Day 5
Up and out early today; we had an appointment to change the car.
Woke up to a dense fog, eggs for breakfast and out at 9:15. It was a rather chilly drive to Avignon - about 45 degrees with a window open. Yikes.
We go the the Avignon TGV station about 10:15 and had no problem exchanging our car in French. The woman was very nice.
Woke up to a dense fog, eggs for breakfast and out at 9:15. It was a rather chilly drive to Avignon - about 45 degrees with a window open. Yikes.
We go the the Avignon TGV station about 10:15 and had no problem exchanging our car in French. The woman was very nice.
While we were awaiting the car's arrival I went inside the TGV station to go to the bathroom and ran into a typical French paradox. Here we are in a major symbol of France's technological sophistication and I have to pay 50 cents to a woman to take a leak. Gimme a break. Trains are arriving at 200 MPH but the only way in is via 20 steps with no handrails. I guess the old and handicapped don't use the TGV. And the front auto entrance is through 2 huge metal gates that allow one car in and 1 car out at a time. Come on!
Anyway since we were in Avignon (in an unscratched car, with working radio and window) we went to the Palais de Papes, where the Popes lived when there was a schism in Rome in the 1300's.
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The huge building is 100% intact, built on the backs of countless peasants who were dying of the plague while the Popes and Cardinals enjoyed the good life inside. Our electronic tour guide described the documented party supplies for one papal coronation - several hundred oxen & cattle, 1000 geese, 3000 chickens, 50,000 carp, 1000 sheep, the list goes on and on.
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The place was like a huge Stairmaster, we ate lunch of cheese sandwiches in a tiny one man cafeteria atop one tower about 8 stories up. Nice view.
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After the palace, we did a quick walk around the Place de Horlogue where Kristen went on a carousel, followed by a drive-by of the Pont Bezenet, the half bridge in the Rhone of the French nursery rhyme "Sur le Pont D'Avignon, on y danse"...
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Then up to Chateauneuf de Pape stopping on the way for Kristen to have a Happy Meal at McDonald's and play on their playground.
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Chateauneuf de Pape is the home of yet another (ruined) papal stronghold, when another round of Popes split from the Avignon crowd. But more importantly, the wine, made from a mix of 13 grape varieties. We walked around the chateau but didn't sample the wine - it doesn't really mix with Kristen or a 1 hour drive home.
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We got to Lacoste around 4:00, and decided to scope out Mariette's mother-in-law's restaurant (Café de Sade) for dinner later. As we pulled into a parking spot in the town square, who pulled in behind us but Mariette and her 2 boys 1 1/2 and 3. The 3 year old was throwing a tantrum, a daily occurrence. We kissed Mariette hello (3 times each) and talked for about a 1/2 hour as we made our way slowly towards the restaurant. Slowly because Mariette of course knows everyone and many people stuck their heads out of doors to see who was throwing the tantrum. And to offer advice (a good-natured "give me a week with him and he'll never to that again") and to talk with friends, etc. a 100 yard walk took 30 minutes. We went in the restaurant with her but found that this time of year only lunch is served.
We bid Mariette farewell with more kisses and explored the steep streets of the town. Nice cobblestoned streets, dogs running around, cars impossibly parked, beautiful views.
Then home for a glass of wine, and the diary, Jill called her folks, Kristen watching TV. Tonight dinner at 7:30 in Bonnieux... I hope tonight's dinner is good, so far the food has been nothing to write home about except my fish soup.
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Unfortunately another culinary letdown... we went to Bonnieux to the restaurant we had picked out, entered the well-decorated bar area and asked for a table. Madame said it was not possible, they were closed for a private party. "Demain soir?", I asked. No, they don't open for dinner until December. Bummer. So we drove up the hill, and even the pizzeria was closed.
The Hotel Cesar was open, but we had just eaten there for lunch yesterday, so I decided we should try to find a country house / hotel I remembered being 2 km south of Bonnieux towards Lourmarin.
After 6 km of driving on winding roads (pitch dark) we finally saw the sign and headed down the rutted dirt drive. It was a member of a high end hotel association, but in the dark the driveway was not welcoming. We wimped out and turned around, stalling the car because the ruts were so deep. L'Augerge D'Aigbrun turned out to be pretty well rated in the Michelin Red Guide, but our hunch was right - it's closed Tuesdays anyway.
So it was back to the only game in town - Hotel Cesar, where the waiter greeted us, remembering us from the previous day.
There were only a couple of other folks in the place and unfortunately the menu was the same as at the prior day's lunch. At least I got to have the fish soup again, Jill a salad, and both an OK lamb daube. Kristen gorged on frites again, chocolate cake and apple tart for dessert. At 76€, overpriced with wine. I left a 5€ tip since I had forgotten him at lunch the day before. Home and bed after looking at the stars, unfortunately washed out by a bright 3/4 moon.
Day 6 >>>
Then home for a glass of wine, and the diary, Jill called her folks, Kristen watching TV. Tonight dinner at 7:30 in Bonnieux... I hope tonight's dinner is good, so far the food has been nothing to write home about except my fish soup.
...
Unfortunately another culinary letdown... we went to Bonnieux to the restaurant we had picked out, entered the well-decorated bar area and asked for a table. Madame said it was not possible, they were closed for a private party. "Demain soir?", I asked. No, they don't open for dinner until December. Bummer. So we drove up the hill, and even the pizzeria was closed.
The Hotel Cesar was open, but we had just eaten there for lunch yesterday, so I decided we should try to find a country house / hotel I remembered being 2 km south of Bonnieux towards Lourmarin.
After 6 km of driving on winding roads (pitch dark) we finally saw the sign and headed down the rutted dirt drive. It was a member of a high end hotel association, but in the dark the driveway was not welcoming. We wimped out and turned around, stalling the car because the ruts were so deep. L'Augerge D'Aigbrun turned out to be pretty well rated in the Michelin Red Guide, but our hunch was right - it's closed Tuesdays anyway.
So it was back to the only game in town - Hotel Cesar, where the waiter greeted us, remembering us from the previous day.
There were only a couple of other folks in the place and unfortunately the menu was the same as at the prior day's lunch. At least I got to have the fish soup again, Jill a salad, and both an OK lamb daube. Kristen gorged on frites again, chocolate cake and apple tart for dessert. At 76€, overpriced with wine. I left a 5€ tip since I had forgotten him at lunch the day before. Home and bed after looking at the stars, unfortunately washed out by a bright 3/4 moon.
Day 6 >>>
