Le Petit Caveau

Another stupendous meal out. Friday is always a quieter evening there so we (I went with my friend and member of my consultancy team, Sue)were able to catch up on news with Laure and Laurent the proprietors. This always involves a good workout for our command of French, although don't worry Laure speaks excellent English. They are attempting to sell the business but fortunately for us without success at present!
Laurent's foie gras is to die for, and the rest of the meal was as amazing and inventive as ever.
Sue has a house in Venterol which is about 15 minutes drive away, and actually introduced me to this area. We often co-ordinate our visits here and fit in some work as well as "R & R".

Cassis

No, not the blackcurrent stuff that you add to white wine to make a Kir, but the bustling little fishing village just 30 minutes east of Marseille.

I can't believe it's taken me 4 years to discover it. The area is known for the Calanques - the limestone cliffs and little coves. The village itself has a marina, a couple of sandy beaches, and loads of fish restaurants.

We stayed at the Hotel Liautaud right by the sea. Basic but clean. It has parking but you need to book it. Had a great fish dinner at chez gilbert (phone for a reservation); and a blanc de blanc 2006 from the donaine du paternel.

We'll be back - it's nice to swim in the sea (especially outside the main season); take a boat ride; eat well. Next time we'll fit in some wine tasting to take back to the cave at Le Colombier

L'ivresse du pouvoir

Just been to see "L'ivresse du pouvoir" by Chabrol. In the "talking film" category rather than action movie - but probably all the more satisfying for it (How could the Bourne Ultimatum get away with being little more than 2 extended - though good - chase scenes).

Is this the difference in the cultural expectations / differences between France and the US; US conspiracy theory is all about the action chase, where the outsider is the hero; France is around the judiciary taking on the corruption of the public sector? ...

It's also of course the difference between the Extraverted action-based movie; and the Introverted reflective film

this is what it is about

It's the beginning of September - so getting towards the end of summer. Today has been bright and warm, and I've resisted work - and had a great day. I read till 2.00 in the morning (my distraction); got up lazily, started thinking of dinner for the neighbours who are coming round tonight (see the other blog cooking in provence for the menu); went and swam at Janet and John's. They were all out to lunch, so I had the pool to myself (24 degrees so still warm), and gently swam up and down for 45 mnutes.

Then back to the kitchen to stew figs, make biscuits, prepare chilled soups, all with no time pressures, and not a single phone call.

Shame it's Monday tomorrow.

Where does the time go?

Even if the weather is now worse than it was in April ... I can't believe it was over 4 months since the last Chateau Colombier blog. I've just done a race backwards through time to give you snippets of what's been going on. And with the magic of blogging and changing date stamps, chronologic order has been restored.

Lavender in Provence

Just to say that if you want to see the hillsides around us covered in lavender blue - then book your trip from the last week of June through to the middle of July. It's such a sight. And you get the smells - especially as you pass the lavender distilleries in Nyons or St Jalles

May ... visitors from Sweden

Inger and Elisabeth arrive from Gothenburg. Long late breakfasts seem to be a Swedish thing. Or at least an Inger thing. When not doing her day job and cutting people up (she's a surgeon, not a psychopath), Inger is an artist. She was bowled over by the intensity of the colours in Provence. A bit of a change from the often gray skys and seascapes of Gothenburg!

So after breakfast, and before the rituals involved in preparing cocktails and evening meals (usually variations on a theme of the side of gravalax salmon they'd brought with them from Sweden), they'd be out and about exploring.

Inger will be back - with a group of artists - later in the year or next year.

Of course, Ryanair is making life easier for us all. They've opened up Marseille as a hub - which includes direct flights from Gothenburg. So all I have to do is work out where to advertise in Gothenburg - though word of mouth will help.