Mr and Mrs Rambler have never been to rural France together.This spring we decided to spend 10 days in Provence.
easyJet flies direct from Newcastle to Nice- a splendid starting point. We had booked via the Logis de France website the first couple of days in a small village-Saint Vallier de Thiey- twenty of so kilometres north of Grasse. We intended to spend a few days there, pack up and move to another village. But as they say... the best laid plans.....When we arrived, the place was so appealing that we asked if we could extend our stay there. No problem. And the next seven days just shot by.
And with the added benefit of no packing up
The village boasted 1200 inhabitants, four hundred parking spaces, a post office, two bakers, four damned good restaurants and a Sunday market. It is on the "Route Napoleon (now the Route National 85) from Nice to Grenoble.
We were just leaving for our evening meal when this monster had stopped the traffic in the main street and was reversing, with some difficulty into the hotel car park.
It was a magnificently restored 1929 "blower" Bentley. The owner had driven over from the UK to watch, though I think not take part in, the vintage car races that were to take place in Monaco that week-end. It certainly must have been a handful to drive down the RN 85, enormous weight,drum brakes, no power steering, but with the benefit of sat-nav!
The hotel did have a restaurant, but it attracted few local residents and lacked the noisy atmosphere Mr and Mrs Rambler enjoy.
Within a week we had managed to eat our way through plates of salads, carpaggio , steaks, more salads and rabbit stews, washed down with delicious local wine, usually, rose or red.
I have an admission to make! Many years ago whilst still a lad-and probably under age I drank rather too much pastis. The stomach rebelled!. My memory still had the taste imprinted on it. I've never touched the stuff for nigh on forty years.
Mrs Rambler persuaded me to try it again. I took the the first mouthful
with some trepidation,but after the first the rest was too easy Memory
erased!
On Sunday afternoon we watched, what must have been the entire population play boules. Rambler quickly acquired a canine friend! Not my best side I agree!
Our ten days vanished all too quickly. I suspect we'll both be taking the easyJet flight to Nice next year!
By the way, there are more photographs here
easyJet flies direct from Newcastle to Nice- a splendid starting point. We had booked via the Logis de France website the first couple of days in a small village-Saint Vallier de Thiey- twenty of so kilometres north of Grasse. We intended to spend a few days there, pack up and move to another village. But as they say... the best laid plans.....When we arrived, the place was so appealing that we asked if we could extend our stay there. No problem. And the next seven days just shot by.
And with the added benefit of no packing up
The village boasted 1200 inhabitants, four hundred parking spaces, a post office, two bakers, four damned good restaurants and a Sunday market. It is on the "Route Napoleon (now the Route National 85) from Nice to Grenoble.
We were just leaving for our evening meal when this monster had stopped the traffic in the main street and was reversing, with some difficulty into the hotel car park.
It was a magnificently restored 1929 "blower" Bentley. The owner had driven over from the UK to watch, though I think not take part in, the vintage car races that were to take place in Monaco that week-end. It certainly must have been a handful to drive down the RN 85, enormous weight,drum brakes, no power steering, but with the benefit of sat-nav!
The hotel did have a restaurant, but it attracted few local residents and lacked the noisy atmosphere Mr and Mrs Rambler enjoy.
Within a week we had managed to eat our way through plates of salads, carpaggio , steaks, more salads and rabbit stews, washed down with delicious local wine, usually, rose or red.
I have an admission to make! Many years ago whilst still a lad-and probably under age I drank rather too much pastis. The stomach rebelled!. My memory still had the taste imprinted on it. I've never touched the stuff for nigh on forty years.
On Sunday afternoon we watched, what must have been the entire population play boules. Rambler quickly acquired a canine friend! Not my best side I agree!
Our ten days vanished all too quickly. I suspect we'll both be taking the easyJet flight to Nice next year!
By the way, there are more photographs here
'I took the the first mouthful with some trepidation, but after the first the rest was too easy Memory erased!'
A kind of reverse Proustian effect?
Next year try Carcassonne in Cathar country. Flights from Stansted.
Posted by: Barrie England | 25 May 2008 at 08:34 AM