Eating out in Southern France - Part 1

Eating really is a national sport in France.  I'm not sure there are any other nations that enjoy eating out as much as the French.  It's serious business over here!

Americans visiting France are often puzzled when they walk into a French restaurant and are immediately greeted in English. "How do they know I'm American?" is a popular refrain. If this bothers you and you would like to fit in more with the locals, here are a few tips that may help in that department and some other hopefully useful information that will make your repas more enjoyable.

Don't show up at a nice restaurant like this dude sporting NB's and black socks.

Dress - Nothing gives your origin away faster than your clothing. While you may think you look quite natty in khakis, white running shoes and a ball cap, you may as well be wearing a large neon sign that says "I'm an American". Leave your Dockers and your New Balance at home.  While you're at it, ditch the fanny pack you wear on your waist. If you must carry stuff, man up and buy a man purse, it's guaranteed to give you that euro look.

For the complete Euro look, get a man purse like this gent

Smoking - One of the most enjoyable aspects of the climate in Provence is that one tends to take every meal outside.  Unfortunately almost everyone here appears to smoke and though smoking is not permitted inside a restaurant or bar in France, it is very much de riguer when eating outside.  You are virtually guaranteed that most of the tables around you will be lighting up frequently throughout their meal and will pay zero attention to the fact that you are coughing and spluttering through yours.  You do get used to it but be prepared.

Noise - Americans are a gregarious people and enjoy having a good time but in the tight confines of most French restaurants, it is often easy to spot, actually hear, a group from the US :)

Café étiquette - Café culture is deeply engrained in French society.  In smaller towns and villages it may be the central meeting place for all the locals, here you catch up on the local gossip and events of the town.  You can go up to the bar and order a coffee and drink it there or sit at a table.  Drinking at the bar will always be less expensive.

Cafés are a great place to meet, drink and hang out.

Reservations - This is simple, if you want to eat lunch or dinner at any reasonably good restaurant in Provence during July and August, you MUST make a reservation or likely be disappointed.  Most days you can make the reservation the day of but for some of the more popular spots you may need to reserve several days in advance. I actually think that some restauranteurs take a perverse pleasure in turning away folks without reservations, don't give them the satisfaction :)  Another good reason to call ahead is to make sure the restaurant is actually open.  Many restaurants have somewhat unusual (by American standards) hours of business.  Here it's not unusual for a restaurant to be closed say, Sunday night, all day Monday and Wednesday lunch, so always call ahead.

Don't be in a rush - The good news is that once you have your reservation, your table is yours for as long as you want it.  Lunch and dinner are leisurely affairs here and should be enjoyed and savored.  The restaurants do not expect to turn over tables at lunch or dinner so there is never a wait when you get to the restaurant, your table will always be ready for you. American restaurant owners might cringe at the potential loss of revenue but I think it's brilliant!  Also service will be laid back and slow compared to the US, enjoy it, talk to your dining companions, people watch, have another glass of wine and soak it all in.  Oh yes and don't call the waiter/waitress a garçon unless he really is a little boy :)

The check - When you want to leave, you must ask for the l'addition, your waitperson will not bring it to you until you ask.  Checks always include the tip but if you want, you can leave a few extra coins if the service has been good.

Breakfast - unlike lunch and dinner, breakfast is not the time to experience the gastronomic marvels of French cuisine. As in most of Europe, the French typically have a very simple breakfast, normally just coffee and a pastry or piece of baguette with butter and jam.  If you are staying in a hotel there will most probably be a buffet that includes yoghurt, ham, cheese, fruit, cereal etc.  But honestly, why stay in your boring hotel, go to a café and watch the world go by and save your appetite for lunch!!  One other tip, many cafés do not have food and it is quite normal to stop at a Boulangerie/Patisserie and pick up bread/croissants and take them to the café.  Also there are no such things as free refills in France, so if you want another coffee you will have to order and pay for one.  If you normally have your coffee with half and half, order a café crème.  This will be an expresso coffee with hot steamed milk, it's delicious!  If you have to, in many places you can order a Café Americain but why give the game away? :)

In part 2 we will explore the delights of lunch!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Giant of Provence

The first time I heard the word Ventoux, it was not in context of the famed mountain often ridden in the Tour de France but rather a region that was producing bright, light and fruity wines, particularly roses with the Cotes du Ventoux AOC designation.

As I got into cycling a couple of years ago, I started hearing about Mont Ventoux, a mountain of near mythical status amongst cyclists.  Along with Tourmalet, Galibier and Alpe D'Huez it is regarded as sacred ground and has produced some of the highest drama in the Tour de France.  To many it is the hardest single climb on the Tour due to it's length, steepness and weather conditions. But more on that later.....

Shortly before I arrived in Avignon by TGV almost two months ago, I got my first glimpse of Ventoux, her brilliant white top rising to a peak of more than 6,200 ft, she dominates the landscape towering  4,000 ft higher than any of the nearest peaks.  As I made my way from the train station to the village of Menerbes, she was a constant companion and during my travels around the Luberon her ubiquitous presence became a source of comfort .................. and a challenge.

Ventoux, she dominates the landscape

Like a siren she has called to me every day, one day I even ventured up her slopes by car to see what lay ahead, it was formidable but I felt that I had cheated her in some way.  It was then that I resolved the next time we met I would be au vélo.  

So I ramped up my hill climbing training and decided that Aug 15th was the day.  There are three roads that ascend Ventoux, one each from the towns of Sault, Bedoin and Malaucene.  For the statisticians among you, the climb from Sault is the easiest but the longest at 16.2 miles and an elevation gain of 4,002 ft. The Malaucene route is 13 miles and 5,151ft climbing and Bedoin, regarded as the hardest, is 13.4 miles and 5,282ft climbing. The Bedoin route is the one used in the Tour de France and is regarded by many to be one of the hardest if not the hardest used on the Tour. As mentioned above, the reasons for this are not only the length and grade of the climb but also the weather conditions. At any of the starting points it can be very hot, often hitting 100 deg by mid morning which can dehydrate you fast.  Then there is the wind.......... Ventoux derives it's name from the french for windy and the wind almost always blows and blows hard. Wind speeds over 200mph have been recorded on the mountain and it blows at more than 56mph over 240 days in the year on average.  This can make ascents and descents extremely hard and often dangerous.

My plan was to ride my bike over to the closest of the start points, Sault, a mere 26 miles away and begin my climb from there.  Although sounding good in theory,  I didn't realize just how hilly a ride it was.  The first 21 miles were all uphill and by the time I got to Sault I had already registered over 3,800 ft of climbing, oh well.  Leaving my house at 7:00 I took a route that went up past Goult and between Joucas and Gordes weaving my way through lovely vineyards burgeoning with ripening grapes.  Near Joucas I was treated to the sight of several hot air balloons majestically flying overhead,  I wasn't the only one up early at least :)

Hot air balloons drifting over the vineyards

The ride up toward Joucas was pleasant enough but as I went passed the town of Lioux, the road started to climb significantly.  The next 15 miles were a slog climbing up through the Bois de Lioux and the Combe de Sigalière with no interruption to the climb until I reached the town of St. Jean.  It was a tough but beautiful climb with virtually no cars or people in sight.  After 2 1/2 hours I reached the town of Sault.  As a popular start point for the climb, the town was already buzzing with cyclists ready to take on the Le Montagne.  I stopped at a Boulangerie on the main square and picked up some croissants and then popped round to a cafe to enjoy them with a cafe creme. Nourished, I refilled my water bottles and set off to meet the mountain.

The beautiful climb out of Lioux

The first mile or two was an easy descent from Sault and then the next 2-3 miles were a gentle climb that could easily lull you into a false sense of security. A sharp bend in the road introduced a much steeper incline and Ventoux began to show her teeth. The air temperature was climbing quickly now and was already at 92 deg at 10:00 am.  I was riding through a forested area so was mainly shielded from the wind but every so often a gust came through the trees a portend of things to come.  I was feeling quite good and got into a nice easy rhythm.  Dozens of cyclists who had already made the ascent came flying down, many yelling "bonne journée" or "bon courage". For some reason this further spurred me on and shortly the road began to level out, a sign that I was approaching the famous Chalet Reynard.  This little outpost, sitting alone on the south face of Ventoux is a popular spot to stop and recharge your drinks on the ascent or rest and enjoy a nice lunch after reaching the  top.  It is the biker bar of biker bars :)  There was great energy here, both the euphoria of riders who had already summited and were on the way down and others that were anxiously preparing for the tough last 4 miles of the climb.

The Chalet Reynard, the biker bar of biker bars!!

After enjoying a few minutes of people watching, a quick espresso and refilling my water bottles it was time to push on for the summit. The Chalet Reynard signifies  a change in both the difficulty of the climb and the terrain itself.  Now out of the forest, the final ascent is the steepest part of the climb and the most exposed.  No trees or vegetation of any kind just the limestone rocks that give the mountain its snow capped look from a distance but up close resembles more a moonscape.  The rocks help reflect the heat of the sun making you even hotter and the wind blows with a malicious ferocity. These last few miles were tough with an average grade of 8% and many sections that were 15-20%, I was trying to keep my rhythm up the steep incline but at the same time grabbing the handlebars with a death grip to keep from being blown off the road.  A few kilometers below I had passed a sign that said "Col Ouvert" and now I realized what that was about.  There must be many days in the year when this road is just impassable due to high winds.  

I should bloody well hope so!!

My speed hovered between 4.5-5 mph but I managed to keep upright and with a last push, rounded the bend for the summit.  It was a glorious moment.  The pain and effort of the past few hours and disappeared, replaced by a sense of achievement and agape at the tremendous views. You can see the Alps and the Mediterranean from the summit and virtually the whole of Provence lays below you.  It was a heady feeling.  I had ridden a total of 45 miles and climbed almost 8,000 ft a tough ride by any standard.

Not far to go now

At the summit, happy and feeling great!

After a lot of picture taking and some banter with other cyclists it was time for the descent and the 45 mile ride home.  But first things first, my stomach told me it was time for lunch!  I decided to stop for lunch at Chalet Reynard on my way back.  

The climb up Ventoux has seen a lot of drama and sadly this included the death of an English cyclist, Tom Simpson, at that point the most successful British cyclist ever, in 1967.  Simpson collapsed and died a few hundred meters from the summit due to dehydration and the fact that he had taken methamphetamine and brandy prior to the race.  There is a memorial to Simpson at the spot of his death and I stopped there to pay my respects on the way down. It was a somber moment.

Memorial to fallen cyclist Tom Simpson

At Chalet Reynard I was revived by an Omelet Ventoux et Frites or egg and chips to the rest of you :)  I laid off the wine as I still had 40 miles to ride but a large coffee got me ready for the hopefully swift journey home.

The bright side of suffering up a climb is that one is always rewarded with a descent.  Now I may not be the best descender in the world but I enjoy going downhill fast on a bike and have no qualms even at speeds of 50-60 mph. So as I left Chalet Reynard I was relishing the descent into Sault.  However, in many ways this turned out to be the toughest part of the entire ride and certainly the most nerve racking.  You see the road surface to Sault is incredibly poor, filled with potholes, ruts, humps and bumps that threaten a broken spoke or flat tire at any moment.  Add to this the fact that the wind was now blowing hard, a steady 30 mph with gusts that must have been over 50 and you have a hair-raising scenario.  Indeed by the time I arrived back in Sault my hands and wrists were so fatigued from gripping the handlebars and the brakes that they were actually numb.  I barely reached 40 mph on the descent and even that was probably foolish.  Why oh why can't the government re-pave such an iconic road?

After Sault there was a brief climb to the Sault plateau and then a nice 20 mile descent all the way to Menerbes.  I arrived home tired but elated, 90 miles and 10 hours after leaving.  I had finally met Ventoux properly and she had shared herself with me.  I will climb her again soon but that is the subject of another blog entry.  À bientôt ma cherie!!

You can see more photos from my ride to Ventoux here

Autour de Petit Luberon

Cyclo-tourism is alive and well in Provence judging by the number of pannier laden cyclists I have seen on the roads.  And why not?  This may be some of the best cycling to be had anywhere in the world.  Gorgeous landscape? Check.  Phenomenal weather? Check. Hundreds of picturesque and historic villages often separated by just a few kilometers? Check.  Loads of small backroads with very little traffic that meander through vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards?  Double check!!

The lovely vineyards of the Luberon

Add this to the wonderful provencal cuisine and the bright, light and fruity wines of the region and it's not hard to work out why it's so popular.  Never one to miss a revenue enhancing possibility, the French government has pounced on the the concept and has been busy building, or more accurately, mapping out what they call veloroutes to please and entice the legions of cycle-touristes they hope will visit and spend their hard earned euros.

One such route called the Autour du Luberon en vélo is a 238km journée around the luberon region from Cavaillon in the west to Forcalquier and Manosque in the east and encompassing both the Petit and Grand Luberon mountain ranges.  The route cleverly plots it's way through many of the most picturesque and famous villages in the area and takes one on some very rural backroads.

I think some of these roads may have been built by the Romans and I don't think they've been resurfaced since!!  So caution if you are on a road bike there are some bad sections and sections that are dirt or crushed rock.  My Cervélo has skinny 23c tires and it meant a pretty rough ride at times and I was continually worrying about flatting.  My Gitane is a touring bike with Hybrid 35c tires, much better suited to this type of terrain.

238km is too long for a day trip so I mapped out a ride I call the Autour du Petit Luberon which is about an 80km ride that completely encircles the Petit Luberon range.  It has some hilly bits but lots of flats and some fun downhills too.

I started in Ménerbes and the first 15 miles or so includes a couple of big climbs, the first up to the picturesque town of Lacoste and then up to Bonnieux, an equally comely village.  Unlike Lacoste, Bonnieux has some great restaurants and a lovely market on Fridays.

Bonnieux

After ascending to the top of the hill above Bonnieux you begin the long, winding and very entertaining (read fast) downhill through the Combe de Lourmarin to the town of Lourmarin.  According to my Garmin I hit 52.7mph going down the hill, like I said, VERY entertaining :)

Fast downhill through the Combe de Lourmarin

Lourmarin is another attractively situated town, not a village perché like Ménerbes, Lacoste or Bonnieux but lovely all the same.  I stopped and had a coffee here, did a little sightseeing and then a marvelous lunch at restaurant L'Oustelet, sitting on the terrace with a nice view of the Chateau de Lourmarin.

Chateau de Lourmarin

After lunch it was a long, most flat journey west through the towns of Lauris, Puget and Merindol where the route picks up a bike path that runs along a canal.  Easy cycling here except that going west heads against the usual wind direction.  It was not blowing too hard this day but was still a steady 10-15 mph which made the terrain a lot harder.

Riding along the canal path 

From Cheval Blanc the route heads north towards Les Taillades and gets a bit hillier too.  Then it was a matter of swinging eastward through Robion and Oppede and finally back up the hill to Ménerbes. A fabulous ride that you can ride fast or better still take your time and enjoy all that the Luberon has to offer.

You can view other photos from my ride here