Sometimes one likes to see pictures and not read too much text. Thelma San Juan, friend of many years and Inquirer Lifestyle editor, saw a picture book of a journey we took with other lifelong pals to Provence, that beautiful region in the south of France known for its unique, picturesque scenery and gastronomic delights.
Thelma asked me to share the photographs. Perhaps it will serve as a guide for those who wish to visit that wonderful part of the world.
First stop: England
After two days in Abu Dhabi, it was off to England and Ascot. We stayed in the beautiful home of Nene Quimson, and met up with Bobby and Olivia Romulo and Marilou Senn. A few days later the Tambuntings, Marge and Chuching, followed; soon after, Ronnie and Menchu Concepcion. We were just the first wave.
Nene loves entertaining. She has a caring, giving heart. I was just afraid that this time we were just too many, and had to come in “installments.”
There were visits to London and Harrods. We watched plays and musicals; and went to see the castle where the hit TV series “Downton Abbey” is filmed, the castle of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, called Highclere Castle. The original owner, the first Earl, was the discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt. Hence, there is a huge collection of Egyptian artifacts within the castle. Actually, the castle has seen better days and looks a lot more lavish on screen than it does onsite.
We always have a great stay with Nene. Her garden was in autumn bloom and, her food is always so lovingly prepared.
Épernay
Épernay is a commune in the Marne department in northern France, 130 km northeast of Paris. The town sits on the left bank of the Marne River at the extremity of the Cubry Valley, which crosses it. The most famous street in Épernay is the Avenue de Champagne, which features leading champagne manufacturers.
Épernay is best known as the principal “entrepôt” or port city for champagne, which is bottled and kept in large cellars built into the chalk rock on which the town is situated.
We visited Moët et Chandon, bought souvenirs and drank champagne. We toasted to the monk called Dom Perignon, who mixed yeast with white wine and inadvertently gave birth to the bubbly that bears his name. Only wines from this region called Champagne can be called as such.
Dijon
Dijon is the capital of Côte-d’Or and of the Burgundy region of France, home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th centuries. Dijon was a place of tremendous wealth and power and one of the great European centers of art, learning and science.
The Duchy of Burgundy was key in the transformation of medieval times toward early modern Europe. The Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne (Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy) now houses the city hall and a museum of medieval art.
Dijon is also known for its very delicious mustard, and for a great chef called Stéphan Derbord. We had a delicious meal, and after Paris, it was “muy bueno y bastante barato”—very good and not too expensive, considering that it was to be one of our more memorable repasts throughout the trip.
The Burgundy wine we sampled was excellent, quickly giving us a high that sent us giggling to the church and the town hall!
Lyon
Lyon is a city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It was an important area for the production and weaving of silk. In modern times it has developed a reputation as the gastronomy capital of France.
Our most memorable stop in Lyon was Les Halles de Paul Bocuse, a huge edifice with rows upon rows of goodies—sweets, cheeses, hams, oysters and other seafood, and foie gras after foie gras.
After a delicious meal, we proceeded to the Sofitel Lyon Bellecour hotel for a good rest. Our room overlooked the Rhone River. In the evening, we dined at Bouchon des Carnivores.
Tourreau
Tourreau is a quaint little town nestled close to Orange in Provence. We were excited to see the Château de Tourreau, our home for the week.
The website described it as “an exquisite private estate perched above the Rhone Valley.”
We were a group of 32 people who had grown to love our comfort, having planned this trip with great care. As we drove to the Chateau, it looked, well, a bit tired. It may have been grandiose at the time Michael and Ma. Terese Dobb Philips purchased and refurbished it some decades ago, but it looked like it had seen better days. Nonetheless we were determined to enjoy ourselves.
Some in our group settled in the main Chateau. There were those who had to climb steep stairs to the third floor. Others preferred the farm, with its oriental decor and only two floors. Soon it started to feel like home.
We had a private chef, who was English, and who prepared yummy breakfasts and dinners. It was time well-spent, fostering great camaraderie, discovery of haute cuisine, and quaint places.
Les Baux-de-Provence
Les Baux-de-Provence is such a spectacular place! It is atop the Alpilles mountains that has a ruined castle. There are huge outbursts of stone that protrude from the cliffs, giving it a very surreal feel.
The surrounding area looks almost like a moonscape. This is heightened by the mineral-rich rock spurs that jut out of the mountains. The French word for a rocky cliff is baou, hence its name.
These mountains have yielded large amounts of aluminum ore, which explains the numerous quarry sites. The ruined castle is very picturesque.
For our group, there were two important happenings at Baux. The first was a lunch at the famed gastronomic restaurant Oustau de Baumaniere, one-star Michelin restaurant with a five-star hotel. Ada Mabilangan arranged a fixed lunch, and we all enjoyed it.
As an added treat, we went to a quarry site and reveled in the art of Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Their masterpieces were projected onto quarried mountains that had been hollowed out. Seeing the mountains and viewing the paintings against pure white gigantic walls were awesome.
With beautiful classical music accompanying the projections, it was an unexpected highlight of this trip!
Avignon
The Unesco website says that “in the 14th century, the city of Avignon in the south of France was the seat of the papacy. The Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), an austere-looking fortress lavishly decorated by Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti, dominates the city, the surrounding ramparts and the remains of a 12th-century bridge over the Rhone.”
Between 1309 and 1377 during the “Avignon Papacy,” seven successive popes resided in the city. In 1348, Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I of Naples. Papal control persisted until 1791 when, during the French Revolution, it became part of France.
Avignon is also known for its bridge, which inspired the children’s medley “Sous le Pont d’Avignon.”