ArmchairUzes

Armchair Uzès

la Vie Quotidienne

le 15 mai 2001
Uzès, France

The Mediterranean and the Chateau d'If, a fortified castle on the rocks.

By the sea...near Marseille
A la mer...près de Marseille
A recent road trip in search of the perfect Mediterranean blue and a bouillabaisse took us down into the heart of Marseille and then along the seacoast to les Goudes. We stopped first at Marseille's Port des Belges and le Vieux Port where thousands of yachts, fishing boats and tourists gather. Off in the distance are a trail of rocky islands, one of which houses the Chateau d'If, fictional scene of Alexander Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Man in the Iron Mask."
We drove a bit further out of the center of the city to a small hidden fishing cove, Vallon des Auffes. Strolling through this area was a trip back in time, with colorful boats, little houses and restaurants, and the beautiful seaside all bundled up together.

Further along the seaside road going east out of Marseille leads to the beginning of les Calanques, a stunning range of tall limestone cliffs that rise up from the sea. Best way to see this area is on foot (views from above) or by boat (in and out of the many coves). We didn't have time for either, but we did have time for lunch. In les Goudes, at Restaurant l'Escale, we feasted for three and a half hours on a most delicious and typically Mediterranean meal. A dish of very local and fresh fish, served with a soupe de poisson, bouillabaisse is the subject of much discussion and dispute, particularly in terms of authenticity and freshness. Let it be said that we had the best, the freshest, the most authentic bouillabaisse that we'd ever eaten...and the group of French folks who were with us all agreed! For more pictures of the sea and the food, click here for the Armchair Gallery.

What a spectacle!
Quel spectacle!
French theater and its traditions go back hundreds of centuries, and theater in France is an integral part of everyday life. We were lucky to be invited to attend an incredible production of BAAL, after Bertold Brecht, at the University of Aix-en-Provence. The two-hour play featured an ensemble cast of eighteen accomplished actors, including Gwenael Lequeux, aka Gwen, our prof Anne-Marie's son. The group attending agreed that the energy and talent was inspirational...we want more! Whether professional or amateur, theater lives (and quite nicely) in France.

Curtain call (one of four) for BAAL, at the University of Aix. ... au-dessus, Gwen ...

The cherries are here...
Les cerises arrivent...
One of the first official signs of summer here is the arrival of cherries from Provence in the markets. This past weekend marked the beginning. Stopping at a roadside stand outside Remoulins, we got our first taste of the cherries that are so treasured. And what a treasure they are! At 30 francs a kilo (about $2 a pound), they were a definite bargain...we saw them at the market on Saturday at prices ranging from 45 to 60 francs a kilo. No need to prepare these jewels, just rinse, and pop them into your mouth. What a taste!