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You're
dreaming of spending a vacation in sunny Provence? Staying in one of those
typical hilltop towns where history just oozes off the walls every corner you turn? Sipping your pastis in the village square letting the hot afternoon go by at the sound of a refreshing fountain? We'd like to propose to you some smashing holiday rentals in the very heart of Provence between the Mt.Ventoux and the Luberon mountains. All of our houses are ideally located for |
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| visiting Provence with towns like Gordes, Menerbes, Roussillion, Avignon and St-Remy-de-Provence. The Mediterrenean (Cassis) is only 75km. away. |  |
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| REGIONAL PRODUCTS | |||
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WINE  Provence is perhaps not the most
renowned wine-growing region in France, but it has surely the greatest variety.There are two main wine-growing regions: - the wineyard of "Côtes-du-Rhône": (Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape...) - The wine from Provence: (Cassis, Bellet, Bandol, Côteaux Varoix...) They can be tasted directly at the wine cellars or at local wine fêtes. |
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OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL  The olive
tree - symbol of the Mediterranean - was imported by the greek some 2500
years ago.It can live for several centuries and starts to give fruit at the age of eight, reaching full maturity by the age of twenty. Olives are traditionally gathered by hand or combs from November to January. The largest are conserved for eating whilst the smallest are pressed at the mill to give "virgin olive oil". 5 kg (11Pb) of olives makes 1 litre (1,8 pints) of oil. |
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| TRUFFLES  The black truffle, the same as the Périgord truffle is recognizable by its strong wild perfume. Its development requires 3 essential elements : earth rich in limestone, a Mediterranean climate and a welcoming tree (generally oak). It is collected during winter at the feet of oak trees with the help of a well-trained dog. The "truffle hound" scratches the earth to show where the truffle is hidden, leaving its owner to free the "Black Diamond" with a special hook called a "Faiji". The cultivation of truffles spreads over 15 communities in the "Vaucluse" and 68 in the "Drôme Provençale". Truffle markets: Richerenches - from Jauary to March Aups - every Thursday from November to March Chamaret - every Monday from mid-November to mid-March Grignan - every Tuesday from mid-November to mid-March St-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - every Monday from mid-November to mid-March Nyons - every Thursday from mid-November to mid-March Carprentras - every Friday from mid-November to mid-March Taulignan - every Saturday from mid-November to mid-March Rognes - end-december Montségur - every Thursday from mid-November to mid-March |
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| AROMATIC PLANTS Be it wild or cultivated, each plant has its own special use: gastronomic, herbal tea, perfume, medicine... They are widely used in Provencal cooking. Thyme or "Farigoule" in Provencal accompanies meat dishes whilst fennel or sage are delicious with fish. Savory "pebre d'ase" is used to season goat's cheese. But there is also romary, verbena, coriander, basil (pistou)... Anise and mint are also cultivated to make aperitif drinks. |
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| LAVENDER  Every
summer the plateaus and hills of Provence are coloured in blue by fields
of lavender.The cultivation of lavender dates from the last century but its properties have been know since antiquity, it has even been used during the middle-ages as a disinfectant. Collected by hand in the past, the harvest is now completely mechanized. Dried for a few days, the flowers then leave for the distillery where the essential oil is extracted. 120 kg (20 stone) of flowers makes 1 kg (2.2 Pb)of essential oil. Lavandin plant, a hybrid of lavender, is becoming more and more popular because it produces twice as much oil. The Lavender festivals: Ferrassière - end of June Valensole - end of July Volvent - beginning of August Digne - beginning of August Valréas - beginning of August Esparon sur Verdon - mid-August Sault - mid-August |
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| NOUGAT This sweet with the perfume of Provence, a marriage of honey and almonds appeared for the first time in Montélimar at the end of the XVI century. Honey and sugar are melted and cooked in mixers then added to beaten egg whites. It is only at the end that the almonds are added and the mixture is then poured into moulds. Nougat can be industrally or hand-made, but must include at least 30% of almonds to merit the name "Nougat de Montélimar". |
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Sejours & Provence
*  * wim.simone@wanadoo.fr |