Provence and beyond--Cigale's travels
By cigalechanta from cambridge MA, Spring 2003
Page 1 of 3: Landed at Last
Picking up our rental car at CDG was a nightmare. Air France has a new terminal and the rental car in a new location but with all the construction and deviations, it took us a long time to find the place.
First we head for the Fournaise in Chatou. On the terrace, I had the house apéritif, Le cocktail "Älphonsine" (orange, champagne, and grand marnier) I start with the amuse buche, followed by the Copeaux de melon et jambon de pays, and choose the filet de canette roti aux petits légumes. All accompanied with a bottle of Saumur Champigny. Jerry had the terrine de foies de volaille aux écrisses and the duo de bar et saumon braisé au beurre blance. We both had maribel ice cream. After a lengthy chat with the owner at our table (a handsome Dutchman), we head to Beaune and find a hotel and dine at the grand Bleu.
Next morning we head for St-Paul-de-Vence for the Colombe Dór. We were not disappointed. Living for three days with all that art was wonderful and our room had a big balcony. The staff was wonderful, the meals very good. The last night. The king of Belgium was there.
The Maeght Foundation was the highlight of that area. There is a Russian exhibit, so who walks in, but Boris Yeltsin with wife, much security. He allows me to take a few photos of him, and on leaving he salutes me and with a big smile (after the reporter from Nice Matin interviews him). The next day, the photos taken by the paper's photographer appear in the mornings edition.
We left for lunch at the Auberge de Tourrette in Tourette- sur-Loup. We find out later through our host at our hotel, that Yeltsin lunched there. At the Maeght, I encounter the strangest toilet. There's a sign that says do not touch the toilet...???? I finish and there's a red button, it reads, "press". Suddenly, like an LSD episode, this white box pops out from below the tank, I thought I pressed something wrong, the seat seems to undulate and I now realize it is a toilet seat cleaner. I rush out and say to Jerry, you must go to the toilet and see this in action.
The next days, we visit Renoir's home/museum in Cagnes-Sur-Mur, Matisse, Chagall in Nice and also the Raymond Paynet museum (one of my favorite humoriste artists). Another day in Vence. We visit the Matisse chapel and lunch in old Nice. Next day we visit Antibes to see the Picasso museum. Now we leave for Provence, so far, the weather has been perfect.
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By cigalechanta from cambridge MA, Spring 2003
Page 1 of 3: Landed at Last
Picking up our rental car at CDG was a nightmare. Air France has a new terminal and the rental car in a new location but with all the construction and deviations, it took us a long time to find the place.
First we head for the Fournaise in Chatou. On the terrace, I had the house apéritif, Le cocktail "Älphonsine" (orange, champagne, and grand marnier) I start with the amuse buche, followed by the Copeaux de melon et jambon de pays, and choose the filet de canette roti aux petits légumes. All accompanied with a bottle of Saumur Champigny. Jerry had the terrine de foies de volaille aux écrisses and the duo de bar et saumon braisé au beurre blance. We both had maribel ice cream. After a lengthy chat with the owner at our table (a handsome Dutchman), we head to Beaune and find a hotel and dine at the grand Bleu.
Next morning we head for St-Paul-de-Vence for the Colombe Dór. We were not disappointed. Living for three days with all that art was wonderful and our room had a big balcony. The staff was wonderful, the meals very good. The last night. The king of Belgium was there.
The Maeght Foundation was the highlight of that area. There is a Russian exhibit, so who walks in, but Boris Yeltsin with wife, much security. He allows me to take a few photos of him, and on leaving he salutes me and with a big smile (after the reporter from Nice Matin interviews him). The next day, the photos taken by the paper's photographer appear in the mornings edition.
We left for lunch at the Auberge de Tourrette in Tourette- sur-Loup. We find out later through our host at our hotel, that Yeltsin lunched there. At the Maeght, I encounter the strangest toilet. There's a sign that says do not touch the toilet...???? I finish and there's a red button, it reads, "press". Suddenly, like an LSD episode, this white box pops out from below the tank, I thought I pressed something wrong, the seat seems to undulate and I now realize it is a toilet seat cleaner. I rush out and say to Jerry, you must go to the toilet and see this in action.
The next days, we visit Renoir's home/museum in Cagnes-Sur-Mur, Matisse, Chagall in Nice and also the Raymond Paynet museum (one of my favorite humoriste artists). Another day in Vence. We visit the Matisse chapel and lunch in old Nice. Next day we visit Antibes to see the Picasso museum. Now we leave for Provence, so far, the weather has been perfect.
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