Ban des Vandanges (Grape Harvest Festival)

Sometimes the very coolest moments in your life sneak up on you when you’re not expecting the extraordinary. And you can absolutely miss them if you’re not open to surprises.

Susan and I arrived in Avignon this afternoon. We toured the city for a bit on the city tram, and then came back to our hotel planning to unpack and rest, and do a little shopping before dinner.

I heard what sounded like a bell choir outside the window, and when I looked, a parade was beginning to march by the hotel! I ran downstairs and asked “qu’est que c’est?” or “what is it?”

“C’est le Ban des Vandanges,” the grape harvest festival. Apparently we had arrived just in time for the city’s largest celebration. We spent the evening eating Cotes du Rhones grapes, tasting wine, sampling local cuisine and listening to music.

If we hadn’t stopped what we were doing and listened to the bells, we would have missed a high point of the trip. Spontaneity is key to every marvelous adventure!

Dijon… more than just mustard

Today brought a few more things about the French city of Dijon to light. Of course there are stores that sell MUSTARD on almost every street in the central part of town, along with street-side stands with tiny jars that can be taken through airport security.

Dijon is also the capitol of Burgundy, and oversees some of the best wine country in Europe and the world. The city is also well known for its crème de cassis, or black currant liqueur. It hosts an International and Gastronomic Fair every year in autumn, and has numerous museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts. And Dijon is home of the main campus of the Université de Bourgogne, which means that in the evenings the streets of the center are filled with students eating, drinking and having fun.

Wandering through the city, my friend Susan and I found wonderful cheese, delicious crepes and very affordable burgundy. We headed over to Jardin Darcy, the Darcy Gardens created in 1880 by engineer Henry Darcy. We had planned to rest and “people-watch.” Instead we were treated to unexpected entertainment by a group of local buskers walking on stilts, juggling and waving large cloths.

We also followed a bit of the Owl Trail through the city. For centuries the owl has been a symbol of good luck in Dijon, and a small stone owl is carved into an outside corner of the cathedral. Passers-by touch the owl with the left hand for good health. Over the years the sculpture has become worn by so many touches, and is barely recognizeable as an owl! I’ve asked in the tourism office and I’ve searched the web, but I can’t find any information about the origins of the symbol and how the owl came to be Dijon’s “mascot.”

Does anyone know anything about this?

Please Pass the Grey Poupon!

I’ve always been curious about the French city of Dijon, ever since I first saw a commercial for Grey Poupon. I tried it and immediately fell in love with Dijon mustard.

A friend recently told me that REAL Dijon mustard from Dijon, France is SO MUCH better than what we get in the United States.

I have to admit that I had my doubts… until this afternoon. After a TGV train ride from Paris, my friend Susan and I strolled over to Moutarde Maille and sampled some of the various mustards.

White wine, tarragon, black currants, green pepper corns. Each has a distinct flavor and a wonderful bite that I’ve never experienced with the version of Grey Poupon we get at home. Needless to say, there are SEVERAL jars in my suitcase, including a couple for the friend who advised me about real Dijon mustard!

After the mustard tasting (and buying) we walked through the touristy area around the Cathedral square, tried some crepes, visited some shops and drank some wine. Susan promises that there is much more to Dijon than mustard and tourists. We’ll find out tomorrow…

Jeanne in Monet's Garden

It seems that all of the paintings of the famous gardens in Giverney were created in the spring or early summer. Hues of pink, pale blue and lavender practically jump off the canvas and entice us to visit this lovely garden.

So it was quite a treat to see Giverny in late summer, when autumn hues of red, yellow and orange begin to overtake nature's palette. The number of tourists drops off and ther gardens are quite serene.

And every now and then, you run across a bit of landscape that looks like it has been undisturbed since the garden's creation at the end of thre 19th century!

Bienvenue à Paris!

Hurricane Irene pounded the east coast of the United States this past weekend, but my friend Susan and I made it out through Chicago and have arrived in Paris!

There was a minor mix up at the Hotel Minerve when we arrived. I had booked and paid for a double room with two beds, but got a tiny room with one bed. It took about a half-hour, but we finally convinced the manager to put a rollaway bed in the room, thus giving us a second bed.

We spent the early afternoon walking around Isle de la Cite and the area near Notre Dame de Paris. A brief visit inside the cathedral revealed only thousands of tourists, but no services or music.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for wine and cheese to eat on the balcony of our tiny room. We found a wonderfully sharp brie and a lovely Cote de Rhone… and these pink monstrosities at a bakery near the Maubert-Mutualité Metro Stop. Anyone have any idea what these are???