Pastis

September 2, 2010

When most people think of a French alcoholic beverage it is usually wine that is conjured up in their minds. However, a popular drink of choice in France, particularly in the southern regions of the country, is a tipple called pastis. Pastis has an aniseed flavour and is in a similar vein to sambucca in Italy, ouzo in Greece, raki in Turkey and arak Lebanon and Israel

Pastis became popular after absinthe was banned in France from 1914 although it took 17 years to establish itself due to people’s reluctance of drinking anis-based drinks. Pastis is a strong drink that is 40% to 45% alcohol by volume. It is normally diluted with water which gives it a sweeter taste. It is strongly associated with the game pétanque which originated in Provence whose players drink it to legally enhance their performance.

130 million litres of pastis are sold every year in France. It is also used as an ingredient of in several cocktails including Mauresque, Perroquet, Tomate, Rourou and Cornichon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ban des Vendanges – Harvest Proclamation

August 24, 2010

If you are taking a trip to the South of France in September, why not attend the Harvest Proclamation festival. The traditional event marks the beginning of the Côtes du Rhône grape harvest. The Harvest Proclamation takes place in Avignon and this year is one of many events celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Pope’s arrival in Avignon.

The festival includes the Procession of the Bacchic brotherhoods, which begins from the Rue de la Republique and the Saint Agricol church and continues Notre Dame des Doms catherdral. There are events for children taking place in the Rocher des Doms gardens. These gardens are also where the 14th Proclamation will take place. There is also a free wine tasting session for the public as well as a market presenting stalls from the Avignon Halles market.

The Harvest Proclamation finale is at midnight, after a free concert. Experience a real taste of Provence tradition by visiting the Ban des Vendanges.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Super spacious Cannes apartment

August 23, 2010

We’ve just taken on this super spacious 7th floor holiday apartment in the Cote d’Azur http://www.jdvholidays.com/search/–/–/no/0//Any/542/////1/ with fabulous sea views over the bay of Cannes – prices start from just £870/week for 4 people!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Provence Markets

August 18, 2010

Amongst the many delights to experience when visiting Provence are the markets. Any day of the week you will be able to find a market in a nearby town. These markets usually take place between 8am and 1pm and tend to be open air. When browsing the stalls you will come across fresh local produce, some of which will be specific to that region of France. Peruse the selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables that are on offer, along with cured meats, fish, cheeses, herbs and spices. Some markets have stalls that also sell goods such as table linen, clothes, shoes, flowers, books and some even trade in antiques and artwork.

Markets in Provence are not just about picking up your weekly shop; they are much more than that. These markets are an integral part of the daily life in Provence. People do not rush around manically like we are used to in UK supermarkets. The community is brought together and wander around at a leisurely pace.

Vendors are generally very friendly and helpful. Many travel between markets so it is not unlikely that you will see the same faces if visiting a different market on another day. Provence is known for having some of the best markets in France. It is enjoyable to simply sit in a nearby cafe and watch the people going about their weekly shop and chat to each other. Visiting a Provence market is a must when on holiday as you need to experience it firsthand.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Social Networking the Provence way

August 11, 2010

Forget social networking sites, why not socialise the Provence way with a fun and relaxing game of pétanque.

The game of pétanque originated in Provence and is now played all over France. It is popular particularly during the summer months and is a similar game to bowls. Pétanque can be played by two, four or six players who are split into two teams. Each player begins the game with 3 boules and the aim is to hit or get as near to the jack (a smaller wooden ball) as possible. The game ends if either the jack gets knocked out of play or when no team members have any remaining boules. Teams receive one point for each boule that is nearer to the jack than the best placed boule of the opposition. The team who is the first to collect thirteen points wins.

Pétanque is a cheap game to play and attracts players of all ages. It is a very sociable game that brings whole villages together. The French writer Marcel Pagnol poignantly describes how, “Pétanque has a specific rhythm, though it’s a slow one. Pensively we drink a glass of pastis, we bend the knees, the ball goes up in the air with a long curve, it falls on the ground and rolls with a gentle screech to the place where it stands still”.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

French Cuisine

August 5, 2010

One of the major attractions to tourists of visiting France is the broad range of foods that are available there. France is renowned for producing delicious wines and cheeses and local produce is very influential on the    cuisine of each different region. Provence food is generally very healthy with plenty of fish, vegetables, fruit and olive oil. When visiting Provence, the markets in Lorgues, on Tuesdays and in Le Muy on Thursdays and Sundays, are a fantastic way to sample fresh foods that you can cook yourself.

Areas of France which border on to other countries such as Germany and Italy tend to eat food that is influenced by their neighbours. The same goes for regions which have a high population of North African immigrants.

When eating out, the best approach to choosing restaurants is to take note of where the locals eat. You will then be more or less guaranteed to have an authentic and enjoyable meal. Because there is such a vast array of food to choose from there is something for everyone.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

The best ways to travel to Provence

July 29, 2010

There are several different transport options to choose from when planning your journey to Provence. If you decide to travel by ferry, there are several different operators that you can go with; Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, LD Lines, Norfolk Line, P&O Ferries and Sea France.

Depending on where your destination is there are several airports if you opt to fly to Provence. Nice Airport is situated just over 7km west from Nice. Most passengers flying to Nice will be headed for the Côte d’Azur. There are excellent transport links by train, TGV, bus and car hire services. Nice also doubles up as Monaco’s airport, with a helicopter service available.

Marseille Airport is 27km north of the city and also good bus, train and TGV links. Toulon-Hyères Airport is 20 minutes on the motorway to Toulon and also has bus and train links. Finally, NÌmes Airport is 20km southeast of NÌmes and there are shuttle buses and car hire services available.

By car, Provence takes between 10 and 12 hours from the Channel ports. Take the Reims-Rhone valley route – A7 autoroute – to Provence and the Côte d’Azur and the Massif Central route – A75 autoroute – to Central Languedoc.

You can travel to the South of France on the Eurostar between London Waterloo or Ashford, Kent to Paris or Lille. At these destinations you can then change to the TGV to complete your journey. From July and September the Eurostar travels between London St Pancras International and Avignon Central. The whole journey takes a mere 6 hours. The Eurostar is great for having the convenience of your car when you are on holiday.

France has some of the best mainline train services in the whole of Europe. The high speed TGV train travels to Avignon, Nîmes, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Toulon, Draguignan-Les Arcs, St-Raphaël, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monte-Carlo, Menton and Lyon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Carcassonne Festival

July 26, 2010

The fabulous Carcassonne festival is on NOW until the end of August 2010. Lots of street fairs, theatre events and big name concerts such as: Bob Dylan, Jamiroquai, Mika, Simple Minds and many others. Visit: www.carcassonne-tourisme.com for more details.  Not to be missed if you are holidaying in the Languedoc!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Brigitte Bardot Exhibition in St Tropez

July 23, 2010

Between 23 June and 31 October 2010 if you are in the Côte d’Azur region of Provence you may enjoy a visit the Brigitte Bardot exhibition taking place in St Tropez. The exhibition is a tribute by St Tropez to Bardot who is often referred to as having ‘discovered’ the town, which is now renowned for attracting famous and ultra rich holidaymakers.

The exhibition is arranged in chronological order and runs through Bardot’s life, beginning at her childhood and including her animal welfare activism, her affection for St Tropez, her love affairs and her career that consisted of approximately 50 films and over 80 songs.

There will be archive documents and some of Bardot’s personal possessions on display as well as chronicling her influence on the design of products, furniture and interior architecture within France and all over the world.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Another week in the Languedoc!

July 21, 2010

I’ve just returned from another brilliant sunny week of searching for lovely holiday rentals in Languedoc Roussillon and to my delight found this superb one – LE MANOIR AU COEUR DE VIGNES .  A fabulous property this, with loads of character, in a village location (shops nearby) in the midst of the beautiful vineyards of the Minervois.  Bookings are already being placed for Summer 2011! (Sue Caddick – Languedoc Roussillon)

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Archives