Our recent Trip to France
More fantastic travels to France - tales of 2012!
Liz and Gene returned in July inspired after a yet another fantastic trip to France! For the third year running, we stayed in the portside town of Marseillan and once again just loved it! It was like a homecoming. We were joined each week by 4 others to share the experience and we have returned with wonderful memories
Our base was a stunning 'maison vigneron' - a wine makers house built in the 1890's and now beautifully restored. It was a real haven to return to after a day exploring. Spacious and light with a wonderful private garden with pool, we were within 5 minutes walk of the old town centre of Marseillan which has all the services you need - great bakers, a wonderful old style butchery, and of course friendly cafes to enjoy a glass or rose in the evening. The weather was kind and the pool was very welcome on those long hot days!
In each of our weeks, we spent at least one day close to home enjoying the local weekly market, checking out the boats in the pretty little recreational port, picnicking by the pool and being treated to a private tour of Noilly Prat vermouth distillery with their cellar master.
Our excursions away from Marseillan took us to the Canal du Midi, to the bustling port towns of Sete and Agde, to little vineyards, to colourful markets and to cosmopolitan Montpellier (the Musee Fabre was superb and we also enjoyed a wonderful sculpture exhibition in the courtyards
of magnificent townhouses), This region of the Languedoc offers so much to enjoy.
We timed our visit perfectly and joined in two festivals celebrating the summer solstice - one evening there was live jazz by the port washed down with delicious local picpoul de pinet wine and on another evening the theme was Spanish with paella and energetic gypsy music and dancing into the early hours - the entire village joined in.
Gene loved his visits to the produce markets filled with local seasonal treats and many evenings we dined in and enjoyed local specialities - oysters, mussels, tielles, guinea fowl - and with two well equipped kitchens we had plenty of space for people to join in the preparation if the mood took them. Dining outside late into the night as the swallows wheeled above us was very memorable but we also made sure there was time to get out to enjoy some of the wonderful local restaurants.