Driving South - from Lyon to Marsaille

My best and most vivid memories of this trip were of my meals there.

Before this, I must have never really had French food, only inferior renditions of it. Nothing I had ever tried resembled the invigorating and rustic flavours I found in Provence.

The foie gras...

The wine tasting...


...and the cheeses, a whole galore of them. Stinky, gooey, nutty, sweet, savoury, creamy...just trying them out is an excursion in itself.


In Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain describes his initiation to good food when he was a 4th grader, after having his first cold soup - Vichysoisse - on a cruise to France. My initiation to good French food was in Le Mangevins, just around the corner from Cave de Tain l'Hermitage winery. (Turn in from RN7, pass Lyon)

Instantaneously after walking into the cosy little enclave, you'd know that this restauranteur takes his wine seriously. And that, is probably the best reassurance that he will take his food seriously too.

That's me polishing off a plate of very succulent, tasty and earnest lamb shank. And truth betold, I have never liked lamb until then.

Between meals, we trundled along the road, gaping at stretches of wineyards...

and grasslands...

awed by the colours...

the dappled light...

and quaint little villages and farmhouses...


We stopped once in awhile to wander around the cobbled stone, Romanesque towns.

Safely hidden in the village of Vaison la Romaine is a little gem: Au Coquin de Sort. I can just imagine it being a cottage taken right from a French fairy tale.



We scouted around the house and each turn was a surprise. They even have a hammock at the balcony! I love hammocks! How could we not stay at a place with a hammock? So we took all the 3 rooms they had.

Breakfast at Au Coquin was down to earth yet amazing. A selection of home made jams, that went perfectly with crusty home made bread, and a bowl of coffee for dipping. Yum. And did I mention that there was a harpsichord in the dining area? No kidding.

Having tucked in so much good food, it would be cruel to pick a favourite. But for your benefit, I'd say that the meal at Le Boteleur in Vaison la Romaine, was top notch from the entrees to dessert to the last drop of wine. Certainly my personal best. Pleeease try it, it'll do you good.


I was a little bit disappointed with the Boullabaise that everyone touted about in Marsaille, to be honest. Boiled Fish served with savoury fish soup and croutons to me didn't really call for that much of a parade, or funds (€40 per head).

And if you think that you have had enough fancy pansies, then Quick, is the French solution to McDees.

Souvenirs? Other than the bottles of wine, why not try the market at Aix En Provence for something to bring home.

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that we loaded on more good food.

Paris in 24 hours

It has been months since I set foot there, and yet the word Paris still leaves me dreamy eyed.

All you need for the trip is a good guide book, a map, and your Longchamp bag full of ideas, and you are all set to go!

First stop: Lunch at Le Coude Fou where we tucked into excellent steak frites in wine and pork cheek with creamy horseradish sauce. An excellent way to fuel up for a whole day of walking. Other things on the menu looked really tasty too, but we were stuffed by then.

This is a great little bistro just to chill out and soak up the Parisianne atmosphere (whatever you may imagine it to be). There was a tinge of boho style (yet utterly individualist) in their collection of trinkets and paintings (see above) which complements the jazzy tunes and oldies music that were selected.

My favourite garden - the Promenade de Plantee in the Bastille quarter - which is perched on top of an old viaduct. Giving access to the views of Parisian rooftops....

....and amazing looking apartments which I can't afford.

Ile de la Cite - a little islet in the middle of river Seine - is famous for its Berthilion ice creams. I had dark chocolate with vanilla. Very rich and creamy and yummy, but perhaps nothing very different from most good ice creams. I just absolutely enjoyed people watching while having my good looking dessert.

Paris for the first few hours had already swept me off my feet, but this was the place that gave me a world of inspiration. A bookshop of my dreams - Shakespeer & co. An actual person was playing classical music on a piano whilst we were browsing through the shelves. It is a magical place where time just stood still.

The Batobus is a hop-on-hop-off cruise that takes you on a round trip from the Eiffel Tower and back, stopping at most tourist spots. Paris is great to look at by water especially when weather is permitting.

It is definitely more touristy around the river bank compared to Bastille & Marais quarter where it was just fabulous walking about and finding nice surprises at every turning. Sometimes it was a market, sometimes it was rows of cafes, sometimes it was the quaint looking boutiques. The individual stores be it fromageries or patisseries or florists, all had very individual and crafty decorations, it was a treat just to gape at them.

I love this side of Paris, where friends and lovers sit along the river and gaze...

And also the fact that most things look good and taste good and feel good!