We finally made it to France — after deferring the trip in 2020 and 2021.  We knew the COVID surge was well past its peak in France, while just ramping up again in the USA, and wondered what we would find.  We were delighted when our airline, Lufthansa, still  required masks.  France is 90% vaccinated, and new cases are very low.  So masks are let’s say “very infrequent”, even indoors.  We are wearing ours in crowds because we want to stay healthy, and do think our timing is lucky to be here right now because their surge is clearly behind them.

We have now been in Provence for a week, and enjoyed quite an array of experiences.  

• The Cannes Film Festival had just begun, and we spent the afternoon in a 40’ chartered boat going from Antibes to Cannes and sailing through the harbor and all the super yachts and party tents, finishing with a swim in the Med.

• The European car Rally Championships were the weekend we stayed in Antibes, and our panoramic balcony looked out over the starting line.  Lots of fun to be in the midst of all of that.

• Met the most creative and highest quality gelato master I have ever encountered, then thanks to a friendship with our trip organizer were invited into his “workshop” to make a batch. Ever had saffron gelato?

• An authentic absinthe tasting experience

• Enjoyed a day in the hill towns of Saint Paul de Vence, Vence and Tourette sur Loup

• Walked a number of ramparts and learned about the histories

• Spent an hour in Paul Cezanne’s studio, learning about his life and the inspirations for his work

• Visited the hospital where Van Gogh recovered after he cut off his ear, then the place where he painted one of the Starry Nights collection over the river

• Learned about his techniques and the use of many colors during a private three hour painting workshop

• Spent a day in the Camargue, the agricultural area of Provence.  Such diversity, from salt mining to growing rice to raising bulls that are used in a game where very athletic young meet  to try to get ribbons off their horns and forehead.  The bulls do not get hurt and are superstars.  The human competitors often have to leap over the barrier to avoid getting hurt.

• Dined at a couple of Michelin starred restaurants

Today is one of our planned and coveted “vacation from vacation” days, so we have time to catch up.  

One take-away.  French food is amazing, in both taste and texture.  Every dish seems to have many subtle ingredients, from nuts or beans to flowers and herbs to amazing sauces.  We find a connection between the food and painting.  In the painting workshop we learned to never use the colors out of the tube as is, and to never just use three or four colors.  The vibrancy comes from mixing a number of variations of the same color, and blending them in.  The French also only use seasonal ingredients.  No hothouse tomatoes over here, because they are never as good as the ones in season.  So just use other ingredients.

The other take-away is that one spends a lot of time eating here.  Breakfast always has many choices, lunches take 1 1/2 hours and dinners 2 – 3 hours.  How have we also seen so much?

Finally closing with our favorite artistic picture.  It is so representative of Provence.

– Jim & Betsy