Wednesday, August 18th
Up early, hahahaha, that means 8 a.m. and packed our things and went down to our warm croissants and cafe au lait. It was a little on the cool side and had just started to rain so Ross brought the car closer to the door and we loaded up. It was hard to say good bye to two such warm and hospitable people. We reminded them that we are waiting to them to come and visit us in Toronto. One last hug and out through the wrought iron gates and off towards the last leg of our trip.
It began raining steadily but in the distance we could see a clearer patch in the clouds so we would hopefully be able to walk around when we got to Flavigny. Further and further away from the vineyards and into pasture lands and higher hill country with peaceful Charolais cows munching happily. We arrived in Flavigny and if you have seen the movie Chocolat with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp you will know the place. They do not make or sell chocolate there but they they have been making Anis de Flavigny candy since Roman times. They are the candy with the longest history. They are made of licorice root and violets and then dipped in anice flavoured sugar. I think it takes about 15 days to make them. They are still sold in the lovely designed tins and cardboard tubes that they have been using for centuries.
The place is very quiet with narrow lanes and cobblestones. There are the remains of an old Abbey and they have done a lovely job of restoring the crypt, which you can walk through. There were Gregorian chants playing as we walked deeper into the carved limestone walls. A sign marked the spot of the altar as the place where the religious from 721 to 1790 took their holy orders. The sacredness of the space fills you with a peaceful feeling that continues as you walk along the little streets.
Took a picture of the little shop, closed at the moment, that has to be the one they used as the chocolate shop in the movie. We then moved down to the lower part of the town and bought some of the Anis de Flavigny candy in a cute shop belonging to the candy making establishment (I just can't call it a candy factory). That was it for walking in Johnny Depp's footsteps now on to follow Julius Caesar.
Narrow, twisting country roads going down and up green valleys towards Alesia, the site of the battle between Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix, chieftan of the Gauls. We parked the car and walked across a grassy field and then uphill past diggings of the foundations of the defences built by the Romans. Up to the very top and the gigantic statue of Vercingetorix. We had been here 16 years ago and I swear it was a shorter walk uphill then. The views are amazing from the top and would have loved to have Marc there telling me all about where and what the defences were and how the battle unfolded. We will have to do it together as we did 16 years ago but now on to Troyes.
We had bought our usual picnic supplies at my favourite supermarché in France --Auchan, love it! Best selection and so neat and fresh. The trouble is getting out of there without buying more than we need as it all looks so good. I should have taken a picture of their yogurt aisle, and their pastry section. With our things we stopped at a picnic spot on the side of the route nationale which just happened to have the Seine running by it. We ate our jambon persillé on crusty buns. We chose five buns for 1.50 Euro, one plain, two with green olives and two studded with lardons. Then cold Perrier and crottins de chèvre, white peaches and for dessert (as if we need it!) a religieuse pastry each. It is a cream puff filled with chocolate pastry cream, a small cream puff, also filled, on top and a chocolate swirl on top and some crème chantilly to look like a collar between the two parts. Yum. I also couldn't resist and bought a package of assorted mini pastries called viennoiserie which include flaky, buttery type of delights---I had to they were on special. We can nibble them in the car on our way to Paris tomorrow.
Our final stop for the night was Troyes. It has a small medieval town center and an incredible cathedral which is currently being worked on. The rosetta windows inside are breathtaking and when we were here 16 years ago with the kids Aveline just couldn't stop videotaping them. Walked and enjoying the tiny streets. One sad thing is that many of the houses and shops are empty. It seems the town is very popular for all the fashion outlets as you come in town and people have forgotten the historical part of the city. I hope to come again and see it more alive. On the way back to the hotel we stopped to have a quick dinner as we have an early start in the morning and frankly I can't walk another step today. I think Ross is missing workouts with his athletes and making me get a good workout instead.
We had burgers for dinner, fast food French style at a restaurant called Hippopotamus (I think it is a chain) but what a burger. The meat was Charolais beef, all those cream coloured cows we passed all day, grilled to perfection. I probably already mentioned it in France they like their meat bloody so you need to ask for it to be done bien cuit (well cooked) if you want it to be medium rare. On top of Ross's was jambon d’Auvergne ( a proscitto type cured ham) and a local cheese and caramlized onions. Mine had carmalized onions and Roquefort cheese, I mean a real big hunk of the blue cheese. Wonderful. Fries came on the side and then as we will be dieting when we return, Ross had crème brulée and I had French vanilla ice cream in which I could see the vanilla bits covered with strawberry pieces and a raspberry coulis with a spear of fresh mint on top and a squirt of chocolate sauce. This place would be similar to a Casey's or the Keg but much tastier and cheaper, dinner cost 36 Euros.
Good night, an early start tomorrow and I must check out the outlet shops before we leave.
No comments:
Post a Comment