When friends come to visit France… they will want to see the Eiffel Tower, look at the stain glass windows in the Louvre, peek at the Mona Lisa, go to the bakery to buy a baguette and learn how to say, "Cheers" in French.
When friends come to visit Provence they want to dip their toes in the Mediterranean, climb a thousand stairs up to a perched village, see fields of lavender, buy a baguette and learn how to say, "Cheers" in French.
Of course whether in Paris, Provence or any part of France, one must do the cafe scene.
But when dear friends and family come to visit us in France they usually want to go to the brocante, look out over the cliffs of Cassis, see Annie, pet Stinky Cat and buy a baguette and learn how to say, "Cheers" in French.
Easy to do… except Stinky Cat moved away with my neighbors.
Julia (a blogging friend's friend who I met in Bluffton and who took me crabbing on the May River) and her friend Bill came and stayed with us this week. We ate baguettes, drank wine, saw the Mediterranean completely covered with fog (a first for me), were stuck in a massive traffic jam twice, bought some lavender and went to a brocante.
We walked and walked, and talked and talked throughout Cassis and Aix en Provence.
When friends and family come to visit us they are amazed at the food! They fear they will gain weight, though usually the lose weight from the walking.
When friends and family come to visit us they ask, "What can we bring you?"
For those of you who have come to visit us you know out response, "Maple syrup, or vanilla, or tortillas!"
Food has a way of connecting the dots, happy dots; Family, friends and food around a table is the first and foremost pleasure in visitng France: A baguette, wine and cheese is a delicious start to tasting this country… plus going to the pastry shop and selecting a few desserts amongest the array of mouth watering wonders!
Julia and Bill left today for Paris… I enjoyed every minute of their time with us. They are spending a few days in Paris, then off to Italy.
Where to stay in Provence:
Stella's (a furnished two bedroom apartment with pool, in the heart of Cotignac)
La Madone (furnished apartments in Apt.)
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