watch people, soak up the atmosphere, relax. Paris is meant to be enjoyed…not hurried.

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Le Chaudron

Le Chaudron in Cassis

Translated, Le Chaudron means The Cauldron. I didn’t see any large, metal pot with a lid, but no worries. The food is tasty, no matter how it was cooked. And, with its open kitchen, maybe you can see the chef use one of those large, metal pots.

This is home cooking in a small bistro. Located on a side street, away from the main harbor area and the port, we sat and relaxed with a glass of wine as we decided what to eat.

After watching plates of food make their way to other diners, we made our choices. And, we weren’t disappointed. My husband’s fish was fresh and cooked to perfection…meaning it fell off the bones with just a little help. My first course of the chef’s special onion tart, squash terrine, and lightly dressed frisee salad almost filled me up. Almost.

Savory, tender pieces of chicken in a spicy, whole grain mustard and peppercorn sauce followed. Again, almost filled up. Until I remembered dessert came with my three-course meal.

Mango mousse on top of a crispy, shortbread crust filled in all the spots I had left. Nicely…very nicely.

French Rose from a nearby wine area known for its Roses accompanied every bite. It didn’t overpower anything. Yet, it stood up to all the tastes we had. A wonderful combination that I’ll try to recreate at home.

Wish me luck.

If You Go: Le Chaudron is located at 4 Rue Aldophe Thiers, 13260 Cassis, France. Reservations are suggested.

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Saint Emilion…Worth a Trip

Saint Emilion

Travel 20 or so kilometers from the bustling city of Bordeaux and you’re surrounded by vineyards. Some of the world’s most famous vineyards, these were planted here in Roman times.

Spend a day in Saint-Emilion, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its Eglise Monolithe. This church carved out of the rocky hillside in the 11th century is now one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with its underground caverns and catacombs.

For a true wine tasting experience, set up a wine tasting class where you will learn about the subtle differences in wines where the same type of grapes are grown only a few feet from each other.

Bottom of the slopes, gravel terraces, sandy soils, limestone, high, low…all produce a slightly different taste. Cru, Grand Cru, large estates, small estates, non-classified, Premier Cru…there’s so much to learn! But, it sure is fun.

We weren’t there long…we’ll be back.

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We Found a Gem of a Place in France…Agay

At first glance, Agay, France could be a beach town in any number of countries.

There’s a mostly sandy beach dotted with beach towels, sun worshippers, and kids playing in the sand and water. Bright sun bounces off the clear blue water, creating a backdrop worthy of a postcard. Simple, fishing boats vie with yachts bobbing in the harbor of this sheltered natural bay.

Here’s where you know you’re not just at any beach. Dark red cliffs of the Massif de l’Esterel rise up out of the water, making the sand an interesting shade of red.

Water so clear and blue, this might give you a clue where you are. They don’t call it Cote d’Azur for no reason. This coastal resort is between Saint-Raphael and Theoule-sur-Mer. Cannes is not far away. Now, you get the picture. This is the south of France.

Village shops, cafes, restaurants, and water sports rentals line the street. This is a much smaller, quieter beach resort than its more famous neighbors up and down the coast.

Slightly off the beach is a restaurant I would recommend for lunch, dinner, drinks, dessert…or all of the above. Restaurant La Galere is worth looking for. Locals and visitors both love it here. You’ll find plenty of locals eating here. Always a good sign.

Just outside of Agay is a WWII Memorial to US soldiers involved in the defense of this part of France. Operation Dragoon is part of the forgotten invasion of Southern France. More about that in another review…

Why come to this small town along the famous coast? For starters, views here are just as magnificent as anywhere along the coast. Maybe better… For another reason, there aren’t as many tourists. Photo ops…they’re everywhere you turn. Seduction…this village will entice you to return.

Agay, France…you just have to experience it. Don’t forget to indulge at Le Galere. Trust me, it’s worth it.

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Light Show of a Different Kind

Carrieres de Lumineres

When visiting the village of Les Baux-de-Provence, we were told to visit the old quarry. “Go to the light show. It is in the old quarry. You’ll see Picassos there. It is amazing.”

A light show in an old quarry? With Picassos? Sure. It’s probably worth seeing what it is.

Expecting some drawings on the quarry walls, lit with spotlights, we made our way out of the village, down the road, to the old quarry. I’m sure we were thinking this would be underwhelming…at best.

Well…first of all, it was not what we were expecting.

Yes. It was an old quarry. Old being the operative word.

The quarry was where the Les Baux stone was extracted. This stone from the south of France is slightly calcareous limestone, fine-grained, whiteish in color. It results from the compaction of calcium carbonate on calcareous sand. Marine fossils have been found in the rock.

The quarry was dampish and coolish. And, huge.

Back in the 19th century, this stone was in demand for building. Hence, the enlarging of the quarry to meet those demands. At the time the quarry was referred to as Les Grands Fonds. Today it is called Les Carrieres de Lumieres.

Following WWI, the demands lessened so much that the quarry was closed until about 1959. A visionary genius, Jean Cocteau, loved the beauty and simplicity of the old quarry. He filmed The Testament of Orpheus here.

In 1977 Joseph Svoboda, a scenographer, decided the walls would make a great backdrop for a light and sound show. Since then, the management developed a unique concept for the site. AMIEX is a registered name, Art & Music Immersive Experience.

Now, music and art come together on the walls of this massive place. Monet, Renoir, Chagall, Klimt, Vienna, Michelangelo, de Vinci, Raphael, Bosch, Brueghel, Arcimboldo have all been showcased.

A light show? Oh my. That doesn’t even begin to describe it.

We stepped inside a basically dark cavernous space and were met with the Flower Power movement, Sixties Music, Hippies, Peace and Love, Sgt. Pepper, Hendrix, the Stones, the Beach Boys. Each song accompanied by swirling lights, flashing colors, and dancing people. All displayed on the walls and floor of the quarry. Talk about a party.

If you’re prone to motion sickness, don’t look down at the floor. It’s moving. I think.

When this journey ended, the lights softly came on. We could see how huge this place is and the white quarry walls with their marks where immense blocks of limestone had been cut out years ago. As the lights once again dimmed, we were taken through a journey of the Spanish masters’ paintings. All projected on the walls. Some were shown straight ahead. Some moved around the walls and corners, from one wall to the next. Music played. Goya was there. So were Rusinol, Zuloaga, Sorolla.

Then followed Picasso. The entire experience was an intense lesson in discovering a century of Spanish painting. All up close and personal. All bigger than big. Portraits, beach scenes, rustic, gardens…all brought to life right in front of us.

Once the lights came back up, we wandered around the monumental space of the quarry. It was impressive, even without the light show.

How did they do it? The digital and immersive exhibitions are presented with thousands of moving images of digitized works. They are brought to life by the cutting edge of AMIEX technical equipment.

Those white limestone walls are the perfect background for the hundred projectors to transform the masterpieces. Or the Sixties.

Again…not just some light show. Not just a few paintings.

You have to go…trust me.

If You Go: Carrieres de Lumieres is located at Route de Maillane 13520 Les Baux-de-Provence. It is 800 m from the Chateau des Baux-de-Provence.

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Restaurant Review…in Agay, France

Restaurant La Galere, Agay

By Wendy VanHatten

Agay may not be on your radar when visiting the south of France. You may not have even heard of it. But, you should take time to look it up.

Then, take time to stop here at Restaurant La Galere for lunch, dinner, drinks, dessert, or all of the above. You’ll thank me.

When traveling and we see locals eating at a café, wine bar, bistro, or restaurant…we figure it has to be worth stopping. This one was recommended, so we thought we’d try it. Locals mixed with regular holiday-goers to the South of France. French was definitely the language of choice. And, that’s okay. The menu on the board out front was in French. These are the places we like.

I’m not going to France to find American food and an American only menu!

Our waitress helped my weak French skills as we looked over the choices. Rick’s fish was crispy on the outside and flaked delicately off the bones. My crispy duck breast, cooked medium, was delightful on its own. When I dipped it in a tangy, almost bitter orange sauce, it melted in my mouth.

French Rose was the perfect choice for both dishes. I mean, we are in the south of France. And, it’s warm out.

Dessert of rich, vanilla crème brulee and espresso made me extra glad we opted to stop and eat here.

 

If You Go: Restaurant La Galere is located at 54 Avenue du Cap-Roux, Agay, France