Friday April 5, 2024

 FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2024

Today we are going to our friend Johan’s country house for a rustic barbecue. It is in Vison, about an hour north of Avignon. We picked him up at his house and started on our way to Visan. It’s a beautiful ride where we passed vineyards, tulip farms, canola fields, and truffle forests. 




Our first stop was Tulette We went into Chez George Boucherie (butcher.) for the meat for our bbq. It was so different from our butcher in the US. Ours is in the supermarket! We bought quail, sausage and patè.




There was a Ford Mustang parked on the street. Both Steve and Johan had to have a picture.


Next we went to the bakery for dessert. We picked up bread and tarts, eclairs. Next stop was the wine store. 


Finally we got to Johan’s home. It has been in his family for 3 generations. His great grandfather remembers a day in May of 1944 when American soldiers camped out in the field across the way and they gave him gum.





















The house is made of stone. It’s very charming inside. We really had a wonderful afternoon. Johan built the fire in an outdoor fireplace. Steve grilled the meat.  The wood they used was from old olive trees. Johan had made a salad of chick peas and another of couscous. Everything was delicious, even the quail…it tasted like chicken!
We sat around the table talking for hours. Then we decided to go to Grignan. It’s a hilltop village from the 1300s. The chapel was beautiful and the streets were winding.There is a famous author named Marie Chantel. She is honored with a statue in the town square and fountain. 



In each town we have visited there has been a Hotel de Ville. We have thought wow this is a huge chain of hotels. We have seen one in each town we have visited. Most of them seem to be closed. I guess they aren’t doing well. This must be a French chain bigger than Marriott.  We mentioned it to Johan and he said well each town has a town hall. Oh…it’s not a hotel at all! It’s a town hall…duh! Marriott has no competition in Provence! After our tour of Grignan we stopped for a cocktail at a local cafè.
















Back to Avignon. Today was a home run! It will be counted as one of the highlights of our trip to Provence!
Bonne Nuit!💤💤💤💕






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