tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8571235677748361042024-03-14T05:38:36.146+01:00Six Weeks in ProvenceTwo years in a row, my wife and I have rented an apartment in Aix-en-Provence, France, with the aim of giving our girls, six, eight, and on the first trip, 15 years old, more exposure to the language and culture. Since we're here long enough to learn by trial and error, this blog aims to capture the best parts of the experience.Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-5169883640305781152011-06-10T19:31:00.004+02:002011-06-10T19:35:40.308+02:00Cassis Overview<p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >We had such a great time in Cassis that I didn't update my blog. I looked up a note I wrote about it for a friend and thought I'd post it. This is from 2009:</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >We had a wonderful trip in Cassis. We made it back to Aix a couple of times, too. In Cassis, I rented a kayak and paddled out to the Calanques, which I enjoyed so much I did it again and again. They have double kayaks and it would have been great persuading my wife to take another kayak and our two girls, but I couldn't convince her to do so, even though it would have been just fine. (If that is of interest to you, the kayak rental place is on the left side of Cassis' main beach as you are facing the water.)</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Our favorite Cassis restaurant with no view was "Restaurant Le Chaudron" at 4 Rue Adolphe Thiers. Not too expensive, but not a bargain, either. Still, we liked it better than Fleurs de Thym, which is a lot more expensive. What was a bargain, great food reasonably priced is Restaurant Le Bonaparte at 14 Rue Gen Bonaparte (04 42 01 80 84). I learned to get the fish soup everywhere, which is really wonderful all over Cassis. They serve it with little toasts on which you put the accompanying saffron spread and either put them in your bowl before the soup goes in or dunk them in. The waterfront restaurants are more expensive and crowded. The only one to go to is Chez Gilbert at 19 Quai des Baux (04 42 01 28 14) which is actually quite good.</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >For a special dinner, Hotel Restaurant Les Roches Blanches is great. Out around the right, past the smaller beach, it is at 9 Avenue Des Calanques (04 42 01 09 30). Amazing view and superb food.</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >My girls loved the little white train in Cassis, which goes from the square not far from the kayak place. One of the excursion boats is fun to see the calanques (the limestone fjords) if kayaking is too, er, adventurous. I don't think any is much better than the other, but our experience is limited.</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I enjoyed driving up to the cliffs on Le Route des Cretes (though La Ciotat is a waste of time) and over. Incredible views.</span></p>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-19544713821960688012009-06-23T02:12:00.002+02:002009-06-23T02:14:49.669+02:00Back to CassisOn Friday, we'll be staying in Cassis for a month. Of course, we'll head to Aix and give updates on our favorite restaurants there, as well as new ones in Cassis! See you, faithful readers, soon!Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-68889185555311022042008-07-16T08:56:00.005+02:002008-07-16T09:56:06.213+02:00Lunch In The Land Of The $1.60 Euro<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The dollar hit a new low relative to the euro yesterday: it now costs $1.60 to buy one euro, and it is impossible not to be aware of that. It isn't a surprise why we don't see any other Americans here.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I thought it might be interesting to break down how we spent $123.00 on a modest lunch:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We decided to go to a new restaurant with an interior terrace that we had noticed while walking around: "Laurane et Sa Maison" (16 rue Victor Leydey, 04 42 93 02 03). We showed up at 12:50 pm, so were the first ones there. A modest place with a pleasant enclosed courtyard decorated in part with little blackboards each saying "hello" in a different language.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We sat down, were handed menus, and were asked what we wanted to drink. They didn't have Orangina (Nicki's favorite) or syrups (Ari's typical choice -- like an Italian soda) but they had quite a selection of juices. So we ordered one for each girl: 4 euros each, or almost $13. Stri and I ordered a bottle of Pelligrino: 4.6 euro, or $7.30.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The girls weren't hungry -- they'd made and eaten crepes as part of their morning activity at the children's bookstore up the street -- so we asked for a dish of pasta to be split between them. For that, they charged just 5 euro each, or $16.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">There were two lunch prices, each with various choices, and a few stand alone salads. Stri and I ordered the more modest lunch, both choosing the chicken, for 18 euro each, or almost $27 per person. We had half a bottle of wine, an inexpensive Rose, for 11.50 euro or $17.50, and ordered one dessert, which they didn't charge us for. Then two very small coffees ('noisettes' -- one shot of espresso and a tiny bit of milk) for two euro or $3.20 each.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We got the bill, 74.10 euro, or $117.80, plus we left three euros on the table. Total: 77.10 euro, or $123. And the girls split a bowl of pasta! I'm not trying to pick on the restaurant: Laurane et Sa Maison was pleasant and priced very similarly to other restaurants. By the time we left, the restaurant was pretty full of mainly locals. This is more an illustration of the impact of an unfavorable exchange rate.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-52159144916022899052008-07-14T14:54:00.005+02:002008-07-16T09:57:21.239+02:00First Week Back Restaurant Review<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">At just over one week back in town, we've now returned to some of our favorite haunts, and I'm happy to report that there have been few changes. A few places that didn't offer lunch now do, a good thing, though an indication of a slowing economy. Prices in euros haven't changed much, but even a small change plus the deterioration in the dollar has made everything seem expensive.<br /><br />Dining at Mitch (26 Rue des Tanneurs, telephone 04 42 26 63 08), reminded me why I called it one of the best contemporary restaurants in Aix (</span><a href="http://sixweeksinprovence.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-contemporary-restaurants-in-aix-en.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">http://sixweeksinprovence.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-contemporary-restaurants-in-aix-en.html</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">) and it remains a prime people watching spot that combines well-presented food, comfortable seating, and friendly service. The 25 Euro meal that combines appetizer, main course, and dessert almost merits bargain status. I had to have the foie gras, which was excellent, and beautifully presented, and the lamb, which was long strips bound in string, perfectly cooked, so I had the more expensive menu (45 Euro) which may not have been a bargain but was worth it.<br /><br />This is somewhat in contrast to La Bouddoir right across the street from Mitch. Dinner there was a disappointment, with lackluster service and mediocre food. Oh well. I found the attitude of our waitperson to be quite amusing. She just oozed attitude, which perhaps she thought she could get away with because she was quite attractive. When I pointed out that my rather tough steak was still cold in the middle ("bleu" or very rare, rather than "saignant," rare tending toward medium rare), she whisked it away without a word and brought it back five minutes later again without a word. I smiled, said "merci" in my atrocious accent, but if anything, the angle of her nose climbed another five degrees.<br /><br />If the steak hadn't been tough, if the accompaniments, while abundant, had been tastier, if the whole experience for four people (two of whom were 6 and 8 years old and shared one order of pasta) with just two drinks and a half bottle of inexpensive wine wasn't almost $200, her attitude might have worked.<br /><br />Edykos (in the Place des Tanneurs), Armenian and Greek food, was just like last year. This is a good thing. The same friendly waitstaff, the same menu, good prices, and enjoyable food. Recommended. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Restaurant 37, another of my "best contemporary restaurants" choices, was also just like we remembered it, though with a different menu. A carpaccio of scallops, salmon, and sea urchin came artfully presented, and the dorade (a white fish) was flakey and tender. I suspect the prices didn't change since last year, so any sticker shock was caused by the dollar's change ...</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I'll cover Chez Grand Mere in a separate post, but just note here that it remains the place I'd suggest if you had only one night in Aix and want to eat "en terrasse" (outside) and have great traditional food.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-18755667328532285582008-07-14T14:32:00.003+02:002008-07-14T14:54:19.785+02:00Lunch on Cours Mirabeau: Cafe Terminus<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Cours Mirabeau is considered one of the most beautiful streets in France and therefore anywhere. It's true; wide sidewalks, beautiful trees, classic buildings, a series of fountains, little (and often no) traffic, with La Rotunde, a magnificent fountain at one end, make the "no trip to Aix is complete without seeing ..." cliche apply to a stroll down Cours Mirabeau.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">However, the cafés on Cours Mirabeau are too touristy to be worth visiting, except for Les Deux Garcons, the storied hangout of Cezanne and others, and then only for coffee. (Les Deux Garcons, 53 Cours Mirabeau, 04 42 26 00 51) That way you can say you've been there, waiting only for your relatives from some flyover state to extol the overpriced food and abyssmal service.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">If you're going to eat on Cours Mirabeau, go to the very end opposite La Rotunde and eat at Cafe Terminus (Cafe Terminus, 58 Course Mirabeau, 04 42 27 69 25) which is just far enough from the hubbub to be authentique. You'll find an interesting mix of tourists, shoppers, and locals eating typical brasserie food. The salads are quite good, and the girls were glad that pizza was available. Recommended.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-48730795269027399052008-07-08T19:15:00.000+02:002008-07-08T19:25:39.720+02:00Children's sculpting class at Musée Granet<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Last year, we didn't find out until too late that there is a children's sculpting class at Musée Granet (</span><a href="http://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">http://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">) so this year, we made arrangements while still in the U.S. by calling them at +33 (0)4 42 52 87 97. The people who answer the phone speak English. From 9:30 until noon, with two instructors for about 15 children, for only 5 euro per child per day. Our girls loved it and want to go back all week. This must count as one of the biggest bargains in quality instruction and child care in the area.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-3263209676092268662008-07-08T18:55:00.000+02:002008-07-08T19:11:04.497+02:00Chez Mathé<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">On our first full day back, we returned to Chez Mathé at 14 Rue Felibre Gault (tel. 04 42 27 35 27) for lunch. The interior no longer smells like fresh paint and a few additional decorations make it even more comfortable. Mathé is just as charming as ever, and remembered our girls, now 6 and 8, but she is running the front of the house by herself, so the service was a bit rushed and uneven as she juggled too many tables. But the food remained high quality and reasonably priced; my lamb was cooked beautifully, my wife's salmon and avocado salad was fresh and generously proportioned, and the children enjoyed their food as well. Recommended.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-27558845226964583852008-07-08T18:45:00.002+02:002008-07-08T19:37:00.101+02:00Back in Aix in 2008<p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We arrived back in the same apartment on Rue D'Entrecasteux for a stay through the end of July, so I'll update our restaurant reviews and check out some new ones. I just got a bike today, a very nice 'course' or road bike for a what-couldn't-be-called-a-bargain price of 160 Euro for three weeks. More soon!</span></p>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-3007228558907587832007-08-15T18:14:00.000+02:002007-08-20T15:30:00.247+02:00Best Restaurant in Aix-en-Provence - Le Formal<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">During our six weeks in Aix-en-Provence, we've been eating out almost every night, giving us a chance to try a large number of restaurants and go back to those that we liked. What a great experience! Aix has many excellent restaurants, and I've written about many that we've been to in other</span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> posts. I've also published a "best of" post that highlights what we like most in categories such as best traditional cuisine or best people-watching.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">But in all our dining experiences in Aix, one restaurant stands out, and clearly merits the designation "The Best Restaurant in Aix-en-Provence":</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Le Formal</strong> </em>(32 rue Espariat - Tel: 33 (0)4 42 27 08 31) is quite a revelation, and given the somewhat obscure location (though close to La Rotonde) and modest signage, I was going to label it a "find," only to learn that it is one of the only restaurants in Aix that is full every single day throughout the year. It is obvious why.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Ambiance</strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After a long, modern, but narrow hallway at street level, you descend into a beautifully lit set of vaulted dining rooms, combining old stone work with modern art and seating. This is the way 'caves' should be, fresh and airy, yet imbued with a sense of age and history. This is a great and unique environment.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong>Food</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On our first visit, we had the tasting menu featuring truffles (49 euro, the highest on the menu) and were stunned with how good it was. Interesting, innovative, complex, flavorful, and truly rewarding, our biggest question was how Michelin could justify not giving a star to a place that so obviously merits it.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On our second visit, we had the "Revolution" menu, at 39 euro, which only confirmed our initial experience. The first course was a "canneloni," really a light shell filled with a delicious goat cheese mousse, topped with a piece of fish, called rouget. It was beautifully presented on a triangular plate drizzled with two different reductions. The next course was a house-made foie gras pate which may be the best I've ever had, again stylishly presented. Then scallops, succulent, flavorful, and fresh, followed by a lamb that is the way lamb should be. To finish, a dessert in three parts that we greatly enjoyed, and a small plate of cookies arrived with the coffee.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong>Service</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">In a word, "impeccable." Undoubtedly inspired by the chef and owner Jean Luc Le Formal's low-key a</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">nd accessible style (he's greeted us warmly both times at the top of the stairs as we left) the wait staff was competent without the least sense of pretension or over-formality. Food was delivered with excellent pacing, and our glasses were re-filled promptly and unobtrusively.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong>Wine</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">A good list, with an adequate but not quite broad enough selection of half bottles, Le Formal is clearly able to accomodate a wide range of wine palates and budgets. The selection of wines in the list was done with care and supports the quality of the dining experience, but doesn't break new ground the way the food does. I think a little more of the restaurant's philosphy and personality could be reflected in the wine list and its presentation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Our experience at Le Formal was more satisfying than the one we had at Clos de la Violette, yet it was less than one third the price. I said in the beginning that I didn't understand why Le Formal has not been given a Michelin star. Perhaps, though, it would stop being a 'find' and a great value and become, instead, a hostage to that rating and acknowledgement. So ignore Michelin stars and have the best dining experience in Aix at Le Formal!<script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />_uacct = "UA-2449714-1";<br />urchinTracker();<br /></script></span></span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-40351081564292234932007-08-15T13:10:00.000+02:002007-08-20T15:31:08.010+02:00Best Contemporary Restaurants in Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">There are some wonderful contemporary restaurants in Aix-en-Provence. In this post I'll review Les 2 Freres, Le Restaurant 37, Le Passage, L'Opera, and Mitch. I reviewed <em>Le Formal</em> in a separate post, calling it the best restaurant in Aix.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><br />Last night we ate at <em><strong>Les 2 Freres</strong></em> at 4 Avenue Reine Astrid (telephone 04 42 27 90 32) which is a ten minute walk from La Rotunde in the direction directly away from the old town. In the middle of a residential district is one of the most stunning examples of modern restaurant design I've seen. Stainless steel, wood, glass, bamboo, great lighting, Philippe Starck chairs, stucco, all artfully integrated. I loved it, as would anyone who is, like me, a charter subscriber to Dwell. The food was excellent, though not as innovative as Le Formal. Still, my lamb was some of the best lamb I've ever had, Stri ordered duck, unusual for her, but she said she liked it, and I greatly enjoyed the playful desserts. They made pasta for the girls, and there was a large open area next to the restaurant they could run in when they couldn't sit any longer. This was a great meal in one of my favorite restaurant designs ever. I wish we had gone earlier because we would have been able to experience it more than once. Highly recommended.<br /><br />Les 2 Freres has a second location in old-town Aix-en-Provence called <em><strong>Le Restaurant 37</strong></em> at 1 Rue Entrecasteaux (</span><a href="http://www.les2freres.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">http://www.les2freres.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">) which features a limited menu that clearly facilitates a focus on quality and innovative presentation. We've gone to Le 37 four times. The soups we had, melon and gazpacho, were wonderfully fresh and beautifully presented. Aubergine wrapped goat cheese was complex and tasty. The main courses - for example, the first time we went we had beef and salmon tartare - were excellent. And the desserts seduced us into finishing them even though we should have stopped because we had eaten everything that came before. Great wine list. Service was good and the decor was comfortable French modern, with draped fabrics, nice lighting, and excellent and rather unique round booths.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Le 37's terrace is large and pleasant, created out of whole cloth from the sidewalk (that is a pun of sorts; they do a great job of walling off the terrace with waist-high fabric), so on those days when you just have to eat outside, and you want high quality, modern food, this is the place to go. Recommended.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Le Passage</strong></em> (10 Rue Villars -- across Cours Mirabeau in the cinema district, tel 04 42 370 900, <a href="http://www.le-passage.fr/">http://www.le-passage.fr/</a>.) A modern three story restaurant (and cooking school, etc., see post) that has the best lunch deal so far: 12 Euro 50 for three courses plus drink. This is the place to go when you want somewhere air-conditioned, great value, good quality food, and close by.<br /><br />The interior is a converted industrial space that clearly has had a tremendous amount of effort put into renovating it, marred only by horrendous spherical lights that I suspect, given the choices displayed in the rest of the decor, are more a consequence of running out of budget than running out of taste. (I'd change out the spindly dried plants, too, but they are not the ambience emergency the lighting is.) Lest you think these comments indicate an unpleasant interior, no, it is more like someone with a great suit that makes the polyester tie they chose really stand out. (In the interests of objectivity, we were just there today for a cooking school, and one of the French woman just volunteered how much she liked the white ball lights. But I stand by my opinion ...)<br /><br />The first time we went there, our youthful server was unable to operate his PDA terminal quickly enough to capture our order, which he therefore got wrong, and he clearly had a memory like a sieve. But the one error was quickly corrected, and the watchful and very involved presence of the manager kept it all on track. I'm not expecting Michelin star level service for 12 Euros 50. The second time, the service was absolutely fine. Recommended.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>L'Opera </strong></em>doesn't have a terrace, so on these hot days, when most everyone wants to eat outside, they are lightly attended. Well, eveyone is missing out. A beautiful modern interior and Provencal food with Moroccan influences, all at a good value, makes this one of the better restaurants in Aix. There is a reason that a couple came in while we were eating and asked the waiter if they could just have dessert and a coffee "to salvage our evening after having a bad experience at one of the restaurants on Cours Mirabeau." (They clearly hadn't read my rules.) The waiter said "you know those restaurants are just for tourists" before graciously seating them. Recommended.<br /><br /><em><strong>Mitch</strong></em> is at 26 Rue des Tanneurs (telephone 04 42 26 63 08), right off the square that has Le Village and Edyko Armenian/Greek. They completely transform their section of street for their outdoor seating, even putting up bamboo screens against the wall across from the restaurant. Mitch is about modern, elegant, and quality dining. The food is excellent and innovative; no pea soup at Mitch. Instead the pea "cappuccino" is served in a tall glass carafe with creme fraiche on the top and a straw. With the addition of some salt, which I seldom feel the need to do, and a little poking with the straw to mix in the creme fraiche, I found it a tasty, even compelling experience. On a different visit, I had ceviche, which was as good as the best ceviche I've had (at Las Ventanas in Mexico). The main courses also had innovative presentation, the wine list was short but good, and I loved the desserts. But it was sometimes hard to concentrate because it was a Saturday night in July at the intersection of two important streets and the Square de Tanneurs, and the tourists smart enough to navigate away from Cours Mirabeau and the locals were walking by in roughly equal numbers, and the people watching was just fantastic. Recommended.<script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />_uacct = "UA-2449714-1";<br />urchinTracker();<br /></script></span></span></p>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-6713348557087469612007-08-15T12:37:00.001+02:002007-08-17T14:58:45.710+02:00Best Traditional Restaurants in Old-town Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We have two favorites. One is <em><strong>Chez Grand-mere</strong></em> at 11 Rue Isolette which was recommended to us by Willy Tourette, one of the pastry chefs at The Passage (which see in Restaurants.) On a charming square, with, no surprise, a fountain (if you've been Aix, you know that there are more fountains in Aix than just about anywhere), this is quintessential terrace dining in Aix. The trilogy of soups was excellent. The "mille feuille" of tomato, egg plant, and mozzarella was fresh and tasty, though there was no pastry - the mille feuille refers to layers of vegetables - and my daube de boeuf (which Willy recommended) was tremendous, a wonderful melding of flavors, presented in a covered metal casserole with adjacent plate. Apparently, their menu tilts more toward the "gastronomic" once the tourists leave. Certainly the kitchen has the ability to reflect whatever trend they wish - their focus on Provencale cuisine is to all of our benefit. If you are here only one night, and want to have the real outdoors Aix experience, go to Chez Grand-mere for dinner. Highly recommended.<br /><br />Our other favorite is <em><strong>Chez Mathe</strong></em> at 14 Rue Felibre Gault (tel. 04 42 27 35 27). Newly opened, it has a light, crisp interior and a few tables outside. Mathe herself presides over the front of the house with great charm, and her presence is one of the reasons we like going there. Another one is that the food is excellent, both high quality and modestly priced. Chez Mathe is very accomodating to children, so if you add all these up, you can see why we keep going back. Highly recommended.<br /><br /><em><strong>Malta</strong></em> is at 28 Place des Tanneurs (tel. 04 42 61 35 19) and used to be a bar / pizzeria, but has become a high quality restaurant with a liquor license. We so enjoyed it that we had dinner there twice in three days. Both times we started with a Mojito that was excellent and our only mixed drinks in our entire stay in Aix. They came with a glow-stick stirrer - one of the reasons the girls wanted to go back the second time. I had a beef with mushroom sauce that was the special, and I cleaned my plate. Stri enjoyed the fish, and the girls had pasta, which made them happy and allowed them to eat enough to have dessert. Recommended.<br /><br /><strong><em>Le</em><em> Basilic Gourmand</em></strong> (6 Rue du Griffon, off Paul Bert, one block west of Marie Curie) is another of the three restaurants found for Aix in the Michelin Green Book. Along a quiet back street that is a not quite nice enough to be called "quaint" is this charming little restaurant offering a traditional menu that pays extra attention to presentation. The waiter props a chalk board with the menu on a nearby chair, and before long, excellent food starts arriving. The seared foie gras was some of the best I've had in Aix, and it automatically came with a glass of Sauterne. The "St. Jacques" and shrimp appetizer was good, though it required a little too much effort to shell the shrimp. My beef was high quality and perfectly cooked. Stri's dorado (like sole) was equally good, but again, she had to expend a little more effort than I did because it was not de-boned. A very limited wine selection, but the Bordeaux we ordered was quite good, and at 21 Euro for 375 ml, reasonably priced for the quality. It was served too warm, though, in a tradition I've noticed throughout France outside of Paris. We went back a second time, with a similar, and equally good experience. Recommended.<br /><br /><em><strong>Le Village</strong></em> is in the Place des Tanneurs and offers high quality Provencal food at reasonable prices. We've gone for both lunch and dinner, and enjoyed it. I had the beef tartare and was given all the condiments, in their original containers, to prepare it just to my liking. It has the feel of authenticity without any fanciness or pretention. Not much accomodation for children -- if they don't like traditional Provencal cooking, they won't find much. Recommended.<br /><br /><em><strong>Les 2 Garcons</strong></em> is an institution, around since the 1700s, in a great location on Cours Mirabeau, arguably the most significant street in Aix. You've got to go there. And have coffee. Then you can say you did, 'cause everyone has to. Cezanne used to hang out there, after all. Otherwise, it is expensive and not at all distinguished in food, service, or presentation.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Le Tire Bouchon</strong></em> (7 Rue Félibre Gaut at Rue des Cordellieres) has a tiny little street-front with a spiral stair-case that descends into a large ancient (Ari says "medieval" but all I know is that it is very old) arched-ceilinged room, well-lit and only slightly smelling of age. The food was very good and quite reasonable, and eating in such an environment stimulates all the "we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto" sentiment of the traveler looking for something different.<br /><br /><em><strong>Le Vielle Auberge</strong>.</em> One of four restaurants for Aix mentioned in the Michelin Green Book, it no longer is in business.<br /></span></span></span><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Jacquou Le Croquant</strong></em> is at 2 Rue de L'Aumone Vielle (04 42 27 37 19) and is open every day for lunch and dinner. We've gone twice, but were somewhat disappointed each time. They have a very charming little courtyard, and the staff is nice, but the food just didn't meet our expections. I had a foie gras that was just OK, and duck, which is their specialty, didn't hit the quality we expected. The salads were modest in size and quality. They did have toys for the children, which is highly unusual in Aix. I wish Jacquou Le Croquant was better, but right at this juncture, I can't recommend it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>L'Amphitryon</strong></em> is at 2 rue P. Doumer, close to tourist central which should have been a clue, but I'd read good things about it so we decided to try it. We were disappointed in the courtyard terrace; it was crowded with sun shades and was not as pleasant as others we'd been in such as Le Riad or Jacquou le Croquant. The food was fine but not great and it was expensive. All in all, I'd give L'Amphitryon a pass.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">When we first got here, we ate at a few of the many places side by side in the Forum des Cardeurs and a couple that look out over the Rotunde, which quickly gave us the determination to find real, non-touristy food in Aix, and we have. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">See also my posts on contemporary restaurants, ethnic ones, and a few restaurants that merited individual reviews.</span></p>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-68188793934305634242007-08-14T17:27:00.001+02:002007-08-14T18:35:46.755+02:00Garmin Nuvi 270 GPS<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Before our trip, I went onto EuropCar's very nice web system for reserving cars and found out that adding a </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">navigation system cost over 250 Euros, so I decided to buy one instead for almost the same amount of money. I got a Garmin Nuvi 270 and it turned out to be an excellent choice.</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsHZC83ZL8I/AAAAAAAAAAc/I-QrPXcAWEA/s1600-h/Garmin+270+JPEG.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098594897881542594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsHZC83ZL8I/AAAAAAAAAAc/I-QrPXcAWEA/s320/Garmin+270+JPEG.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1) We stayed in the old section of Barcelona for a week before coming to Aix, and even our taxi driver couldn't get us to our apartment. But the Garmin did.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2) I'd put it in pedestrian mode and just take off, knowing we could get back to our apartment. I was stunned how often the Garmin got a useful signal from the sliver of sky between the buildings lining the twisty little streets. The biggest problem was that it often knew where we were, but wasn't sure of the heading. I took to using it in "North up" mode.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">3) The first few days in Aix, we didn't even think of leaving the apartment without it, walking all over old town, putting in the addresses of restaurants we wanted to try, and marking things we wanted to go back to as 'favorites.'</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">4) Whenever we want to drive somewhere, the Garmin is incredibly useful. I sometimes have it avoid toll roads, but still take us on the fastest remaining route, which has taken us on picturesque little roads that only take minutes longer.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">5) I remembered how my friend Mahboud had said he'd used a nav system in Germany, in effect hopping from castle to interesting attraction to town, or whatever, and he was right that you can think differently about exploring because you have a nav system.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">6) The 270 has a lot of points of interest in it, but I wish I had bought the Garmin Travel Guide SD card for France. </span><a href="https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=8474"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=8474</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">. Would have been worth the $80.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">7) Riding my bicycle around Aix, I keep the Garmin in my pocket and refer to it periodically. I sometimes look at a Michelin map and find some little town way out on a "D" road and plug it in, start riding in that vague direction, then let the Garmin help me get onto the road I want. Then I'll plug in the garage where I keep the bike and keep riding away until the time it says I'll return is when I'm supposed to be back. Or I'll head out on one road, and then ride in a rough arc with Aix at the center, and let the Garmin give me a new route back.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">8) I wish Garmin made a bicycle mount for the Nuvi 270. I have, and like, a Garmin Edge on my bike (I brought it with me) but the Edge's strong points are the Nuvi 270's weak points (the Edge is good at performance display and data collection and the 270 is good at mapping and route planning.) I felt a little "over-instrumented" with two GPS systems, but together, I kept a record of my trips and got to interesting places.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">9) My only quibbles are few and small: a couple of data errors (our little street is correctly coded as one way, but it is actually one way the other way), no satellite status view like on the Edge (it took a very long time to lock the position the first time I turned it on in Spain), and the algorithm for determining direction of movement is clearly optimized for cars and not walking, which makes 3D view while walking rather less useful. That's it!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">If you want to get the most out of a trip, get a GPS, and I personally recommend the one that I got, the Garmin Nuvi 270.</span></div>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-41305856498706993902007-08-12T13:00:00.000+02:002007-08-17T14:12:53.392+02:00Best of Aix-en-Provence Restaurants List<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">A good number of the restaurants we've tried in our stay here have had some distinctive quality that brings us back, depending on our mood or desires. In this post, I'll list those "best of" qualities. If you want more information on the individual restaurants, see my other posts.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Le Formal (32 rue Espariat ) is the best restaurant in Aix-en-Provence.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Les 2 Freres (4 av. Reine Astrid - 10 minutes walk outside old town) is the best modern restaurant design in Aix-en-Provence and has food consistent with the quality of the environment.<br /><br />Chez Grand-mere (11 Rue Isolette) is the best traditional Provencal restaurant with outdoor seating in Aix-en-Provence.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Le Passage (10 Rue Villars -- across Cours Mirabeau in the cinema district) is the best lunch value in Aix-en-Provence, and an economical modern refuge from touristy cuteness.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Le Riviera (in Hotel Le Pigonnet at 5 Avenue du Pigonnet, </span><a href="http://www.hotelpigonnet.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">www.hotelpigonnet.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">) has the best garden dining in Aix-en-Provence, with truly excellent food.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">La Medina de Fes (5 rue Campra) is the best dinner value in Aix-en-Provence, and some of the finest Moroccan food I've had.<br /><br />Le Restaurant 37 (1 Rue Entrecasteaux) has the best contemporary food served on a terrace in old-town Aix-en-Provence.<br /><br />Mitch (26 Rue des Tanneurs) has the best combination of people watching and good food in Aix-en-Provence.<br /><br />Chez Mathé (14 rue Félibre Gault) is the most welcoming (and most child-friendly, yet still great for adults) restaurant in Aix-en-Provence.</span><br /></span></span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-66668609935801783122007-08-11T14:15:00.000+02:002007-08-17T14:44:45.587+02:00Best Ethnic Restaurants in Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>La Medina de Fes</strong></em> (5 rue Campra, near the Hotel de Ville and around the corner from the Basilic Gourmand, tel. 04 42 21 68 58) merits the designation of a find. This charming little restaurant, with only a few tables outside, specializes in Moroccan food. One brother cooks and the other waits on tables. The vegetable (legume) cous cous is fluffy and flavorful, coming in the traditional pottery with hot vegetables below sending steam into the cous cous above. I got a lamb and apricot tagine that was flawless, perfectly balanced and just delicious. The Moroccan wine was reasonable, but not of the quality of French wines. We had a pastilla dessert, mint tea, even a fig liqueur (which I didn't care for much; it reminded me of grappa.) Then the bill came, and what a pleasant surprise! This is a great little restaurant. Highly recommended.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Once La Medina de Fes closed for its annual vacation, we started going to <em><strong>Le Riad</strong></em>, another Moroccan restaurant, at 21 Rue Lieutaud (tel. 04 42 26 15 79). A modest doorway disguises the large, pleasant restaurant inside, with old stonework, including a special side room with traditional seating, and a charming courtyard large enough to hold 20 or so tables. We found the food to be quite good, perhaps not quite as authentic as La Medina de Fes, but still very enjoyable, enhanced by the pretty and comfortable environment.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong><em>Edyko</em></strong> serves Greek and Armenian food, with a large number of tables outside at the Place des Tanneurs. We ate there three times, twice having the Greek tasting menu with consists of large numbers of small plates. The hardworking and pleasant staff combined with reasonably-priced and high-quality food made this a good experience. Recommended.<br /><br />We didn't go to <em><strong>Yamanota</strong> </em>but we kept hearing it was truly great Japanese restaurant.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-50177279921337968462007-08-10T19:59:00.000+02:002007-08-15T12:46:57.863+02:00Funny Man<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Today I saw Ari and Nicki go right past Funny Man, appearing not to notice that he was making little horns on his head and pointing at Nicki. Perhaps they're getting tired of the game, though they may have been oblivious as six- and seven-year-olds can be.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Funny Man is what the girls call him, and I don't know his real name, though I think Stri does. Our first day here, we arrived in our apartment to an odd assortment of things in the cupboards; a bottle of mint syrup, some random spices, a box of Kellogg's Special K, whatever the last people to stay here didn't consume, and the owners thought shouldn't be thrown away.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I headed out on a shopping expedition, getting turned around in all the narrow old streets and buying milk, water, eggs, cereal, soap in a store many blocks further away than the closest one, which is the one that Funny Man runs. By the time I had carried back my haul, my fingers were white and hurting. Buying water and carrying it for blocks now seems incomprehensible, but on our first day here, it seemed like the right thing to do.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">There are many little grocery stores, tucked in here and there, some associated with a chain such as Vival, and some independent, such as Funny Man's, which carries the grandiose name, repeated twice, of Alimentation General, though the most prominent features are the chicken roaster outside and a large yellow blow-up can of "Dark Dog" energy drink strapped to the door. Funny Man's is open about 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and carries a rather random example of various staples in small sizes and things that might distinguish this store from those just a block or so away. Once, there was a bottle of Canadian maple syrup on the shelves, the first we'd seen, but not again, though they did get more for us later as a favor.<br /><br />Ari's first real independent expedition here in Aix (being seven, and older, she got to go before Nicki) was to go down four flights of stairs, carefully cross the street, walk up to Funny Man's, and get something, I can't remember what. She had to order in French and pay in Euros, and the grin on her face didn't fade for a long time upon returning having successfully accomplished her feat. Stri and I had been watching with both anxiety and pride from the window and but as soon as we heard the downstairs door buzzer, we pretended to be casually unconcerned.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">Here is a picture of the girls on an expedition to get a roast chicken, taken from the window of our apartment.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsGDD83ZL6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/bCj7eToowBU/s1600-h/Funny+Man+market,+edited.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098500357061423010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsGDD83ZL6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/bCj7eToowBU/s320/Funny+Man+market,+edited.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Clearly Funny Man found the girls cute, and would give them candy or a present of fruit even if the girls were just walking by. He would gesture at them, a little angel gesture, making small flapping wings with his hands up near his shoulders alternating with creating a halo with an index finger and then pointing at them. Then he'd gesture to himself and make little horns, like a bull or a devil. Over the weeks, this transmogrified into Funny Man pointing at Nicki and making the bull/devil signs, to which she responds by making the angel signs and pointing to herself, not just once or twice, but with a continuous fluidity possible only by the very young and practiced, almost like a talisman.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Now, even Nicki has gone to Funny Man's on her own, once three times in a row because she kept forgetting something after stubbornly refusing to make or carry a list. Though her neglect may have been intentional to go again a second time, she clearly didn't want to go a third, and it was only because her sister volunteered to go that she mustered the effort to go up and down the stairs again. Now, Stri will say "we need some milk, who's going to Funny Man?" and gets a chorus of "me, me!" in response.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">One of the best things about being in Aix as long as we have is getting to see the texture of life here. I can't imagine Aix without Funny Man hanging out in front of his store, greeting those who walk by, especially anyone here for more than a day or two. I have a feeling the girls, especially Nicky, will be making little angel gestures for years to come.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-32185039888395811812007-08-10T19:47:00.000+02:002007-08-12T21:09:35.673+02:00Another great bike ride in Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">This may have been my favorite yet: I headed out D17 from Centre Ville to Eguilles and kept going on D17, aka Route de Pelissane. Beautiful fields, ruins, corn fields, wineries, and vistas. Long, straight, relatively quiet roads. At Les Quatre Thermes, I turned left on D67 and headed up to the pass, only to be stunned by a beautiful view of the Aix valley, and a swooping road intertwined with an old open canal filled with sparkly water that disappeared periodically into the rock faces decorated with arches and sculpted figures at the keystones. It was different and wonderful. Intertwining above and below the canal, with the view beyond, was magical. At the bottom, I road through Coudoux and headed back into town on D10. About 45 kilometers of pure cycling joy.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-10875377847818584672007-08-10T18:35:00.000+02:002007-08-17T15:00:57.723+02:00Children's Activities Near Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We have two small girls, ages six and seven, and wanted to give them a chance to interact with other children, practice their French, even to learn something. We found three programs, and they participated in them for one week each. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Generally, these programs are for locals, but they've been quite welcoming to us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Oh! Les Papilles</strong></em> is located in old-town Aix at 25 rue des Cordeliers in what is also a children's bookstore (tel. 04 42 93 12 76). They do art, and read, and make a "gouter" or snack, often crepes. It is for children three and older, and they offer two sessions each day during the summer, one from 10 am to noon, and the other from 2:15 to 4:15. Our girls loved it, and it was very convenient, working pretty much as a drop-in program. Sometimes there were four or five children, and sometimes only our two. Convenient location if you're in old town. Recommended.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>Bab'Art</strong> </em>is located at 37 Bd A. Briand, just across the street bordering the North side of the old town, and their phone number is 06 30 17 31 45. The offer classes in art, sculpture, dance (contemporary, hip hop, choreography, etc.), music and theater. Our girls went for a week and had a great experience. They didn't want to leave each day. This program is not offered in August.<br /><br /><em><strong>Maison Lafon</strong></em> is in Luynes, a village about 10 minutes away by car. Once you make the commitment to get the children there, you're rewarded with a program that is small and impressively well-run. Some of the young teens were doing work that amazed me with its quality. Our girls went here for a week, too, and loved it. Their only disappointment was that they didn't get to do mosaic work like the older kids.</span></span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-46033045171757454662007-08-08T18:21:00.000+02:002007-08-12T21:07:50.382+02:00A great bike ride in Provence<span style="font-size:85%;">This ride combined some nice vertical, beautiful views of the wine country of Provence, and good cycling roads. Total about 40 km, and 1870 feet total ascent.<br /><br />I left Aix-en-Provence on D7 (aka Route d'Avignon) toward Eguilles, and right as I got to the town limits, went right on D543 toward Rognes, and after a quick detour to ride around Rognes (which is a cute and very quiet little village), headed out of the big roundabout outside Rognes on D15 and almost immediately turned right onto D14 (aka Route de Beaulieu) which goes right by the Beaulieu winery. Through the outskirts of Puyricard (where the wonderful chocolatier is based) and swooped into Aix on D14.<br /><br />Gorgeous and fun.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-3517696795341594882007-08-08T14:22:00.001+02:002007-08-15T11:52:45.466+02:00Le Riviera (Hotel Le Pigonnet)<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Last night, we went to Le Riviera, the restaurant associated with Hotel Le Pigonnet (5 avenue de Pigonnet, </span><a href="http://www.hotelpigonnet.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">www.hotelpigonnet.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, +33 (0)4 42 59 02 90), that was recommended to us multiple times, most recently by a woman whose charming five-year-old daughter, Meela, was in one of our cooking classes. We had a great time. We were seated in a very beautiful garden for our 8:30 reservations, and given the beauty of the setting and quality of the food, I wasn't surprised at all that the restaurant was full by 9:15 or so. This restaurant is not within walking distance of old-town Aix, especially in dinner attire, though it is only a five or six minute drive.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">After an amuse bouche of crab that was fine but not stunning, I had a foie gras terrine that included a savory version of creme brulee and Stri had 'canneloni' with a leek theme that included a little glass of warm foamy soup. There were both very nicely presented on black slate, and we greatly enjoyed them. My beef main course was some of the best beef I've had in Aix, cooked perfectly medium rare (if that is what you like, order your meat "seen-yon") with some excellent seared foie gras alongside. Stri enjoyed her turbot.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">When we were handed the dessert card, one choice mentioned 'tomate.' We asked our waiter if it really was tomator and he </span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">said it was. So we decided to order it (to share, as is our custom), rather than go for the safe choice of chocolate, and I'm very glad we did. It was both delicious and fun, and made me wish we also tried the one based on beets. What arrived was a sweetened tomato terrine topped by a lighter, and also sweetened, tomato mousse, drizzled with a tomato sauce which had some additional ingrediants that I had trouble identifying but definitely worked. Even if this was served in a normal way, I would have been happy and impressed. But when the waiter walked over, the dessert was emitting a fog! The tapered glass container with the dessert was placed in another glass bowl that had dry ice and water in it, that both kept it cool and looked good.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Wine is another strong point. I was impressed at the number of quality half bottles on the wine list. We were able to find a very reasonable Chez Simone white and a '95 of one of the La Tour winerys' reds in 375 ml.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I would only change two things: 1) Service: overall, the service was quite good, but our waiter consistently didn't notice that our wine glasses were empty. The bottles were within easy reach on a service table, so this wasn't much of a hardship, but it wasn't consistent with the quality of the restaurant. 2) Lighting in the garden. The beautiful garden was well-lit at night, but the quality of the lighting design detracted somewhat. The lights along the main walkway were too blue and made the foliage look false. I counted four different lighting technologies used in the garden (incandescent, halogen, CFL, and metal vapor/halide - the ones that were too blue.) It wouldn't take much to fix this. We went for a walk in the garden after dinner, encouraged by the Maitre D', which was a perfect ending to a great evening.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We spent slightly over 200 Euro for the two of us, all up, and there was no doubt in our mind that we enjoyed it more than Clos de la Violette in every respect. It was good enough that we even compared it to Le Formal in our post-dinner conversation, but Le Formal's more innovative and modern cuisine keep it at the top of the list. Still, we highly recommend Le Riviera.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">By the way, Hotel Pigonnet seems like a great place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. The building is an old Bastide, or summer mansion, that has the combination of age, quality, and attention that is hard to duplicate, the location is excellent, being both close to everything and quiet, and, as said before, the gardens are beautiful. This would be my first choice for a romantic hotel in Aix of the few I've seen.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-64131341384101096052007-08-08T12:17:00.000+02:002007-08-14T13:02:48.199+02:00Firefighting in France<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Yesterday, on a bike ride from Centre Ville Aix-en-Provence, I had a common experience. A Pompeurs (firefighting) truck, siren blaring, blasted through the intersection in front of me. I didn't think much of it, since I've seen more fire trucks in a month that I do in six months in California.<br /><br />This time, though, more trucks came rumbling by so about three minutes later I looked back and saw a column of smoke, mainly black with a little white. I decided to give my curiousity full reign and turned around to spectate. I rode onto a street with a knot of spectators looking at the back of a three story house with smoke and flames shooting out of the windows of the top floor.<br /><br />I watched for about fifteen minutes, and thought I might record a few of those "little things" (I'm thinking of the conversation about Europe in Pulp Fiction when I put that in quotes. Travolta says "Its the little things that you notice") that struck me as different, just images, really:<br /><br />1) We're a third of the way down a pretty, tree-lined residential street; around the corner and most of the way down the next block is the driveway that leads to the house that is on fire. Trucks keep arriving, and they would stop at our little knot of spectators with a view of the smoke and flames, and people from the crowd would yell to driver "to the right, to the right." The driver would wave in appreciation and drive off.<br /><br />2) A few minutes after I arrived, two guys, on foot in full firefighting suits, come hoofing it around the corner pulling a two-wheeled cart with a pretty big reel of canvas hose on it. As they get closer, one of them lets go and jogs ahead with a wrench to the hydrant near me, across the street from the fire, and the other yells "m'aidez" to the spectators. A middle-aged guy runs over and helps pull the little cart up to the hydrant. I try to imagine an American firefighter yelling to a civilian for help.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> I took a picture with my cell phone.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsGLJc3ZL7I/AAAAAAAAAAU/LWRmW4KApxY/s1600-h/Pompiers+pulling+hose+....jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098509247643725746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 456px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 348px" height="312" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kKINAMK44Ag/RsGLJc3ZL7I/AAAAAAAAAAU/LWRmW4KApxY/s320/Pompiers+pulling+hose+....jpg" width="397" border="0" /></a>3) Soon, there is a hose across the street, down a nearby driveway, and over a short wall to the back of the house. The firefighters who set it up have disappeared. A good five minutes have passed since I arrive, probably ten since the first truck passed me. The whole time I've been watching, the only active fire suppression I've seen is a fairly small stream of water directed up at the eves from the ground. An old lady near me says something about the firefighters being concerned about a tank of gas in the house. Cars and motorcyles keep bumping over the hose, most slowing, some not. There are no policemen or firemen in sight.<br /><br />4) Yet another firetruck arrives, and the spectators again shout "a droite" (to the right) but the driver waves them off. He stops before the hose and a couple of guys get out and put some plastic ramps under the hose and get back in. The truck bumps up over them and disappears around the corner. Some cars go over the ramps. Others avoid the ramps and go over the hose.<br /><br />5) Another pair of fully outfitted firefighters with another, identical hose cart come trundling around the corner, down the street, see that there already is a hose attached to "our" hydrant, and turn around.<br /><br />6) A "gas emergency" vehicle that appears to be part of the gas company arrives and goes down a nearby driveway, confirming the old lady's observation.<br /><br />7) A platform arises near the house with a fireman on top who appears to be spraying the roof. It has been at least ten minutes since I arrived, and flames keep shooting out of the windows.<br /><br />8) A caravan of three identical very small Renaults, painted red with a blue light on the dash, arrive and park in front of us. They look to my American-conditioned eyes as the vehicles that would clearly be assigned to the newest, most junior people, probably office workers. So it startled me when tough-looking firemen, clearly senior, stepped out of each car and started discussing the fire.<br /><br />9) Now the color of the smoke becomes whiter, and no flames are coming out of the windows. Whatever they are doing is working. Another couple of minutes, and the volume of smoke is clearly less. It has been about fifteen minutes since I arrived, and perhaps twenty since I saw the first fire truck.<br /><br />I got back on my bike and rode on.</span><br /><br /></span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-62866242676909656382007-08-01T18:56:00.000+02:002007-08-02T13:32:48.917+02:00Cycling in Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I rented a bicycle - a real road bike, quite serviceable despite its age - from Aix Prit Velo (17 rue Constantin) in Centre Ville. I've been picking directions and getting out of town on rides of varying length. So far, my favorite is to head out D10.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The first time, I headed out a little past the town of Vauvenargues (cute, but nothing to write home about, despite the fact that Picasso owned the castle there and is buried on the grounds.) The next time, I kept going and then turned left on D11. What a great, steep little rode through the massifs (limestone mountains.) Gourgeous, and completely untravelled. The pavement quality was quite good.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I went over the summit, and enjoyed the downhill into Jouques. I didn't find the best way from there back into Aix; the streets were too busy as I went through Peyrolles and Meyrargues. An investigatory challenge for a future ride. The entire trip was about 36 miles (60 km).<br /><br />Another time, I kept going on D10 and then turned right when it teed into D23. A couple of sections on D10 were quite steep uphills, but turning around at the summit and gazing back down at the valley made it worthwhile. The downhill on D23 was world class; smooth payment and a series of fast s-curves through beautiful woods. I dropped about 800 feet in that one descent. Wow!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I went through Pourrieres and turned right on D7. Since this ride literally circles Mt. Sainte Victoire, I experienced a series of spectacular vistas of this famous massif. D7 was neither too busy nor too steep, but it had one problem that almost caused me to walk; the Mistral (famous Provencal winds) had kicked up. When I reached a couple of plateaus, I was running into it at the worst possible angle, about 30 degrees off a direct headwind. Every big puff would blow me sideways and cause me to decelerate simultaneously, creating real problems in stability. I really started to wonder if I could ride this section, and at one point, did stop riding just to recover from the concentration it took to stay on the road.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Soon enough, though, I was back to lower altitude and then into the outskirts of Aix, which were quite beautiful, with large villas and many trees. This ride was about 40 miles (65 km), and truly a rewarding experience.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-50085562487214255792007-07-20T17:14:00.000+02:002007-08-02T13:31:29.163+02:00Le Clos de la Violette<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Just North of old-town Aix is the only Michelin starred restaurant in the area, Le Clos de la Violette, sporting two stars. (<a href="http://www.closdelaviolette.com/">http://www.closdelaviolette.com/</a>) Stri and I went there for dinner on Wednesday night and had the six-course menu for 130 Euro each.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Ambiance</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We ate at one of about 15 tables on a pleasant patio, surrounded by a nicely manicured garden. The shades, clearly needed for the hot sun at lunch, were retracted, and the temperature was perfect. The restaurant itself has that modern yet traditional (or is that traditional yet modern?) quality that bespeaks money and taste.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Service</strong><br />Excellent service, ready but unobtrusive, met the standard for establishments at this level. I didn't detect any pretention or haughtiness, which was, obviously, welcome.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Food</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We felt that by picking the tasting menu, we'd get the best feel for the restaurant's abilities. An amuse bouche of deep fried crab and a little onion tart were tasty, and, as it turns out, atypically simple. Every remaining course was aesthetically pleasing, but often verged on having too much going on, leading to a lack of focus, though the effort was clear.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The one unpleasant surprise was the fish course. In all of our experiences at restaurants of this caliber (probably 20-25 actual Michelin stars worth, if that is any kind of criteria) we'd never before had a course we didn't like and didn't at least want to finish. (Getting too full to appreciate later courses is always a danger at restaurants at this level.) The fish course was too intensely fishy for our taste - though I acknowledge that others might like it. Still, we both were surprised at how far from our taste it was, especially given our appreciation for fish in a great many guises (though I am the only one of the two of us who likes anchovies, but this was fishier than any anchovy I can recall having.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">All in all, the food was excellent but not exquisite. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Wine</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">A list modest in length, but contained selections that showed real value. We had a white burgundy that was truly excellent - great minerality, nice acid balance, and excellent flavor, for less than 100 Euro. We had a year 2000 Grand Cru Bordeaux from a house I'd never heard of before, that was also less than 100 Euro, and I was equally impressed. The one defiency of the list is that they don't have any 375 ml bottles, which means either not getting good pairing, wasting good wine, or getting toasted. In contrast, the French Laundry in California has an amazing list of 375 ml bottles which leads to great pairing and comfortable consumption.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Value</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We ended up spending just under 500 Euro for dinner for two, and while that is clearly stratospheric on one level, it was half what we spent the last time at the French Laundry. But there was clear room for improvement, too. So while it was a good experience, even great in areas, it wasn't at all transcendent, and that is what I generally expect spending this amount at a restaurant of this caliber. Still, the potential is there and I would hope that improvements in focus will occur and yield the results merited by the effort they are making.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-9930691981720194622007-07-17T18:35:00.001+02:002007-08-08T14:22:03.449+02:00Best Beach Near Aix-en-Provence<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We've tried four beaches in driving distance from Aix.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Cassis, while a cute little village, has a pretty limited, rocky beach. Nonetheless, it was crowded. Close to Aix, it is the default choice when you want to go somewhere that has a little shopping, decent restaurants, activities (boat rides to the Calanques), and a beach. To sum up: Cassis is the close-to-Aix, multi-activity destination.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Bandol is pretty much the start of the French Riviera, and while a little further away, the contrast with Cassis is clear. The water is bluer and the whole town's emphasis is on the beach and beach culture. Parking is tight (as it is everywhere on the coast) but doable. The beautiful long beach is full of people, but there is room for everyone. Parking is paid, but available. To sum up: Bandol is the sophisticated, beach only destination.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Les Lecques (the</span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> beach part of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer) is in between Cassis and Bandol, and has a very long, sandy beach. It is more family oriented than Bandol, though certainly still diverse, and feels a little more like a "local's beach" than Cassis (touristy) or Bandol (holiday destination feel). To sum up: Les Lecques is the diverse, local place to go.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">St. Croix is a beach to the west side of Marseilles (nearest small town is Sausset-les-Pins -- take D9 to D49, left as soon as you cross the railroad tracks on Routes des Bastides, follow the beach [plage] signs.) We learned about St. Croix from a family in Luynes we befriended because our children attended the same art school there. This one rates as truly a find. There are only locals (and mainly Scandinavian tourists staying in the nearby camp ground) split between two nice white sand beaches. We got there about 10:30 am, and there was free parking with a bit of a walk and paid parking (2.2 Euro) that put us just steps from the beach. The beach on the right as you face the water biases slightly toward the teen, and the one on the left biases toward family, bit each has a mix. Both are delightful, with great sand, pretty water that stays shallow for a long ways, and enough space to feel comfortable (though still somewhat crowded -- this is no secret from the locals.) Our two youngest were able to walk out for many yards in the water safely, and enjoyed the small waves and clear water. You can rent umbrellas and pedal boats, and there are a couple of restaurants and snack bars on the bluff above. This is clearly the best family beach we've found. To sum up: St. Croix is the best family beach in driving distance from Aix-en-Provence.</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857123567774836104.post-78587834575477448802007-07-17T18:08:00.000+02:002007-07-20T17:53:06.830+02:00About this blog ...<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">My family is spending six weeks in Aix-en-Provence, France, in an apartment rented in the oldest part of town. I was surprised at how little guidance I could find online before our trip, so I thought I might record my experiences to help you, my anonymous reader.<br /><br />That makes this more of a "citylog" than a "weblog" but "ylog" is unpronouncable and "clog" has other meanings, so I'll stick with blog.<br /><br />My wife, Stri, and I have three girls, six, seven (and a half!), and fifteen. We live in Northern California.<br /><br />Need I say that these are my personal opinions (and certainly don't necessarily reflect those of the girls, though I'll mention their thoughts when appropriate) and that I have no undisclosed connections to anything I mention?</span>Larry Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05493543376580908473noreply@blogger.com0