On Saturday, July 30th, we said good bye to our wonderful friends from Brussles, intending to see one another again some day, and made our way back to the south-west of Provence, this time going to the Montpellier airport. The drive was about 3 hours. We made full circle – we drove through the area we had become so familiar with when we were staying in Mouries. En route, I received word from Brad that he missed his flight leaving Paris because he was late arriving from Montreal (apparently aircraft maintenance issues). Teary eyed, I said my goodbyes to Barbara at the airport (we would miss her a lot), and, odd being without her as my navigating companion, I drove 30 minutes north to Nimes. We would spend the day here, as it is full of ancient history, waiting for word from Brad as to when he would arrive. We still had a drive ahead of us, as tonite we were booked to stay at a chambres d’hotes in Barbaira, a village nearly 2 hours away into an entirely different region of France – Languedoc. It was now around 2pm, and the kids were starving, having not eaten lunch yet. As we pulled into Nimes I learned from Brad that he could not get on a flight into Montpellier at a decent hour, so he would take a train right into Carcassone and arrive 8:30pm. Perfect. We would visit Nimes, then head to Carcassonne in time to meet him.
Nimes is located on the Via Domitia, a Roman road constructed in 118 BCE that connected Italy to Spain. During the time of Emperor Augustus (around the 1st century CE), Nimes had a population of 60,000. Constantine endowed the city with baths (as he did to Arles). Nimes became the seat of the Diocesan Vicar, the chief administrative officer of southern Gaul. It was a very important Roman city until Arles became more prosperous in the 4th and 5th centuries CE. Upon entering Nimes, we were in the incredible layered gardens -- Le Jardin de la Fontaine.
We made our way through the gardens (a long trek for two very hungry and cranky kids… though Charley occupied herself continuing to read, since in the car, Spiderwick Chronicles along the way, not willing to put her book down to look around),
got lost, asked for directions to the vieille ville, and arrived smack in front of one of the best preserved Roman temples in Europe, the Maison Carree, dedicated to the sons of Agrippa and built in 19 BCE. The old city of Nimes was once a Roman “metropolis,” a sprawling and popular city with a huge and complex coliseum to which people came from all over to view gladiators fighting. And the heart of this Roman city was the forum, in the middle of which was this Temple. Only the Emperor and the priests could enter the Temple to talk to deities to ask them about the future. They would then return outside to the masses in the forum with the alleged answers from the gods. Was incredible to stand inside this Temple.
The girls were starving, and so was I, so we stopped at a café for cold drinks, crepes and calamari.
We then made our way through the old winding rues to the coliseum. The old city of Nimes was lovely to walk through. Spanish influence is heavy here, similar to Arles. Along the way we found a wonderful little shop with Spanish dresses, skirts, shirts, accessories. The girls both found Flamenco-style dresses, which were to my surprise reasonably priced! They put them on and walked to the coliseum in their dresses. They were stopped by many for photos.
As we began our long walk back to the car (it was time to make our way to Carcassonne to pick up Brad), we saw an old canal of water that ran into the old city. We then remembered that the Romans built the Pont du Gard aqueduct to move fresh water from a source in Uzes to Nimes. Incredible it was to have been in Uzes the source, then stood at the Pont du Gard, then visit Nimes, the water’s destination at this once incredible Roman city where fresh water flowed into baths and even into some houses at least a thousand years before the middle ages. For me, mind-boggling. But admittedly, I love this stuff – ancient history.
The Temple de Diane sits against the garden, which we passed through again. Details of the architectural décor remain. Giant pillars that once stood lie horizontal. It was all very eerie for me, quite honestly, walking into this place where it is believed the Emperor Augustus once worshipped his favorite goddess - though the use of this "temple" is really unknown. As the Arles tourist office explains, the Temple de Diane is “the most romantic but also the most enigmatic monument in Nimes.” True enough! Not busy with tourists, no attendant, just us walking in and around this space where worshipping occurred approximately 2000 years ago. Incredible really.
It took us 2 hours to drive to Carcassonne. We drove out of Provence, which was a bit sad for me. I thought about all of our incredible adventures here in the last 29 days, and what a very rich and special region Provence is. I felt better, though, as we drove deeper into Languedoc. It’s a wild, less touristed, region. Mountains abound here, but different from the steep, high, mountain gorges with cliffs in Provence. Driving to Carcassonne I saw a vast wilderness with majestic views of rolling mountains that continued as far as I could see and seemed hundreds of miles away. It was a calm and lovely drive – little traffic for a change and sun was setting beautifully ahead of me (blinding me too!).
We arrived at Carcassonne to Dakota’s digestive issues (too much dairy… again… poor thing) and Brad’s train 30 minutes late. We went to a Brasserie across the canal from the train station to wait for Brad, get Dakota to a toilet, and order some dinner for us all (sans frommage). Brad walked out of the train station, across the bridge, and to us spotting us sitting at a table at an open window. We were all so happy to see him. He and I shared a dish traditional and popular in Languedoc – cassoulet – then loaded our rental car for what would be a late arrival (10pm) at our chambres d’hotes waiting for us in Barbaira, just a 10 minute drive away. We had no idea the retreat, the haven, Le Jardin du Barri would be for us.
Sunday July 31st – Thursday August 4th:
We had this beautiful chambers d’hotes – Le Jardin du Barri -- in Barbaira, to ourselves, the girls in one room and Brad and I in another, just across from them, all in the back of the house overlooking the expansive and tranquil gardens. We only shared this lovely home, for 6 nights, with the owners – Philippe and Bruno. We all came to adore and appreciate them both, including their friendly cat Felise and their petit turtle Axel. We slept in the next morning, waking just before breakfast was served to us in the garden.
THIS was a vacation. It was quiet. The gardens were full of flowers, vegetables, bowls of fresh fruit picked from the neighbor’s trees. There was a fish pond, and there were several tables to sit at in the shade or in the sun to eat, write, paint, talk. There was an inviting pool behind the gardens, hidden behind the trees, away from the house, a bit secluded. Most important to us – we were off the beaten path. This little village was quiet. It wasn’t full of people. We had a very difficult time leaving. After breakfast, we lounged, and lounged, and lounged. It was WONDERFUL.
We did get away long enough for a couple of excursions:
· We went to Carcassone for an afternoon. A must as we were right there, 10 minutes away. We were reluctant, as we’re in the height of the high season, and it’s a very popular destination, but we had take the girls. Carcassonne is a huge medieval fortress that is the largest and best preserved in all of Europe with over 50 towers. It’s incredible and expansive. The layers to the fortress is impressive, with a portion of it dating back to ancient Roman period. Also, this is a Cathar fortress, built, as all were, to defend itself. Catharism began around the year 1000 as a deviation from Catholicism, not agreeing with the hierarchy of Catholicism and not believing that Jesus was of divine nature. The Cathars were forced to defend themselves against the Catholic church (and the state), and ultimately, during the crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, they were all executed. A dark piece of history. Here at Carcassonne trials during the Spanish Inquisition occurred. Disturbing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne
To walk through the city, with all its winding cobblestone alleys, is awesome, and also utterly disappointing as the authenticity has been robbed by every possible vendor in France who has established himself or herself here. We happened across a young woman singing accompanied by a young man playing a banjo. They were great, especially the two times she sang Edith Piaf’s “Milord!” Dakota didn’t want to leave them.
It was hot here. Finally, we found warm summer heat. At least today it was. Around 6pm we escaped the crowds and made our way back to our quiet haven where Philippe was making us dinner – cold cucumber soup, ratatouille, bread, delicious frommage, all with superb wine from the region, and a lovely nectarine gallette for dessert. We dined outside from 7pm-10pm, enjoying the evening and our hosts.
· After another morning of lounging, we set off for a hike into the mountains behind the B&B to view Chateau de Miramont, a Cathar castle ruin. We drove half way up, then we hiked up the mountain along a narrow forested path for about an hour. It was just us. No one else. Totally quiet and peaceful.
Weren’t there supposed to be tourists everywhere in the south of France in August? Not here… we found the hidden spot. Languedoc we will return to, no doubt. As we approached a ledge, we noticed giant castle ruins up on the mountain top to the right. We ran up to the ruins. It was absolutely spectacular. These ruins, not restored or commercialized, were strategically set on this mountain overlooking miles and miles of earth below it. The wind blew strong on our faces as we stood on the exterior and took in a panoramic view.
The castle dates back to at least the 11th century. There is an intact room that remains, and it is eerie to walk in.
After sitting for some time in the ruins, soaking it in, just the 4 of us, we made our way back down the mountain.
We stopped at a caveau (or wine cave, or winery) to taste the local wine we hear is so delicious. Chateau Helene, just a couple blocks down from the B&B. We enjoyed the wine, very much, and were shocked to see that the most expensive bottle of those we wanted to buy was 13 euros. Wow good wine is cheap here! Reason enough to move to France. In Provence I also bought delicious inexpensive wines, but this was the best value yet. I do so enjoy Languedoc :-) We then returned to our B&B for swimming and another delicious meal prepared by Philippe (I believe it was quiche and bbq’d duck breast that night, followed by pureed melon parfait, with more delicious local cheese and wine).
· We (reluctantly) gave Philippe a break from cooking for us and we went to Villerouge-Termenes one evening. Villerouge is a medieval village that was a Cathar fortress at one time. It is here where the last “perfect” Cathar, a peasant, was executed in the 1300s as directed by a Catholic archbishop. We walked through the castle, including the tower (clearly used as a prison and/or torture chamber) and the top of the castle where weaponry was utilized (a bit scary as there were no railings to keep you from bending over too far!). After running through the castle, we experienced a fantastic meal – right there in the castle! Again, not too many tourists. In fact, very very few. We dined at a medieval restaurant where the “Rotisseur” researched the authentic ways in which meals were cooked and the food that was served in the 13th century. We were seated at big wooden tables, used a big piece of bread as a plate, used our fingers as forks, and were served by lovely and fair maidens. We drank delicious mead and ate an excellent meal (the girls too!) of roasted quail, carrots, potatoes, and turnips, salad made of herbs with a honey-based dressing, an array of goat cheeses and a delicious cheese-based dessert. We were one of just 5 other tables sat with people in this small restaurant. It was a hidden treasure, clearly. The girls LOVED it – all of it, including eating with their hands of course! We all decided then that we must host a medieval dinner after we return to the US.
· After another wonderful morning lounging at Le Jardin du Barri, we went to Trebes, a nearby little village, where a beautiful swan greeted us.
Then we had lunch at a tapas restaurant (where Dakota ate her first marinated squid and liked it, and Charley ate her first shrimp and liked it). We had to wait until 2:30, for our boat ride on the Canal du Midi, so until then we hung with the bartender while the girls sipped sirop de l’eau and Brad and I had a café. Afterward, on our way to the boat, we noticed the most interesting and playful animals in the water near the walls of the Canal. They looked at first to us like otters, but they weren’t as long, had lots of thick white whiskers, and had a big long rat’s tail. Apparently, these are giant rodents who live playfully in the waters in France. The girls loved watching them. And all the ducks with their babies.
Then to the boat. Canal du Midi was imagined, designed and built by Pierre-Paul Riquet to avoid hostile Barbary pirates in the 17th century. It was intended to connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea for purposes of avoiding the Straight of Gibraltar. The Canal was dug by his employees with shovels! (Though as the story has it he had plenty of employees because he paid them well.) The Canal has a total of 91 lock gates, or locks, to keep water in the Canal and prevent it from flowing out. The Canal is 150 miles long. That was a cool experience for all of us: One portion of the Canal is higher than the other as you approach a “lock.”
So for us, in first entering the lock, we were coming from the lower Canal. Once in the lock, gates are opened on the higher side and water rushes in raising the water in the lock, so our boat raised up to the higher Canal.
The gate was opened and we continued on our way. Cool! The canal ascends and descends a total of 630 feet. That evening we returned to Trebes for dinner to eat pizza along the Canal. Hmmmm…
· One afternoon we surprisingly extracted the girls from the house before noon to go to the sea. We drove about an hour to a lovely and very long beach just south of Narbonne on the Mediterranean coast. (At this point we’re very close to Spain, as it’s just 50 minutes south.) Many people were pouring on to this beach on this hot day. Good thing the beach is a big one! We didn’t feel choked at all. The water was blue blue blue, clear, and beautiful. We swam, lounged, and Brad and the girls built sand structures – a sea serpent, a dolphin and an octopus. Much fun in the sun.
After returning to the B&B, we jumped into the pool then enjoyed another delicious meal made by Philippe – melon slices with jambon Serrano served with a delicious sweet wine similar to port, then quail cooked with nectarines, and of course more excellent local wine and cheese. It was our last night there. I was sad. So were Brad and the girls. It was hard to imagine packing up and leaving the next day. Brad compiled pics he took of the B&B and showed to Philippe and Brune as a slide show along to Edith Piaf’s Hymne A l’Amore, to Philippe and Bruno after dinner. Brought tears to my eyes!
Philippe is a teacher, so he was very helpful with our French, especially through dinner (poor guy, we must have exhausted him). Bruno runs the B&B and the gardens were his magic. We all enjoyed talking to him about his work… and just life J They are both so pleasant to be around. Bruno loves Edith Piaf as we do, so he played her songs and sang along to them. Wonderful to hear in the house. Dakota would dance in the hallway. He lent us his cd, so Dakota and Charley now both have it on their iphones, and they listen and sing sing sing. Now that’s a heartbreaking story (similar I think to Frida Kahlo in some ways) – I need to try to find a documentary for the girls re Edith Piaf.
We would so miss this special place and Philippe and Bruno. We hope to see them here again, or in California, some day.
Friday, August 5th – Tuesday, August 9th:
After another peaceful breakfast in the gardens at Le Jardin du Barri, on Friday August 5th we packed up, said our sad goodbyes to Philippe and Bruno around 11:30am, and drove toward Bordeaux. We first stopped in a little village – Labastide d’anjou (near Castelnaudary) -- near the Canal du Midi for the famous cassoulet served at the Hotel Etienne. The village was empty, except the gardens at the Hotel Etienne was full of people waiting to be served their cassoulet. This area is particularly famous for the dish. The women served it to soldiers during the way – white beans, duck, lardon and deliciousness. It’s cooked in a very specific piece of pottery, traditionally made. Dakota, Brad and I filled our bellies with cassoulet (though Charley opted for her preferred grilled saucisse).
We then went to the Freres Not Poterie workshop which was, lucky for us, located just down the road, in Mas Saintes Puelles. These four brothers (named Not) now make traditional pottery with old tools apparently dating back to the middle ages. This business has been in the family 1830. Their workshop was incredible. This was old school pottery, and they, and everything, was covered in clay. We loved watching them, and their finished pottery was beautiful, including the many cassoulet dishes. If only I could afford to ship back everything I saw. I bought a water pitcher hoping I can figure out a way to get it safely back to the US.
Then, back into the car to Bordeaux. We arrived at Gregory and Christine’s house around 6:30pm. Was good to see them all. The kids rolled right into an evening of playing as soon as they all saw each other – playing in French! Last time the girls saw Edgar and Iris they were just ramping up in their French. Now, as Gregory says, they’re fluent. Super! Nearly a year of immersion and we’ve accomplished our goal. The girls can speak another language. We’re still struggling… Anyway, I digress: We enjoyed a cold beer together, good Bordeaux wine (of course) with bbq’d duck breast and Christine’s potatoes and zucchini au gratin. We also broke open the bottle of wine I brought back from Provence, which was also delicious. It was nearly midnight when we all got into bed, exhausted from a full day. Tomorrow evening, Gregory and Christine and the kids would leave by train to catch their flight the next day from Paris to SFO to stay in our house for 3 weeks in August.
The next day, Saturday, Brad was up early to clean out the very dirty rental car we had lived in for over a month. After a simple breakfast, including fresh bread from their favorite boulangerie, Brad and Gregory returned the rental car and the kids played played played. After a leisurely morning and a walk in the huge park nearby – Parc Bordelaise – it began to rain. We returned to the house just in time to get the Duquesne’s to their train. We said good bye and began our stay in the Duquesne house, strangely this time without them.
While Brad was taking the Duquesne’s to the train station, we were lucky enough to meet their neighbors -- Jacques and Francoise -- who had three daughters, one 9 yrs, one 15 yrs and one 19 yrs. The 15 yr old, Lucille, agreed to have French-speaking playdates with the girls. Perfect! So Sunday morning she came over and Brad and I went to the wonderful Bordeaux market on the quai. One of our favorite markets. Was nice to finally spend time just the two of us.
Brad took the girls to the park. I made ratatouille for dinner (thank you, Fraser!). And we just slowed down and hung out. For the next couple of days we did a lot of just that. One day we all went for a walk through our old stomping grounds – center ville. We all adore that area. We reminisced about all the experiences we had here last winter. One evening Jacques and Francoise had us for dinner in their inviting garden. Also very nice. Life is good!
