A FARMHOUSE IN PROVENCE - AMAZING BASTIDE AMONG THE VINES - A BUCKET LIST MUST

After three beautiful days and nights in the great city of Paris, we took a high speed train with a cruising speed of 145 MPH. It was like riding on a soft cloud. I've always said, the Europeans have the food thing and the train thing figured out. And, best of all, it's cheap - $25 for a 2.5 hour trip from Paris to Avignon. After arrival, we rented a car to get around Avignon. We stayed in the beautiful small B&B, Lumani, which, unfortunately has closed. 

A Swiss architect and his wife, an accomplished artist, converted a large courtyard house into a small, intimate hotel. Our room was four star all the way. I understand they closed it in order to open another hotel in the Provencial countryside a short drive from Avignon. While I cannot give a recommendation, because we never stayed there, if they run it like they did the smaller place, I am sure it will be excellent. To check it out just click THE SUZET. Unfortunately, it's not cheap. So I would spend some time finding other places that have that amazing sense of European quality for less money. I highly recommend staying in Avignon for at least two nights. From 1306 - 1376 Avignon was the center of the Roman Catholic Papacy. This beautiful ancient city has many fascinating historic buildings and, like all places in France, you can have some of the best food you will ever eat. And, like virtually all of Provence, they have numerous small, intimate hotels at reasonable rates.

LA BASTIDE DE MARIE - ROMANCE AMONG THE VINES

We drove the short one hour through the beautiful countryside to one of the most unique places we have ever stayed - La Bastide de Marie. The best description of this fascinating place comes from their web site:

"Nestling in the heart of a 57 acre vineyard, The Bastide de Marie is a haven of peace where life is good. This Provencial bastide comprises 15 guest rooms, each designed with a unique decor, where you will find the perfect coolness and finesse. When in the lounge areas overlooking the vineyards or in the vicinity of the gardens or pools, just go with the flow and be rewarded with simple moments of happiness."

As we drove up to the entrance of this country farmland hotel, there was a man, wearing a Fedora hat, who was the concierge. He reminded me of the famous French actor Maurice Chevalier. He greeted us in English, though he was clearly French. Two bellman appeared from nowhere to unload and take our luggage to our room. As we checked in, we were asked if we would need anything and we said we were fine. Once checked in, we found ourselves wandering around this beautiful old farmhouse that had been restored and converted to a small, intimate country bastide, complete with comfortable beds, big bathrooms and incredible views of the beautiful Provencial countryside. And the price, while not cheap, is not over the top.

This well designed small hotel is perfect for any vagabond that wants to just enjoy a few days relaxing in this artistically influenced environment, drink some great wine and enjoy fabulous food at their restaurant. Sitting on the terrace with the one you love and taking in the views and the essence of this beautiful region of France is truly exceptional. To give you a taste of what the place is like, take a look at the short video below.

So, get busy today - Put this one on your Bucket List. Every vagabond traveler should see Provence and their is no better place to to take it all in than Bastide de Marie.

Grands Voyages Dans Provence

D.L.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Lolligaggin' In Provence Part Deux - Lazy Days In A Vineyard

Ne rien faire du tout

Doing absolutely nothing. It is pretty much a lost art in the new millennium. Back Door Travel Guru Rick Steves admonishes all travelers to insert "down days" into any travel itinerary. In this age of travel at the speed of sound, we are accustomed to doing things fast. And that tends to spill over into traveling as well. We have all subjected ourselves to seeing far too much in far too little time. If you have kids and have been to Disney, you know of what I speak. This Blog is dedicated to the proposition that half the fun of travel is getting there (Delta being the default exception of course) and when you do get there - just relax! You may be a Nomad, but dropping anchor and staying awhile is an absolute requirement to absorb the people, culture and eccentricities of any place worth visiting. Setting aside a day or two just to rest and relax with no side trips, no museums and no attractions will ensure that you  maintain your equilibrium and truly enjoy the reasons you suffered through that nine hour flight from Atlanta to Paris in the first place.Today's post is about just such a place and will prove that Mr. Steves is absolutely spot on with his down day rule.

Bienvenue - Take Your Shoes Off & Set A Spell

After three days of serious sight seeing in Paris, a day of travel on high speed rail, more walking and rubbernecking in Avignon and a good bit of road travel in Provence, we pulled through the gate at the immaculately groomed La Bastide de Marie, an 18th century farmhouse converted into a destination boutique property with a seamless, eclectic design of old stone walls, tile roofs and  interiors that would be at home in any century. The "bastide" goes to great lengths to provide what I would term unpretentious elegance. And the best part. This lovingly restored eighteenth century mansion functions as the epicenter of sixty plus acres of the Le Domaine de Marie Vineyard. If you were to assemble a portfolio of images touting the essence of the country life in rural France, you would start at this place that was made for good friends, good food and great memories. And the architecture is five star. From the ancient stone house with exquisitely detailed interior spaces and other structures, to the beds that would satisfy the most demanding Nomad in need of rest, this place should be on every Nomad's List of Places To Sleep Before You Die!

As we pulled into the parking area, we were met by a friendly Frenchman, who sounded exactly like Maurice Chevalier in Gigi. I could hear "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" as he dispatched various staff to transfer our luggage to our one of a kind room in this very large, magnificently appointed place. As he leisurely walked us around the estate showing us the Living Room, the Bar Area, The Restaurant, The Patio and The Vineyard, the only thing missing was the boater hat. As we looked out over the vineyard, the essence of this unique place, just outside Menerbes, began to sink in.  I mean, if you are going to have a "down day" and do absolutely nothing,  it might as well be in a world class boutique farm house/hotel, in the middle of Provence, in the middle of a vineyard, with a concierge that reminds you of the classic Maurice Chevalier, right? After settling into our room, we strolled leisurely around the exquisitely landscaped grounds to take in the vibe and completely succumb to this unique environment and all of its essence as a place of reflection and rest. Little did we know that the art of doing nothing, at least at La Bastide de Marie, involves doing at least one thing with reckless abandon . Eating!

Did Julia Child Sleep Here Or What?

When it comes to food, it is an incontrovertible fact  that the French are masters of the culinary arts. They invented the crepe and perfected the omelet. And they are known the world over for the finest wines ever to cross a palette. Eating French food really only requires two sentiments. One - Embrace a diversity of flavors and combinations of  ingredients unparalleled in the world of epicurean delights and Two - Don't even think about dieting on French Food! You must rid yourself of all trepidation and simply give in to the joy of French Cooking. We had already enjoyed many fine meals of all kinds in Paris and Avignon, including some late afternoon wine, bread and cheese we had found in a small market near our hotel. But nothing had prepared us for the culinary delights of a multi-course meal at The Restaurant, housed in a glass enclosed solarium or, if you prefer, a shaded terrace under cover of ancient shade trees. Most people think of French Food as somewhat complicated and fussy. Not so at La Bastide de Marie. As they say on their web site:

 "The chef works closely with nature, using seasonal produce. Freshness is his watchword as he sets out each day to gather treasures from the local markets, where the displays of regional producers inspire his dish of the day. Simple recipes and imaginative combinations give his menus their light, scented and melodious accents, full of the Provence we love to breathe in and savour. As proof, for dinner you can appreciate our Chef's very best specialities: smoky chilled tomato soup with olive tartare, Provençal-style "caillettes" (a kind of meatball) with herbs from the garden, creamy risotto with Vaucluse mushrooms and truffles, crème brulée flavoured with lavender grown on the estate, and profiteroles with lime tree blossom and lemon frosted with juniper and thyme...nature is entirely a matter of taste!"

And every word rings true with every bite of food from each course and each companion wine. After a meal at this simple house in a vineyard, you will never look at food quite the same again. Spending time at this place of unpretentious elegance, allowed us to take  Rick Steves' admonishment to heart and do absolutely nothing for two full days. Unless you count reading a book while drinking a local red with a little cheese, and watching the chef and his old hound cut flowers at ends of vineyard rows in preparation for the next exercise in culinary magic. As Intrepid Nomads, we knew we needed to move on to the next leg of our trip. We said our goodbyes to the lovely people who ran this unique place with feelings of thankfulness and regret that we were leaving an experience of what great travel can and should be, without a single tourist attraction in site. Magnifique!!

Video Artist of The Week -  Dave Brubeck - In my humble opinion, the greatest jazz pianist of all time. Take Five alone, a tune written and performed in 5/4 time is still considered to be one of the most groundbreaking compositions of all of time. I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Brubeck and his Trio in 1969 and in 2007 at the age of 95. Mesmerizing! A true jazz genius.

Nomad Quote of The Week - “The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit. ” - Julia Child

Vous voyez en provence,

DLS
thenomadARCHITECT

Lolligaggin' In Provence - The Biggest Picasso I Ever Saw

Italy has Tuscany.  France has Provence.  Among other things, the enchantment of Provence gave rise to an account of two transplanted Brits who moved to a small village in The Luberon  region of Southeastern France.  A Year In Provence is a witty and heartfelt account of two expats and their dogs living in one of Europe's most intriguing places. Provence is a place where you can experience the eclectic nature and simplicity of country living and small towns where French/Provencal culture has been cultivated and maintained with unbridled and unapologetic passion. Today's post picks up where I left you after  a three day stay in the very cool, very funky hotel/B&B created by an architect and and artist in the heart of Provence in the City of Popes - Avignon (See Lumani - An eclectic oasis created by an architect and artist in the City of Popes-Magnifique!!  posted on 08/07/12).

No Planes Thank you - Just Trains & Automobiles

After riding on air from Paris to Avignon via high speed rail, we rented a car for our road trip through this beautiful region of France with human habitation dating back to prehistory. With typical cruising speeds in excess of 180 miles an hour, in comfortable, roomy seating compartments, you learn two things. One - train travel, at least in Europe, is by far, the superior way to get from anywhere to anywhere and Two - You hate Delta even more than you did before. Even though we would have preferred to travel everywhere by train, the reality of travel in the countryside requires a car. And, it provides flexibility to stop and see things that you stumble upon, especially in a country as rich in cultural must sees as Provence.

After saying our goodbyes to Jean, the architect, and Elisabeth, the artist we headed towards our next destination, La Bastide de Marie, a converted farm house in the heart of Provencal Wine Country. One of the great things about travel in Europe is its size. Because the countries are much smaller than the US, you can actually travel very short distances to experience vast changes in geography, culture and people. Since our hotel was only two hours from Avignon, we decided to take the slow road through the countryside and enjoy the place up close and personal. Just outside the village of Baux de Provence, we stumbled upon one of the most intriguing museums ever created. Now the French love their art. And this "museum" is proof positive that they can create places for art that defy the guidebooks. And our serendipitous discovery of this particular museum, located in the countryside of one of the most intriguing regions of Europe, proves what we are always saying on this blog. You simply must get off the beaten path to find those less well know places that inform and delight all restless Nomads.

Picasso and Copland Underground

As we rounded a curve heading into Les Baux de Provence, we came upon a small parking area with people milling about, apparently on their way to something. After stopping and inspecting the area further we discovered it. Cathedrale D'Images. This "Museum" was in the most unlikely of places. An abandoned limestone quarry. There in front of us was a former rock quarry that had been converted into one of the most unique presentations of art and music one will ever experience. As we paid the fee and entered this amazing place, you could here music filling the huge spaces left by years of quarrying stone. Everywhere we looked, multiple images were projected on virtually every floor, wall and ceiling surface.  All constantly changing in location, size and scope. Some of the massive "rooms" in this dark, cool place towered over sixty feet in height while extending over a hundred feet in length. Immersed in this unique subterranean collection of interconnecting spaces, the visual experience of a fifty foot high Picasso slowly changing to another painting or image, all to the accompaniment of classical music from Beethoven to Copland, was hypnotic.  As we pondered multiple images of masters of the art world in the darkness, guided only by the cast off light from projected images, we gained an entirely new appreciation for the meaning of art and its uplifting impact on us as people. Unfortunately, this unique contribution to the art world has closed, but knowing the French and their love of art, rest assured this closure will be temporary.

 

Even though we could have stayed forever in the Cathedrale D'Images, we had to leave to get to our destination for the evening. After stumbling upon this unique place of discovery, we both agreed that, while we loved The Louvre and its Mona Lisa, the French do, indeed, know how to take art appreciation, quite literally, to the next level.

You do not want to miss next week's post on our second destination in Provence, La Bastide de Marie, a converted farmhouse like no other with French cooking that will make you cry - and I mean that in a good way.

Video Artist of The Week - The Modern Jazz Quartet - One of the greatest jazz quartets ever. Old school modern jazz at its best. One critic has called them the perfect rhythm section with a vibe. This is music to sit back and enjoy with your best friends and the one you love.

Travel Quote of The Week - "Our architect, an expatriate Parisian, had warned us that building in Provence was very similar to trench warfare, with long periods of boredom interrupted by bursts of violent and noisy activity," - Peter Mayle from the book A Year In Provence.


A la prochaine,

DLS
thenomadARCHITECT

Lumani - An eclectic oasis created by an architect and artist in the City of Popes - Magnifique!!

After three glorious days in The City of Light, we boarded the high speed Eurail/LGV train for Avignon in Central Provence. What a way to travel! Gliding on silent air through the idyllic French countryside at a cool cruising speed of 180 miles per hour, makes flying coach seem like the torture that we all know it to be.  I have often said that the Europeans can teach us Americans a thing or two about long distance travel. Their trains are clean, sleek, fast, extremely comfortable and, best of all, cheap! Now if they could only figure out a way to build an LGV from Paris to Atlanta. But I digress.

Known as the City of Popes, with seven Pontiffs having resided there, Avignon was the center of the Papacy from 1305 to 1378. That is important because it defines the essence of this urban center in the southeastern region of France known as Provence. Located in southeastern France on the Mediterranean, Provence is the Tuscany of France. It is full of rolling hills, vineyards and stunning coastlines as it stretches to the Cote d'Azur, knocking on the door of the famed playground of the rich, Monte Carlo. After studying the history, the language and reading A Year In Provence, the witty account of a transplanted Brit, we boarded the train in Paris with great anticipation. As we road our magic carpet toward Avignon, through the countryside and small hamlets spread over this beautiful and rugged land of ancient and modern conflict, it made me appreciate the solidarity of French culture, which is quickly disappearing due to a variety of demographic and societal changes. Memo to le francais - Vous tenir mode de vie en France (Keep your way of life in France).    

After arriving in Avignon, we picked up a rental car, planning to drive to Nice in the south, after our stay in Avignon, we promptly got lost. The good news was that we were able to "get the lay of the land" as we traversed the same spot via many U-turns and detours. One in particular will always be remembered by my BFF/wife as I headed down what I thought was a small road, that was actually a small sidewalk with very high curbs. As luck would have it , the car was just the right size (very small) to fit within the narrow curbs as if it were specifically designed for just that purpose. You know - like Space Mountain  at Disney!! With my aforementioned BFF laughing hysterically, I did eventually extricate the car from the sidewalk. After much map study and stopping for directions numerous times, we finally found the street that Lumani Guesthouse was located on. Actually, it was an alley with parking at a premium. After finally seeing a very small sign next to a large painted wooden gate, we parked, got our luggage and apprehensively rang the bell. Elisabeth, one of the owners, answered and ushered us into an art filled courtyard complete with casual tables and chairs, sculpture, flowers everywhere and a serene fountain. All just within the original walls of the ancient city.

This blog is all about finding places that are different - that challenge our perception of what we find interesting. One of the attributes of hotel design in Europe is the willingness to combine different design motifs from different eras. American hotel designers rarely exhibit the willingness to create spaces that merge design "styles" like the Europeans. The Lumani Guest House , designed and owned by Jean, an architect and Elisabeth, an artist, manages to insert highly detailed, minimalist designed rooms with an eclectic array of furnishings, into an eighteenth century manor house. Upon arriving in our room, Suite Escale, we knew this was a place for discriminating Nomads. Complete with colorful, modern furnishings, a killer bed, expansive sink and counter, toilet and bigalicious shower - all topped off with views across the courtyard and a large terrace with hammock, it embodied everything on The Nomad Architect's list of requirements for the perfect place to lay our dreamy heads.

Since we arrived fairly early, we decided to strike out on foot and scrounge up some local food and drink. After a short walk, we came upon a local grocer with local cheese, bread and wine. We headed back to Lumani, ensconced ourselves in the dreamy courtyard, protected from the famous, purifying Mistral (wind) of the region, and enjoyed our Provencal wine, cheese, bread and other munchies in this green oasis of flowers, art, sculpture and water. And all in the midst of

the hustle and bustle of a busy city outside. One of the great benefits of staying at a highly unique and personalized hotel like Lumani, is the chance to talk to the owners about their world. Since Elisabeth is an artist and Jean is an architect, we were able to talk about, not only there beautiful enclave of domestic tranquility, but the larger world of history, art and culture as well. Fortunately, there English was better than our French. As we wandered around Avignon seeing the Palais des Papes, the Grand Chapel and other ancient architecture, it was great to come back to such a well designed home away from home while in this fascinating historic city. It also must be mentioned that the breakfasts that were served in the Guesthouse were delicious and afforded us more opportunity to enjoy the company of the owners and other guests.

Staying at the Lumani proves The Nomad Architect adage - It does make a difference where you stay when you travel. Complete with beautifully designed spaces, inside and out, and gracious and interesting hosts, staying at Lumani, in this little corner of France, makes travel worthy of memories that will never be forgotten.

Travel Quote of the Week - "Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe”… Anatole France

Video Artist of the Week - The French have loved jazz since the 1920's. This week's artist is the renown Ambassador and trumpeter of that uniquely American art form ... Wynton Marsalis.

Rester Au Frais

DLS thenomadARCHITECT

Next Week - Bastide de Marie - Sleeping in a Vineyard.