A gastronomic jaunt through Provence

by Karl & Ann Springer; San Antonio, TX

My wife, Ann, and I spent 25 days in the south of France — including two weeks in Provence and four days in Nice and ending with a 7-day riverboat cruise on the Rhône and Saône rivers — in June-July 2011.

We stayed in a small farm cottage reserved through Untours (Media, PA; 888/868-6871) for the first two weeks.

Along with the completely furnished cottage, Untours arranged for an Avis rental car, which we picked up on our arrival in Marseille. We paid $2,728 for our 2-week stay, including the car rental and the services of the local Untours representative.

Ann and I had made a motoring trip through Provence about 25 years before. During that visit, we stayed mainly in the larger cities and concentrated on the extensive Roman ruins to be found throughout the province.

We intentionally planned this 2011 trip to Provence to see the fields of blooming lavender and to visit the places where the blooms are distilled into the essential oil used in perfumes, lotions and soap. Food and other sightseeing opportunities were of lesser importance. However, we would discover that food is a highlight of a visit to this area.

A tasty welcome

On arrival at the Hermann 2 cottage in Pernes-les-Fontaines, a picturesque village east of Avignon and about five kilometers south of Carpentras, we were surprised to find two loaves of bread (a baguette and a large loaf of olive bread) fresh from the local boulangerie. Added to this was a large bottle of water plus coffee, milk, orange juice and a bottle of local rosé wine. In the refrigerator was a healthy portion of locally made cheese; several slices of ham; a box of fresh, ripe cherries; butter; six boiled eggs, and a large jar of strawberry preserves.

These were our welcoming supplies, and they more than took care of our first evening’s meal along with providing breakfast the next morning and for several days after.

Outside our front door was a large tree that shaded a patio with a table and chairs. This was where we had our light supper (“picnic”) each evening for two weeks. It was also where we planned each day’s excursion.

The village’s “U” supermarket was about five minutes away by car. A little bread, wine, cheese and thou make the beginnings for many good things, including a light supper. To this we added some local green or black marinated olives; sausage; marinated artichokes; tomatoes, and red and yellow bell peppers or whatever else we fancied at the local market. Soon the evening snack seemed to fill the top of the table and became the highlight of the evening.

Eating out

France continues to shut down for lunch around noon, with work resuming at 2 p.m. In Provence this was as regular as the clear, cloudless skies in summer. When the village bell sounded 12 o’clock, shops closed and it was lunchtime. This seemed to be the most important time of the day.

Our days were spent exploring tiny hillside villages and small towns in valleys surrounded by fields of blooming lavender. Even the most out-of-the-way village had one or more restaurants open for lunch.

The menu board out front usually featured formula meals, some two or three courses for €15 to €17 ($20-$22). (While in France, we thought of euros as dollars so the price shock wouldn’t be so great!)

The first course was usually an excellent special salad of the region or a terrine. Bread was always served, and a bottle of cold water about the size of a wine bottle was available on request. We always asked for tap water (une carafe d’eau) along with a carafe of the regional rosé.

The second course was often duck, pork, beef, fish or shrimp. Preparation and presentation varied depending on the part of Provence in which we happened to be. Country cooking with obvious chef expertise was the rule.

Added to this were portions of vegetables, potatoes or rice, whatever was fresh at that day’s market. French fries invariably were better than our American version.

The herbs of Provence are used liberally in most dishes, and perhaps this is the reason the food tasted so good.

Agriculture flourishes in this region. Grape vines were growing in profusion, and strawberries, tree-ripened cherries and apricots were in season during our visit. Ann loves tomatoes, so we purchased several varieties of red and yellow tomatoes from various roadside markets.

We discovered that pepper was absent from our kitchen and was only offered in some restaurants and cafés. At our local “U” market, we bought a grinder bottle of peppercorns of Provence so we could grind fresh pepper at our picnics. We liked the pepper so much, we brought the half-full grinder home.

Bread is a staple of the French diet, and the aroma of fresh bread baking or for sale in a store or restaurant overpowered everything except the lavender shop. Usually, we let our noses guide us and we would find bakeries with several varieties of croissants, tarts, sandwiches and, sometimes, thick-crust pizza. Many times Ann had to physically drag me out of the bakery!

Those who live in Provence seem to live to eat and treasure all things gastronomic.

Wine and dessert

Throughout our travels in Provence, we could not get over the extensive number of vineyards with their healthy, profusely green vines. From these, white, red and rosé wines are produced.

Rosé wine seemed to be very popular during the summer. Served cold, it was a winner at our evening picnics and daily lunches. We quickly learned to buy bottles of rosé for about €2 to €3 each at the “U” market, like the locals.

Unlike most American rosés, the rosé of Provence was drier and a bit more fruity. Only once, in Tarascon, did we get a carafe that was marginal. We tried some reds and whites, but during the warm summer months they seemed too intense.

Dessert offered on 3-course menus usually included two or three scoops of ice cream with caramel or dark-chocolate sauce drizzled on top and a small side of whipped cream. There was always crème caramel or a cheese board with several local cheeses also on offer to finish lunch. We got the ice cream course sometimes but rarely the cheese, opting instead for the 2-course menu. Never did we leave hungry or disappointed!

One of the best first courses we had was half a small, sweet cantaloupe melon served with several very thin slices of smoked ham. The sweetness of the melon was unforgettable!

Finding a table

There were restaurants that featured haute cuisine and higher prices (reservations recommended), but we avoided these, as they were usually only open for dinner. Years ago, before my retirement, late, large dinners were commonplace, but that’s all in the past. Lunch is now our main meal of the day.

The 2-hour lunch became everyday practice for us, and we took our time, as most French do. It was a most appreciated break in the day and so different from what we did on our previous visits to Europe, when we were always in a rush.

Other travelers have written much about Provence, including such books as Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence.” Frommer’s, Rick Steves, Lonely Planet and other guidebooks list and suggest a range of cafés and restaurants and their locations. However, we are avoiding making such recommendations, as to do so would deprive you of an enjoyable adventure and your own unforgettable memories of Provence.

We did learn the difference between cafés and restaurants. Cafés are usually open all day, while restaurants only serve during the 12-to-2 p.m. lunchtime and at dinner, which rarely starts before 7 p.m. While we tried to go to a few guidebook-suggested eateries, they were not always easy to find, did not fit our schedule or were not open.

It was more fun to follow our noses. As we walked among several restaurants and surveyed the menus or chalkboards outside, a small, family-run restaurant would magically appear. In nearly every case, we were more than satisfied.

French cooking, especially Provençal cooking, does not have to be expensive, but the long gastronomic tradition of Provence means it will be good. We were careful to stop where other people, especially French people, were having lunch and looked at what was being ordered for hints.

Being independent travelers with a car allowed us to search out restaurants with character and a bit of ambiance. Many times, we knew the place when we saw it.

Onboard eating

After four days in Nice on the French Riviera, with its own style of big-city cooking, we returned to Avignon to begin our 7-day journey ($2,556 for two) up the Rhône and Saône rivers with Viking River Cruises (Woodland Hills, CA; 800/706-1483). No longer on our own, we took advantage of the mostly Provençal cooking offered on the riverboat.

Like on larger cruise ships, three meals were served each day, with a broad range of breads, cheeses and wines to supplement the several courses available. Traditional red-wine dishes such as coq au vin and beef bourguignon gave us a taste of classic French cuisine.

Provence in June and July is like being close to heaven. Days started with cloudless skies and moderate temperatures that made us glad we made the trip. Afternoons warmed up under the full sun, which moved pedestrians to the shady side of the street. We rarely sat inside for lunch, opting for a shady, outside table in front of the restaurant. From there we could watch locals go about their day.

After a while, we realized why it seemed no one ate at home. The food served by the local restaurants was of good quality and value. This is the verdict of someone who likes classic French cooking and is not overly impressed by haute cuisine. Well-prepared and -seasoned country-style cooking using fresh, local ingredients with a minimum of rich, heavy sauces appeals to us.

A French client once asked me, “Why is French food in the US so expensive? It does not have to be!”

We learned many trips to France ago that he was right. We avoid the tourist places and the Michelin-rated restaurants, since our tastes run more to the simple and authentic.

Perhaps it has to do with whether one “eats to live” or “lives to eat.” For us, it is a bit of both, I suppose, with the emphasis on living.