Deux Chevaux
8 x 10 felt pens on paper
Carqueiranne, France
Lettre de Provence #3
11 mars, 02
Yesterday, a Sunday, was probably the best day of the year for weather - sunny and warm all over France. It was great to see everyone out (and their dog...). We had a wonderful day in Cassis. Although it’s fairly close to Bandol, we hadn’t been there before. Beautiful vinyard country and then you come across this wonderful port and beach town - very charming, lots for the eye to see. We started by seeing an exhibition of a local Cassis artist whose style I really liked - naive, provençale scenes - also a number of rather jarring religious scenes in quite a different style (these were priced at over double the other paintings - I guess salvation still comes at a cost).
There are also the highest cliffs in Europe in this region and they can be viewed from the port. In Ireland, we also saw the highest cliffs in Europe apparently. These in France are very white and not quite as rugged looking. Something about the North Atlantic as opposed to the peaceful Mediterranean. In Ireland we had a quite scary experience (Susan and Alan, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten it!) in a small boat trying to see these cliffs from the ocean. Our guidebook had recommeded the boat over the “scary” road. Another opportunity to appreciate the power of the ocean. We were going to take a boat to see this cliff and others but lunch “en pleine soleil” stretched to about three hours so we’ll do it in two weeks time when we return. There’s a fabulous restaurant right on the ocean that was completely booked so we’ve made reservations for that Sunday.
We had a a great meal of mussels, shrimp, and prawns washed down with the local white wine - quite renowned but very limited quantities so you almost need to come to the region to get it. People next to us were in rapsody eating their sea urchins and other slimy looking things out of shells. We’ll probably go that route next time. We met a very charming couple from Lyon. They were having squid stuffed with mussels - also looked very good.
Cassis seems to be the place to come on a Sunday and show off your latest outfit. The women were especially elegantly dressed. There were even a number of children and retired folks in swimming. It was about 30 degreees in the sun. We spoke to these older folks and aksed them about the water temperature - about 12 degrees. We’re not wimps about ocean temp but that’s a little chilly for us. They said you get used to it. The summer temp of the ocean is just perfect for us...around 20 degrees.
We came back via Bandol hoping the Hotel Splendid might be open but it was still closed for the season. Very pleasant to see the area again anyway....Annette, Chris and Susan....the Splendid retains its charm.
The other day we drove up to Menton. We enjoyed Menton very much and particularly the Italian influence. It is only a matter of miles from Italy. We heard lots of Italian and it really has whetted our appetite for Italy. We ate in an Italian restaurant. Jim had some wonderful veal and spaghetti and I had “fritures” - tiny fried fish to die for. Monique, we hadn’t had these in France since you introduced them to us in the lakeside restaurant in Annecy. We did have them in Whistler once and tried to have them again, didn’t we, Don and Elaine? I’m sure you remember that dinner well...no friture, Jim forgot his wallet, salt rimming the Spanish coffee, etc.
I’m sure we were seated across from the Mafia (could it be my imagination...I had been reading about the Mafia presence in that area...) One older man did all the talking to a younger man who kept asking about “protection”. The older man was flanked by a thuggish looking fellow who said nothing and ate numerous plates of frites. Ah...the intrigue...(and this was before I started watching The Sopranos). It was a very unpleasant drive, though. Too far in one day and Jim insisted on barelling along in our little car at 85-90 miles an hour. Many people going faster but also many going slower. It’s too fast really. We’re going to drive slower in future. Maintaining the autoroute speed means driving quite aggressively and weaving in and out a lot. Combine that with very high terrain and tunnels and I begin to feel very uncomfortable. Trucks, cars, and motorcycles passing and whatever in these tunnels. The reopening of the Mont Blanc tunnel after three years in the news all week (very serious accident with 39 dead 3 years ago) but seemed to have no effect of driving habits in these tunnels.
We did drive the coast route back through Monaco and Monte Carlo. Patty and Terry, it brought back many pleasant memories of that trip we took with you that day in the convertible. Richard, we didn’t see many fancy cars coming back from the Casino this time. Perhaps that’s more a summertime thing.
