Day 9 Saturday 24 September. ..A day in Nimes

A slight change of plans...

Today we were meant to visit the preserved villages of St Guilhem le Desert but on arrival found that the shuttle bus that takes visitors from the coach park wasn't operating this weekend and as coaches are not  allowed into this heritage settlement some quick thinking was needed.  We decided to swap it with Monday's programme so we set off for the Roman town of Nimes.

Nimes is a thriving town of high class shops, businesses and schools that has world class Roman monuments. Today Nimes is officially in the Languedoc-Roussillon region but historically the town has been a key player in the evolution of Provence. While travellers to France often make time for Arles and Avignon, Nimes is often ignored. However of the three cities Nimes seems more confident and richer, keeping its peaceful, pedestrian -polished streets a secret for its residents. For the past thousand years, the towns people have made good use of one of their biggest assets,  the ancient Roman temple called Maison Carree. The temple rivals Rome's Pantheon as the most complete building that survives from the Roman Empire. 

Smaller, scattered remains of Roman Nimes testify to its former importance as the city of administration and commerce for Galacia. However the list of Nimes' Roman remains would not be complete without mentioning the imposing Pont du Gard one of the finest Roman aqueducts ten miles to the northeast of the city. The river was just beautiful with many people swimming, canoeing or just soaking up the warmth of the sunshine. It was a magnificent site. 

The final days 11 & 12 Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 of September.....the end of our amazing time in this glorious place.

Our flexible itineray!!

You just have to love the French...days of closures due to whatever reason meant our group enjoyed another relaxing day in Montpellier on Monday. Our intended visit to St Guilhem le Desert still didn't happen as the shuttle bus which takes visitors around the three preserved villages doesn't operate on Mondays in September ! Grrrr...... However this wasn't a massive issue as many in the group welcomed a free slow day with still  many places  to explore either on foot or the very efficient tram system. My time was once again spent wrestling with the increasingly frustrating internet. More Grrrrrrrŕrrrrrrrrr. ..

Our final day had a bit of everything with a morning cruise on the Canal du Rhone Sete starting from the ancient sea port of Aigues-Morte. This is a striking walled medieval town sitting on the flat marshes of the Camargue and is considered the purest example of 13th century military architecture. The cruise departed and returned to the town in a loop of canals considered to be an engineering marvel built in the 17th   century. Along the way we   visited a cattle yard where we had a display of working with the bulls used in bullfighting  but unlike Spain the animals are NOT killed during the fight. Mmm....am unsure about that as something I would want to watch. In the brilliant sunshine we then wandered through the many  canals and finally the marshes blended into marinas and a reserve where the flamingos abound. Gorgeous. Unfortunately we didn't have a long  stop in the village and have decided that in the future it is worth a longer stay. 

On our return to our hotel which had been our home for the 2 weeks, our host Nathalie had prepared a special farewell with wine, nibbles and speeches. This lovely hotel has been perfect and we will miss the staff when we leave. It will be a joy to return here in 2017 for the repeat of this tour.

The final event of the tour was just glorious. ...a dinner at the private home of our local consultant Chantal.  We each brought a bottle of wine  from the many wineries we had visited and he dinner was a celebration of local products such as rabbit, cheeses and THE MOST DIVINE dessert. ..a combination of meringue, chocolate mousse,cream etc..etc..oh my poor hips and waistline!!!!!!!. More speeches and presentations and it was timeto depart. Thank you to Chantal and all of our local friends who have done so much to make our 'Byways and Boudin 'tour such a fantastic experience. It has been superb.  See you again in May 2017...a French spring!!!

Day 10 Sunday 25th September. ..Roquefort. ...'the land where neither vineyards nor corn will grow'

Discovering the birthplace of Roquefort cheese

Roquefort is first mentioned in 1070 and by the end of the Middle Ages,  its reputation extends to the bigger towns and cities of the Mediterranean region - Toulouse, Marseilles and Montpellier. In the 15th century,  under Charles VI, the refining of the cheese became the monopoly of the people of Roquefort and the caves were granted a protected status. Roquefort cheese became internationally renowned in the 20th century.  In 1925 it was the first cheese to be granted title Appellation d'Origine- label of origin-  a mark or guarantee of quality and in 1951, at the International Convention of Stresa, Roquefort was confirmed as an Appellation d'Origine Protegee.

Roquefort  is in the  Averyron district, located at the bottom of the Rock of Combalou and is registered as Site Remarquable du Gout- a unique village. Here and only here,  in the depths of the caves, the famous Roquefort cheese is ripened. Our tour though in French, was very interesting as we made our way through the many levels ending with a tasting session.  It was a fantastic tour and one that is truly unique.  

From Roquefort we made our way to the Viaduc de Millau the highest bridge in Europe designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster who is also known for the design of the National Art Gallery of Victoria.  Lunch was at the service centre at the bridge where a surprisingly delicious array of types of food were available.  The Viaduc de Millau is in Averyron department which is famed throughout France for its fine food.

Day 8 at the seaside

Back on the road and today would be full of variety. First stop was the Noilly -Prat winery in the village of Marseillan a delightful town southwest of Montpellier on the coast.  Marseillan is on the outskirts of Montpellier and is slowly being swallowed  by the city as it grows. It is home to a well known brand of aperitif Noily Prat, a type of digestive stimulant with the generic name of Vermouth. White wine made in the vicinity is macerated with a secret  combination of  aromatics derived  from herbs and  medicinal plants that grow on the shores of the Mediterranean  or inland in the marquis and garrigue, two kinds of low scrubby bushland found in Provence. While the ingredients and proportions of each are a well kept secret a tasting of Noily Prat will suggest the presence of juniper berries, sage, thyme and other plants with a 'dry' taste profile.

Lunch was in the small village of Meze further up the coast and once again a random choice of harbourside cafes did not disappoint. The salmon served on hot rocks was divine. Meze is also the home town of Pepinieres Filippi a nursery known world wide for its introduction of many fine plants suited to summer dry  Mediterranean climates. Olivier Filippi a leading authority inthis field gave the group an interesting insight into  this trend.

The final visit for the day was the Jardin antique Mediterranean in the glorious town of Balaruc les Bains and is the home to a botanic garden of interest as it grows only plants  native to the Mediterranean that have been grown and harvested since ancient times.

Day 7 ...a day at leisure in Montpellier

Today is a designated day off for the coach driver so the group had time to explore this beautiful place. With lots of options available such as art galleries, shopping, the cathedral, and catching the local tram, the day was a very pleasant one. Or for those who just wanted to catch up on sleep and some personal time out the day was most welcome.

Day 6 Wednesday 21 September. ..the back country of Montpellier

Day 6 Wednesday 21 September. ..the back country of  Montpellier
Food.....food...wine....not too much wrong with that combination. Today we experienced some wonderful food and wine moments. Our first stop was the market at Clarmont-Herault which is one of the best in the region noted for its very varied selection of local produce. Each person purchased their choice of delicacies for a shared 'Happy hour' at the end of the day. We had some amazing charcuterie,  breads, regional cheeses, olives, fresh radishes, salads and many superb fruits. This market has operated  almost continuously since the  12th century interrupted only by war and the Black death. Vibrant and wonderfully French.

Our next stop was the Canet at Domaine de la Dourbie winery for yet another taste sensation. Here we were treated to a tour of this organic winery with a guided tasting. Superb!  But then the best was yet to come...a picnic in a forest. A small feast in individual picnic bags were prepared by our hosts complete with the gingham table cloths! With perfect weather and good company he whole experience was very memorable. Our perfect day ended with the spoils of our market shopping with happy hour in our hotel breakfast room per kind favour of our host Nathalie. I love this place.

www.tkjtravel.com.au

Day 4: Monday 19 September. .....following the Romans....

Roman ruins....more cats and stunning icecream!!!!

Today we followed in the footsteps of the Romans to the glorious towns of Arles and Tarascon. Arles was the home of Vincent Van Gogh where he painted many well known images.  However beofre exploring it was time for coffee and 'elevenesses'!!! Even though it was only 10! The OMG gasp became the norm as around every corner  were more treasures and surprises.  Lunch was 2 or 3 scoops of the MOST DIVINE icecream.  Trevor and I shared. ...banana flambe and nougat were my choices....his rosewater and something i couldn't identify. nd our vista was a 2,000 year old Roman Colossuem as a backdrop. Have we died andgone to heaven????

The compulsory purchase of a beret for our leader...very chic Mr Nottle!! Unfortunately the art lovers in he group missed out on the Van Gogh exhibition due to closure of the museum. Onto Tarascon and the group ventured into a medieval castle on the river. Vertigo was a bit of an issue for those who took on the challenging turrets. With only a few hours here it was obvious Tarascon deserved a return visit. 

It was a fabulous day and to end it dinner was at oneof the many town squares in Montpellier. ..amazing seafood. ..AND ...the desserts were to die for.  Bed beckoned as we waddled back full to the brim with the food and wine of this beautiful place.