Category Archives: markets
Les 13 Desserts
Tasting no less than 13 special desserts on Christmas eve to ensure good luck for the new year is my kind of pressure. Having been introduced to this ritual by a sweet-toothed Provence-residing Swede, I immediately imagined French favourites jostling … Continue reading
Cheeky little Saints
The French Revolution set in motion a lot more than a few heads. When the ancien régime was abolished, the turbulence of the new order saw churches closed and the Christmas crib become nativity non-grata. So the religious and resourceful … Continue reading
First Impressions
Aix-en-Provence is a place made famous by friendship. And not just once. The first time was when two young boys were challenged by a bully in the schoolyard. The bigger boy defended the smaller, who the next day bought a … Continue reading
The fête of farmers
No wonder the spirit of resistance is forever linked to France. At the Fête de l’agriculture Paysanne this weekend the verve of underground activity was alive and well, manifesting in much more than the delicious produce ‘peasant’ farmers were united … Continue reading
Sunday in the sun
Troglodytes and a holy trinity of visions may translate to extraordinary hotel tariffs, but nothing, it seems, is ordinary in Cotignac. This medieval town, voted one of the prettiest in France, boasts picturesque cobblestone paths climbing to cliff-face fortifications, fabulous … Continue reading
To market, to market…
Small village, big heart. It’s been beating for 4,500 years, welcoming galant knights and devout pilgrims with hospitality that anticipated the ages. The surviving chapels and medieval wash rooms bear witness to their passing, a situation these souls must eternally … Continue reading
Goats & glace
To say that fresh goats cheese will last days in the fridge is about as ambitious as saying a tub of hand made ice cream will survive the journey home. Especially when both delectable treats come from La Ferme des … Continue reading
Bread and blossom
The royal rouse to ‘let them eat cake’ was not the last time someone would lose their head over a serious miscalculation of taste. The crumbs of political commentary have been left trailing all over Budapest and while the language … Continue reading
Made in Hungary
As a country that is home to a greater number of Catholics than live in Ireland and where crafted mangers and festive exchanges add more sparkle than all the chachkies from China, Hungary celebrates Christmas in a very special way. … Continue reading
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