europe

Switzerland and Paris

/ susiecameron / Leave a comment

How good is train travel? For the last few trips to Europe the MOTH and I have prioritised train travel over flying as it is so user friendly, especially over relatively short distances. No long expensive taxi rides to airports and hours of checking in, security queues and potential luggage loss and delays! The European trains are very frequent, often fast and in places like Switzerland ON TIME! They are clean, comfortable and offer food and drinks. You can get up and walk around and see the countryside as it passes. What’s not to like? We left our house in L’Isle sur la Sorgue and within 4 hours we were in Switzerland enjoying a sundowner on Sue-Ellen’s terrace! Avignon to Lyon to Geneva on the TGV and then a local train to her village and once we got the hang of the train stations systems with platform announcements etc we were fine…

We always love coming to Sue-ellen and Michel’s house. They are consummate hosts and some of the best food we had on the entire trip was at their place! As a proud Swiss Man, Michel loves cooking some of the Swiss traditional dishes when we visit. Fondue, raclette, roti de porc – each accompanied with delicious wines from his cellar. A simple roast chook is elevated to a divine level somehow with a rub of this and a smear of that all creating heaven in the oven! We also ventured out into the nearby hills to a wonderful traditional restaurant that specialises in the “filet de perche” which is so well loved in the area. Perch is a freshwater fish commonly found in the lakes of Switzerland. It’s much appreciated for its delicate flavor and tender flesh and when paired with a delicious butter sauce made with wine and parsley, it transforms into something heavenly. A visit to a local winemaker, a shopping trip to a famous chocolatier, who just happens to have his shop nearby, and a wonderful walk home through the countryside listening to the blackbirds singing and I was as happy as a kid at Christmas! Everywhere you look in Switzerland there is beauty. At this time of year the wild poppies and cornflowers inhabited every empty field and the wisteria was in full bloom around verandas overlooking the lake.

Our dear friend Duncan met the MOTH 50 years ago when they both lived and worked in Villars, an alpine ski resort in the Swiss mountains above Lausanne. Duncan was a teacher at the elite private school – Aiglon College – and as a typical sociable American he quickly made friends with all the foreign workers in town, a friendship that has survived decades despite living thousands of miles from each other. Duncan is an adventurer. He flies small planes, paraglides, keeps poisonous snakes and has a garden of beehives. He skis, has canoed down the Amazon, helps out with various worldwide charities – in person – at orphanages in Romania and would never dismiss doing ANYTHING without thoroughly thinking of the positives versus the negatives. He will not die wondering about life that is for sure! We managed to sneak in a lunch at an old favourite pub from back in the 70s which is still going to this day and it was lovely to see him and his lovely friend Beri for a quick catchup. The weather was perfect for Spring and later we enjoyed an Aperol down at the lake alongside the marina where Sue and Mich keep their boat. On previous visits we have pottered around the lake and over to France for lunch in it before returning back to St Prex in time for dinner – what a life eh? A trip into Geneva and the old town was a nice day out and before we knew it our time was up and we were saying goodbye and back on the train – this time to Paris!

Before we knew it we were pulling up at the Gare de Lyon and we were back in a part of Paris we are very familiar with as we stayed here a few years ago when we were in town for the Rugby World Cup and found it to be a very easy part of Paris from which to see the sights. The hotel is literally a few minutes walk from the station and was just a hop, skip and a jump from the River Seine which we could walk along to Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, St Germain etc – even me , who has a notoriously dreadful sense of direction, can’t get lost following a river! We settled in and went for a neighbourhood walk to check out a dinner spot and it was so lovely to be back amongst all the glorious Haussmann buildings and we were soon just one of the many locals sipping on our aperitif watching the world go by!

The next day was a red letter day for us as we were finally going to eat at Le Train Bleu, the famous restaurant in the Gare de Lyon. Three years ago we were also booked in for lunch here on our last day in Paris and we arrived at the restaurant to be greeted by several policemen. A bag had been left there unattended and was being treated as a potential bomb threat, therefore closing the restaurant. We were so disappointed and as soon as we knew we would be back in Paris on this trip I booked lunch in advance! It was as magnificent as I had imagined and we loved the entire wonderful experience. The grandeur, the service, the food, the history all around us and I could completely imagine what it would have been like back in the day with people in suits and long dresses eating there ahead of their train trip to their holiday destinations. Listening to the hum of chatter, the tinkle of cutlery and watching the delightful staff look after everyone tableside was truly one of my favourite moments ever in a restaurant and was well worth the wait! The food was delicious, the lamb carved at a trolley at our table and my crêpes Suzette flambéed in front of me to great applause from all the surrounding tables!!

One of the things we really wanted to see while we were here was the completed restoration of Notre Dame. It was still under construction on our last visit and we are still in awe that such a huge project has been finished on time and in such a beautiful way. People from all over the world came together to give money, volunteer time and craftmanship creating an enduring and beautiful finished article. The beating heart of Paris is back, bigger and better than ever. The fact that so many people value this building so much is really heartwarming and gives me some comfort that the whole world hasn’t gone totally mad after all. I guess some people would say that the money could have been better spent but some things are WORTH spending a fortune on and this beautiful building will now hopefully live on for many, many generations to come. We continued to walk along the river until we came to the Musée d’Orsay. The MOTH had never been there and I felt that had to be rectified asap. The building itself is magnificent. Originally a train station built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) it became obsolete in 1939 when trains became too long for the platforms and by the 1970s it was largely vacant, prompting talks of repurposing the building. Plans were finalised to convert the station into a museum and in 1986 The Musée d’Orsay was officially opened, becoming one of Europe’s largest art museums and a major cultural institution in Paris. The museum focuses on French art from 1848 to 1914. It houses the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world featuring artists such as Monet, Renoir, Manet, Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Gaugin and we loved wandering through the huge rooms spending as much time as we wanted examining these famous paintings which truly deserve this wonderful space to showcase them.

The other important and wonderful thing to do in Paris is ……EAT!! As we walked though St Germain, looking at all the amazing food shops and markets we swerved off to Entrecote as it was lunchtime and memories of their special steak frites were foremost in our minds! It’s always a lovely little bit of theatre there and we were soon tucking into our lovely green salad with roasted walnuts followed by the mandatory TWO servings of steak in their special sauce and fries. A bottle of red and a very full tummy later we waddled back outside to wander the streets and bridges, soaking up the very essence of all that Paris offers and grateful we got to visit once again. On our last night a local brasserie offered the asparagus I had been seeing all day at the markets and the duck I can never say no to! I love France and the different feelings I get from Paris, Bordeaux and the South – all great in different ways. Next visit I think we are going to try and visit Brittany and Normandy for yet another “flavour” of France and it is perfect as it’s just a stone’s throw from my beloved England. Close enough to be easy and far enough away to feel foreign! Tres bien indeed…..

Exploring Provence

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Our two week immersion in a Provencal village was finally going to come to fruition after talking about it for a few years. We hoped to use some of our French, feel part of the rhythm of a village and see if all the hype about the French way of life was true. Our first port of call on French soil however was Marseille. We decided to stay there for a night as we had previously driven straight through the city to the stadium in the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and had always regretted not spending some time seeing the Old Port. Arriving from cold London to the sunshine of the South of France was delicious and we soon found ourselves in a bustling square at lunchtime – perfect timing! A warm goats cheese salad and a glass of rosé whilst people watching is my idea of heaven and we soon found ourselves feeling very holidayish! An afternoon walk around the marina before the aperitif and we had forgotten all about London and its wonderful history, more than happy to indulge in sitting around eating and drinking instead! As we were in Marseille we sought out a traditional restaurant famous for its bouillabaisse and ordered it despite a humungous price tag. We were intrigued to find out that it is served in 2 courses, first the broth – really delicious and served with little toasts, rouille and cheese – added into the soup for interest and crunch. The 2nd course was the fish that had been cooked in the soup, served simply with potatoes (and the ever-present baguette) All in all quite a bit of theatre but nothing I would necessarily order again!

We had rented a 3 bedroom house in L’isle sur la Sorgue on the edge of the town, literally 200m from the first restaurants and a stones throw from the railway station and the bus stop – we couldn’t have asked for a more convenient location! It was big enough to invite my Mum and Sister to stay for a few days and it had a quirky personality which we loved immediately. Positioned next to one of the towns canals boasting the clearest water you’ve ever seen and with several of the local antique shops within a 2-5 minute walk we were spoilt for places to explore! There were two outdoor seating areas, one on wicker chairs underneath a verdant wisteria and the other out the front boasting a big dining table which was a perfect spot after visiting the markets and coming home laden with paella or rotisserie chicken and vegetables, ready to eat in our own garden together with some chilled wine – heaven! The kitchen was definitely my favourite room though and we started and finished the day there – with cups of tea in the morning and games of cards at night, around a big old wooden table that has probably hosted hundreds of families over the years.

L’isle sur la Sorgue is most famous for its brocante on a Sunday – the biggest outside of Paris apparently and it makes for a very atmospheric Market Day. The whole town is filled with stalls, vibrant with colour of either beautiful summer fruit and vegetables or of the local napery – beautiful tablecloths, napkins and tea towels in the gorgeous colours of Provence – blue, yellow, red and green and if I’d had a bigger suitcase I would have gone a little bit crazy buying them all as they look beautiful in our Australian light as well as in the famous light of Provence that the impressionist painters loved so much!

It is also a treasure trove for antiques enthusiasts with over 300 fascinating vintage, second-hand shops and markets to browse year-round. The lovely old antiques (or bric-a-brac to us) were all beautifully laid out ready to tempt you into parting with your Euros if you were lucky enough to have room in your suitcase! I particularly loved the old china, the Anduze pots and the eclectic paintings and lighting you could sometimes pick up for a bargain price.

Almost a week into our stay the MOTH celebrated his birthday! From an espresso at his favourite morning café to lunch at the very cute Olive and Raisin to dinner at Monsieur Tu he had a fabulous day! Olive and Raisin focuses on soups, tasting boards, tapenades and regional recipes. It’s part delicatessen, part restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere and appealing artisanal vibe. The shop is lined with jars and bottles of freshly made jam, oils, pasta, wines and confectionery. It was a great spot to sit in the sunshine and eat delicious cheese and pâté and enjoy some local wines. We tried sitting outside on the canal but had visions of one or both of us falling in! That night we dined at Monsieur Tu (or Mr T as we liked to call it!) and had the most delicious rabbit dish – we were very happy chappies!

Then it was time for the girls to join us from the UK. As Heathrow is ginormous Mum was whisked to the gate on an assistance vehicle and then again to the front of the queue in Marseille on arrival (Sandy tagging along for the ride!) so they arrived feeling relatively good despite a 4.30am start! So many major airports now demand you walk kilometres to get from A to B so this was a win win – never be afraid to utilise it folks! It was so good to see them and there was plenty of room for us all in the house so it was perfect. We spent the next few days exploring the town, the markets and sitting around outside chatting – LOTS of chatting! With wines and cheeses from the local shops on hand it was lovely to be able to come home and relax in between outings and the days passed in a blur of loveliness! We didn’t feel too sad when we said goodbye as they are coming out to Australia in October to celebrate mum’s 90th so we have plenty to look forward to….

A trip to L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue isn’t complete without a visit to the stunning Notre-Dame-des-Anges Church (Our Lady of the Angels). The Baroque architecture and huge wooden doors of this historic church hide a rich interior filled with magnificent paintings, statues, over 200 angel sculptures and a 15th-century organ, which has been listed as a historic monument. The church was originally built in the 13th century, then, following a collapse, rebuilt during the 1600s and from the outside I had no inkling of what I was to find inside – quite a surprise to say the least! It was situated in our favourite square just opposite The Cafe de France which became our “go to” cafe!

The town is also renowned for its canals and waterways which give it the nickname “Venice of Provence,” as the Sorgue River flows through the town, creating scenic riverfront streets and charming bridges.  Along the river, you can see the remaining wooden waterwheels that were once used to power the town’s textile factories. By the 19th century, there were over 60 waterwheels in operation and they were used for the town’s flourishing paper, silk, wool and dyeing industries. Today, only 17 remain – some of which still squeak and turn with the natural flow of the river. Other waterwheels are completely abandoned, frozen in time, clustered with green moss – but it’s still possible to imagine their role during the buzzing industrial era. Being surrounded by water was really very relaxing and calming and in Provence where things can get very hot and dry these canals give a sense of coolness and a real point of difference to other nearby towns.

We decided not to hire a car while we were here, preferring to be like the locals and use the buses and the trains to get ourselves around. It worked fine for close towns like Avignon and Carpentras but when we researched how to reach some of the hilltop towns it was another story. Trips that would take 30 minutes by car would take 3 hours on the bus as they wind in and out of all the towns and villages en route, making it untenable. We found a one day tour that went to 7 different locations , covering most of the places we had fancied visiting and decided to go for it! Our first stop was Fontaine de Vaucluse, not too far from us which was the source of the river Sorgue. Its fast flowing waters came from a spring very deep in ground (it has been tested down to 1010 feet but its source is still deeper -a bit of a mystery but it is one of the biggest springs in the world with 52000 gallons a second gushing out in Springtime) and became the power source for a paper mill which still exists in a limited form today. The town was also famous for hiding the French Resistance in the war, using the surrounding hilltop caves to their advantage for both shelter and spotting the enemy from afar. It’s hard now trying to imagine those days as it is a very serene and tranquil village.

Our next stop was one of the famous “perched” villages of Provence – Gordes.The medieval village stands resplendent in stone atop a clifftop with unbeatable views across the Luberon. This enchanting village has a long history spanning the Romans to the Middle Ages, and in recent years has become a retreat for artists and writers. Located dramatically on the edge of the Vaucluse plateau in the heart of Provence, Gordes is a medieval hilltop village that looks almost too beautiful to be real — a cascade of honey-coloured limestone tumbling down a rocky hillside, crowned by a Renaissance château and overlooking the vast, lavender-threaded expanse of the Luberon valley below. Sadly we were just a little early for the lavender although the fields we passed were splashed red with wild poppies which were beautiful.

Our next port of call was Rousillon. Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, this colorful village owes everything to ochre, this natural pigment that tints every facade, every wall, and every alleyway with a palette of colors ranging from pale yellow to the deepest red. Many artists are drawn to the town for it’s unique colour palette and we enjoyed wandering through the winding cobbled streets up to the castle to see the amazing views of the surrounding countryside. Back into the van and we were off to St Remy de Provence. I had been there 30 years ago with my Mum and had very fond memories of our time there, although nothing looked overly familiar this time around! It is a beautiful town known for its rich history. It was founded over 2500 years ago and has connections to both the Greeks and Romans. The town is famous for its charming winding stone streets, vibrant markets, and as the place where Vincent Van Gogh spent time in an asylum, drawing inspiration from its stunning landscapes to produce some of his most famous paintings. We visited a truffle shop while we were here, sampling delicious morsels drizzled with honey and a jar of truffle salt made its way home with me to be enjoyed with scrambled eggs in The Meadow….yum!

Our last village was Les Baux de Provence which is a picturesque hilltop village renowned for its medieval castle, dramatic limestone cliffs and a rich cultural heritage. The stone streets are narrow and winding, the buildings impossibly cute, and the views in every direction are jaw-dropping. And looming above it all is a sprawling, ruined medieval castle that seems to grow straight out of the rock. Each of the villages we visited today had its own unique charm and each of them were carved out of the stone of the local rock, perched on top of a hill – a LOT of hard work back in the pre industrial days to create a town and testament to the perseverance of the local people.

Our final stop wasn’t a village – it was a bridge! Not any old bridge though, it was the magnificent Pont du Gard. Just a few kilometres from Nîmes and Uzès, the Pont du Gard stands as the most impressive testament to Roman engineering in France. This monumental aqueduct, built in the 1st century AD, holds the record for the highest Roman aqueduct bridge in the world at 49 metres high. It was granted UNESCO status in 1985 because of its exceptional preservation and since then the whole area has been made into a park so that no cars have used it since 2000. People now come to witness this HUGE structure up close and personal and be amazed by the fact it was constructed in the FIRST century! Those Romans were sure good at building stuff! Nowadays families come and bring picnics and people canoe down the river under its arches. A school of kids were kayaking there when we visited and it was just wonderful to hear them laughing and enjoying themselves as they passed through history!

So after a full day of exploring we headed home to our lovely little town. After all the wonderfulness we had witnessed today, we were still super happy that it was Isle sur la Sorgue that we were returning to with its friendly residents and easy to love atmosphere. In summary, our French experiment was deemed a success, we had seen firsthand that the French way of life definitely has something special to recommend it. People here make sure they take time out to spend time with friends and family; they eat together, locally and seasonally and they celebrate many public holidays, feast days and religious and agricultural festivals as they have for hundreds of years. Work, although important, is not the Be-all-and-End-all of life here although I can’t imagine a 2 hour lunch break taking off in Australia anytime soon! Thus, our stay in Provence came to an end and we bid farewell to our lovely house and caught a train to Switzerland….

How can it possibly be the end of May?

/ susiecameron / Leave a comment

It’s been three months since I last posted and some of you may have wondered where I had gone!! This year has really flown and our 5 week trip to Europe took up a big chunk of it. Prior to leaving we had a lovely week in Hobart with Loz and the girls where we loved walking them to school every day as they skipped and chatted and sang songs! Myla would throw in a cartwheel or two (backpack and all) just to keep us on our toes and 99% of the time we were given little sprays of flowers that they picked en route – so sweet and gloriously old fashioned! Pick up time meant a treat at the bakery as we were regaled with tales of their day, it only seems like a blink of an eye since it was MY kids doing the same thing!

Our week was a pleasant blur of cuddles, reading stories, colouring in and feeding ducks! Loz and I treated the girls to a high tea in Hobart for which they were very excited and Loz had also bought tickets to a festival in The Huon where Mental as Anything were performing and the girls got to enjoy holiday food whilst the adults sipped on gin spritzes! Berry had an overnight fishing trip with a mate and came home bearing a couple of beautiful crayfish which we thoroughly enjoyed!

We had a wonderful day out with our friends Paul and Sharon on their boat which is moored not far from Lauren’s place. We pottered over to north Bruny Island and put down anchor in a delightful bay where the trees and clouds were perfectly mirrored on the glass like water. Sharon whipped up a delicious salad which we enjoyed with bbqd delights courtesy of Paul and we felt like the luckiest of intrepid explorers!! It was great to catch up with them and experience their new life in Tassie.

Once we returned home it was a full on preparation of our house and garden before leaving for Europe. Our wonderful friend Smutzer had graciously agreed to house sit for us which was a huge relief as that meant Bailey and the chooks would be in good hands. Easter weekend meant a last hurrah with Sam and Stacy with some nice food and wine before we were packing and leaving for the airport! We were finally off on our European adventure!

First stop was Hong Kong which we hadn’t visited for 10 years! We decided to have an overnight stopover to break the trip and reacquaint ourselves with the Island. It was as vibrant as ever and as we were staying in Central it was easy to get around. A trip on the Star Ferry was quite nostalgic – it has been a mainstay of life in HK for decades and I love that nothing much has changed. We decided to hop on the HOHO bus which is always good value in a big city. It takes you to places that a) you might never have heard of and b) is way too far to walk to and c) there is a commentary telling you all about the various locations that you would never know otherwise! It’s a great way to get a bit of an overview of a place and of course you can always hop on and off when you want to explore somewhere in more depth. This together with a bit of shopping and some eating filled in our day beautifully and tired us out for our overnight flight to London….

We arrived feeling relatively refreshed and went straight to Tom’s house in Notting Hill. It was SO good to see him, his new house and neighbourhood and we dropped everything to go in search of coffee and a walk in the Spring sunshine to Portobello Road. The blossoms were in full throttle and together with the pastel painted houses it all looked like a movie set! We had a fabulous Japanese lunch before checking into our studio apartment – home for the next 5 nights. After a couple of welcome drinks at the local pub we had a lovely dinner with Tom’s flat mate Conor and tumbled into bed feeling sleepy but happy. It was so nice to have Tommy just around the corner from us and get to experience life as a local for a little while! One thing that wasn’t so good was the COST of everything. London is through the roof price wise, we were paying 5 pounds for a coffee and 11 for a glass of wine, which in Aussie dollars is okay but in pounds it’s DOUBLE. Crazy and on average if we were having a nice meal whether it was lunch or dinner it came in at $400 including wine so on a good day it was $800 without factoring in accommodation! I’m never going to say Australia is expensive ever again!

With Kensington Gardens basically at the end of Tommy’s street it was just a walk to some of London’s attractions. Daunts bookstore in Marylebone had been on my list for a while and it didn’t disappoint, making me feel warm and fuzzy that these kind of places still exist and gave me hope there is still a screen free future if you want one! We visited The Royal Albert Hall (where my Grandad used to play with the LSO) and then popped into The Victoria and Albert Museum for a couple of hours – so much to see in there that you could literally spend hours and hours there (good for a rainy day perhaps?) before walking back through the park watching the squirrels dashing everywhere and back to Notting Hill to meet Toms friends at The Cock and Bottle – a great bunch of people and a fun night.

Our final day of sightseeing and we played tourists big time! We caught a ferry down The Thames getting out at The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and going to Churchills War Rooms, all set up just as it was back in the day and a bit of a glimpse into the hardships they all endured underground with no natural light for days and weeks at a time in a very small space. Then we went back a few hundred years with a visit to The Tower of London which was really very interesting with a palpable sense of its history. The ravens are still very much part of the place and it is rumoured that if they ever leave, London will fall!!

Our last night was spent (in what is becoming a tradition) at Canteen enjoying some delicious Italian food cooked over fire and in a cosy yet vibrant atmosphere. The worst part is there are no bookings and it was FREEZING waiting outside – I’ve never been happier to get inside a place and even the $88 lamb loin chops didn’t put us off (needless to say we didn’t order them) It was a perfect last night with Tommy and I tried not to get sad when we said goodbye but it’s always hard. I fully realise now what it must have been like for my Mum when I moved to Australia 43 years ago when there were no smartphones or WhatsApp – just the old blue aerogram letters keeping us in touch!! Luckily I had the rest of my trip to look forward to which helped me feel better….next stop France!