Provence from Fayence: Provence Guide

Mons

Mons - what a history! Decimated by plagues, locusts, severe winters and avenging Dukes, Mons and its 1,000+ inhabitants have stuck it out since Roman times. Now, Mons is billed as the "jewel of the Varois". Enjoy the story.

French Riviera: icon to Nigerian tourism

I was deeply touched to read in a Nigerian rag "Tide Online" that the Riviera represented the pinnacle of Nigeria's aspirations for its tourism trade.

Chief Segun Phillips is quite charming in his disingenuity: "He (Chief) urged Nigerian leaders to visit more of France but with their minds and eyes widely open and set on their tourism initiatives...Cannes is one of the indispensable destination for all visitors wishing to discover the French Riviera’s main sights... the tourism centre stretches from the famous croisette with its festival hall, luxury hotels beaches and hills... “Croisette” boulevard as a place where famous actors of the world have left their imprint owning the film festival. ..his trip to France was very successful as he visited many places of interest in company of his colleagues. Phillips wishes that Nigerian policy makers visit some of the foreign nations which have good tourism package, pointing out that such visits could expose them to ideas and learn how to control ocean surge and as well turn it to money spinning venture."

I'm sure he's just being polite.

Côte d’Azur quieter side

I am grateful to Stephen Clarke - author of A Year in the Merde -  who, in his quest for some peaceful & quiet corners of Provence, recommends: "Beyond...the promontory below St Tropez, truly unspoilt coastline is almost impossible to find, so you have to select the most civilised bits." Thankfully, his next civilised bit is past Nice, in Eze. Mr. Clarke completely passes over Fayence and Seillans, which I regard as the "best bits".

He loves it, though: "Nevertheless, for me, the Côte d’Azur does act as a kind of drug. Taking it in July and August is a heady experience, but it can cause side effects such as hot flushes and road rage, not to mention bankruptcy. Out of season, though, as long as the mistral isn’t blowing, it almost always hits the spot. In spring and autumn, it is practically guaranteed to produce a glowing rush of pure wellbeing."

Sebastian Faulks

Sunday Times has a huge "let's plug France" review in the Travel Supplement. Sebastian Faulks provides the lead. "I sometimes think the real France — the one that people love — exists only in the imagination."

I liked the Top 10 answers, which I quote in entirety:

And here, to end with, are some answers to questions from readers. 1 If in doubt, Côtes du Rhone. 2 Juliette Binoche or Sophie Marceau: either would be an excellent choice. 3 Tenez la droite. 4 Reculer pour mieux sauter is not an instruction for frying potatoes. 5 La morue aux truffes at the Dome in Paris or Le tout agneau at the Hôtel Terminus in Cahors. 6 Château Léoville Barton, but Château d’Angludet is better value. 7 Les Enfants du Paradis. 8 Proust, obviously. 9 Cédez le passage, plouc! 10 Bon voyage.

Comment game: please supply the questions one by one and a new answer.

Q1: Generally acceptable and safe wine to order in a restaurant? New Answer: Vacherin.

Davos vs. Cannes

It's World War Three: the World Economic Forum (25th-29th) in Davos coincides with Gourmet Voice in Cannes (26th-29th). Shocking and terrible global planning and a deliberate attempt by world leaders to undermine great cooking. And I would have thought that the services of the key players at the latter would have been imperative at the former.

And... they both have weblogs. Davos Weblog and Cannes Gourmet Voice. The Davos blog is better, though. But I'll be reading Mike Rake's FT-sponsored weblog about Davos. Mr. Rake has a quick wit and a desire to improve the globe: "I go to Davos every year in order to gauge the mood of the key players whose decisions shape the lives of every person on the planet." (Except the top chefs, it would appear).

But, as we suspected, there is no Michelin-starred food in Davos: "After a busy day...I’m off to recover in the best restaurant in Klosters, the neighbouring ski resort." Cannes would be better, I'm sure.

Tanneron mimosa

Tanneron makes it into the news. It's the sort of place you pass through on a Sunday afternoon drive. On top of a hill and on the long way from Cannes to Montauroux (via Auribeau), I had never really considered it. My friend Jill cycles there, which, given the hill, strikes me as lunacy. But...it does make mountains of mimosa, which blooms in spring all over the Riviera.

The NY Times reports that the mimosa harvest in Tanneron in 2005 was so plentiful that Givenchy bought 70% of LMR's stock (LMR in Grasse provides much of the fragrance industry's stock. Givenchy re-issued three of its classic fragrances and upped the quantity of Tanneron's 2005 Mimosa in its Amarige Harvest 2005 to an eye-popping 25%. I am embarrassed to say I could not even tell you what mimosa smells like.

Regarding Tanneron, Provence Beyond says: "As lovely as this region is, Tanneron isn't a typical tourist site...The small central village has a bread shop and grocery store and a couple of cafés. There's even a hairdressers, so you don't have to drive down to the valley to get ready for your evening out." Quietly understated!

Bachelor on the Riviera

Scouring the internet, I read the following about a bachelor who is dating women in Cannes:

"Travis whisks five women off to the romantic French Riviera where they spend a day swimming and jet skiing on a private yacht, and at night try their luck at a private gambling party at the legendary Carlton Hotel in Cannes. Tempers flare when Moana, who previously claimed a lack of interest, suddenly becomes aggressive with the Bachelor, diminishing the time Travis can spend with the rest of the envious women, who lash out at Moana with a barrage of trash-talking. Meanwhile, the jealous ladies do everything in their power to snag Travis' first kiss. Who will be the lucky woman?"

I am terribly excited because Travis is the central character in my own book - City of Liars - and I panic because somebody has swiped my name as I know that Travis would NEVER have developed in that way. But then I discover that Travis is the "hero" of an American reality TV show, which also has a blog I am shocked that these things can happen and yet keen to see the episode. I don't know how he does it, poor Travis.

Wild Provence

I am very excited for fellow writer Meanwhile (a.k.a. Ruth the Cellist) who features in a documentary from the Beeb about the wilder aspects of Provence. It will be a pleasure to put a moving picture to the weblog (or something).

Fayence Life

Found this suite of tools for manipulating one's digital images: one for movie posters and one for magazine covers (actually, a referral from Fraise).

So...I made a magazine cover.

Russell Crowe baby

Russell Crowe - the Australian star of Gladiator and now of Peter Mayle's Good Year - has admitted that he conceived his new born in Bonnieux, Provence, during filming - according to the Mirror. I won't repeat the weak pun, you can see it for yourself even in the URL.

Anyway, must be that Provence air, wine and food.