May

Posted on by Sandy

May flowers, and more

A quieter month for the Roamers??

We have an organic market in our neighborhood twice weekly, and I recently discovered that the Wednesday market is better than the Sunday one! On a recent trip I got all of what you see below for under 40 euros.

Delicious yogurt, veggies, bread, cheese, strawberries–and peonies!

Since we finished renovations on our apartment almost two years ago, we haven’t done much, but I’d been thinking about changing some paint, and in early May we took the leap, painting our entryway a soft turquoise color. 

Our new entryway color; what do you think?

Also in early May, we enjoyed a springtime apéro at the home of our friends Margi and Michael, honoring their friend Jeff’s visit. It was a beautiful evening, with lovely friends, delicious food, and MUSIC! Jeff (pianist) and Michael (singer), along with Martha (on flute), made impromptu music for everyone to enjoy.

Phil enjoying the apéro

The next day we joined a walking tour of some of Montpellier’s hotels particuliers, old mansions that have been converted to apartments, schools, etc. 

One of the hotels particuliers we visited

Each of these mansions has an interesting history, and we learned (and immediately forgot) a lot about each one. But the buildings were beautiful, albeit some were in need of a bit of refreshing.

Dizzying staircase viewed from the ground floor

The next day we collected our friends Sue and Mitch at the airport. We hadn’t seen them since our Roaming days, when we spent a month in Seattle, where they live, during the infamous heat dome in July 2021 (I’m not at all bitter about our unairconditioned Airbnb, or the 107 degree heat when we arrived!). Sue and Mitch have been together since junior high, and Sue is one of my Wild Women (a fabulous group of high school girlfriends). In April Wild Woman Linda and her guy Norm visited for our  walking holiday, and now it was Sue and Mitch’s turn. I failed to get a photo of all four of us, but I did get a funny one of the two of them.

I asked Mitch to pose as The Most Interesting Man in the World, and this is what he gave me!

Mitch and Sue, in front of the “Three Graces” fountain in the Place de la Comédie.

After catching up, wandering a bit, and having dinner at home. the next morning we headed to Nimes for a day of exploration. Nimes is a Roman town, with an arena where bullfights and other events are still held (the bulls are no longer killed), and several fascinating Roman buildings and ruins still stand. Back in Montpellier, we enjoyed cocktails with a view at Arbre Blanc (translation: white tree), followed by a delicious dinner there. The next day we all enjoyed Thursday coffee with English-speaking friends, after which Sue and Mitch explored the Jardin des Plantes (the oldest botannical garden in France) while Phil and I attended our French classes.

The next day we drove to Perpignan, which Phil and I had never visited. We settled into our funky Hotel Dali , walked the old city, and enjoyed a tapas dinner in a quaint cafe. 

Dali’s painting of the Perpignan train station, which he declared to be the “Center of the Universe.”

Sue and I were fascinated by this sculpure in the old town, but we have no idea of its significance.

The next morning we headed out to explore the gorgeous scenery south of Perpignan. First up was the old fort Saint Elme, now closed, but offering spectacular views.

The view from the old fort

The drive was a tiny bit tedious, with way too many sharp turns on tiny streets, but it was worth it. We drove around the area for a while, then decided to have lunch in Collioure, a beautiful seaside town. But after a half hour of searching for a parking place, we gave up and drove on to Argeles-sur-Mer, where we easily found FREE parking!.

Another gorgeous view from our day

We walked to the beach and had lunch at a restaurant with a hilarious proprietor and a beautiful view, where Phil and I ordered chicken skewers. They came in an elaborate dish made to look like a sailboat!

Sailboat chicken skewers!

It was a long day with a lot of driving, and we were all happy to get home. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks later I was surprised with not one, but TWO SPEEDING TICKET email notices from that day!!! In France, you’re not stopped for speeding; tickets are handled by cameras. I was going 88 kilometers per hour in an 80, and 60 km in a 50–even though I was being super careful (I thought) to mind my speed! That equates to going 5-6 miles per hour over the speed limit, for which you’d never get a ticket in the U.S. Lesson learned.

We bade Sue and Mitch a fond farewell that evening, as they had a super early flight home the next morning. And we had another adventure scheduled: the annual Balade Gastronomique au Grés de Montpellier, a multi-course walking tour of places normally closed to the public, featuring wine tastings and delicious food at each stop: amuse bouche, cold appetizer, warm appetizer, main course, cheese, dessert, and coffee. We’d attended last year, and despite being a bit fatigued, we didn’t want to miss it. 

An 18th century garden, where we enjoyed amuses-bouches

It rained all day, and we were completely soaked despite raincoats and umbrellas–but we had such fun! And of course the food and wines were superb. Here’s the menu:, badly translated by me: medley of in-shell shellfish with citrus fruits; “like a pissaladière” (a Provencal flatbread) with sweet onions from Lézignan, anchovy cream from Colloiore (the town we visited with Sue and Mitch) and Luque olive crumble; Mediterranean grilled seabass, eggplant cannelloni with tomato and feta, fish jus reduced with black olives, olive oil, and herbs; stuffed local gineau fowl, carrot purée with tarragon breadcrumbs, and seasoned poultry jus; terrine of roquefort and tomette cheeses from Salagou with spiced bread, microgreens, and black garlic; strawberries marinated in red wine, white chocolate mousse, and a lemon Financier cookie.

The Chateau de la Piscine, where we enjoyed dessert, coffee, and live music

Honestly, although everything was great fun, we were worn out! But a couple of days later we had another special event: a cocktail party honoring Opéra Orchestre Maestro Roderick Cox–a brilliant American from Macon, Georgia!–at five-star Hotel Richer de Belleval. We were warmly greeted, served delicious appetizers, and treated to a tour of  the hotel. And we got to chat with Maestro Cox, whom we regard as a rock star!

One of the hotel rooms we toured

After all of this, we were ready for some REST! Aside from French lessons and a few meals and cocktails with friends, we stayed home and did as little as possible the rest of May.

Gorgeous bouganvilla outside our French school

We are so fortunate to have lovely friends here in France–and wonderful family and friends in the States and elsewhere. Lucky Roamers!

 

Let’s go for a Walk!

Posted on by Sandy

let’s go for a walk. . .

The Roamers roam. . .on foot!

In April we made up for the lost time of winter. We rang in the month with a belated birthday dinner with Shelia (birthday girl) and Steve at le Pat’ Daniels, a fun restaurant I wrote about in March. Such a fun, entertaining, and delicious evening! On April 5 (our son’s birthday!), we joined about 400 Montpellier residents for a sing-along protesting the current U.S. administration. It was wonderful to be with so many like-minded folks, singing the old familiar protest songs–in France!

Protesting Trump

That same weekend we hosted several friends for an apéro, celebrating the gorgeous spring day and connecting two golf-loving friends. We had a couple of kiddos in the mix, and they had great fun mixing custom “NOTtails” aka mocktails.

The next week my friend Margi and I attended a live-broadcast of “La Belle au Bois Dormant.” This gorgeous Rudolph Nureyev version of “The Sleeping Beauty” was danced by two stars (“étoiles”) of the Paris Opéra Ballet, Bleuenn Battistoni and Guillaume Diopp (we’d been eager to see him especially), who danced beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMVEo4qmgq4

Phil and I also enjoyed a lovely apéro with friends Bonny and John, who treated us to custom cocktails and delicious munchies, and we also enjoyed a special carnitas taco lunch chez Dave and Sue. A special outing was, again with Dave and Sue, our trip to the garden center, where both couples possibly spent too much on gorgeous plants.

A beautiful begonia from the garden center

Phil had a worrisome event recently, where he heard his ankle pop and immediately experienced severe pain. After visiting his primary care doctor, who prescribed a brace, an ultrasound, and an X-ray, and a specialist visit, we were told that this was possibly an old injury. The description was scary: a “cut” tendon!!! But the orthopaedic surgeon thinks it might heal properly on its own, and after receiving a physical therapy referral and compression socks, Phil was given a green light for our upcoming “stroll.”

We also had a happy thing to celebrate: we received our third “titres de séjour,” our French residence cards. We had applied for them last October (French bureaucracy is a beast!) and will have to begin the process again in the fall.

My language exchange group convinced me to join them for a tour of filming sites for their favorite nighttime soap opera, “Un Si Grand Soleil,” which translates roughly as “Such a Bright Sun.” The tour, which lasted over two hours, was long, all in French, and covered a series I have only watched a couple of times–but it was fun to see the ladies so interested; in fact, they may have known more about the characters and story than our tour guide!

Visiting one of the “Un Si Grand Soleil” sites in Montpellier, where the series is filmed

One of our language exchange members, Annick, is a talented artist, and along with our friend Linda, Phil and I attended a juried show in a nearby beach town featuring some of her work. There are so many talented artists in this region!

The flier for Annick’s art show

The next day, April 19, marked the long-awaited arrival of our friends Linda and Norm, who had agreed to join us for our walking holiday in the Dordogne. We picked them up at the airport on an astonishingly windy day (Linda said the poor gentleman next to her on the plane suffered a panic attack on the landing!) and enjoyed catching up over an early dinner. Linda and I have known each other since the eighth grade, and she is a member of our “Wild Women” group of high school friends. The next day, Sunday, we hosted a brunch so they could meet a few of our close friends (Jana, martin, Sandi, Laurence, and Michael). We had a delightful time, followed by a walk through Ecusson (the medieval part of our city) and a light dinner, before finishing our packing for the Big Adventure.

Nine months earlier, Phil and I had booked a seven-day walking holiday in the Dordogne, a gorgeous region of southern France, through a company called On Foot Holidays. “If we ever want to do something like this, we should do it now,” we reasoned. On Foot arranges hotels, most meals, transports luggage, provides maps and GPS, and has a local contact for questions, advice, and emergencies. And early this year, on a phone chat, Linda remarked how wonderful the trip sounded. “Why don’t you and Norm join us?” was of course my immediate response–and they did!!! We were so excited to experience this adventure with them.

Our route through the Dordogne

We left Monday morning (Easter Monday is a holiday in France) and enjoyed a pleasant five-hour drive to our first stop, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Beaulieu means “beautiful place,” and it is indeed. After a quick meeting with Emily, our local contact, we strolled through the village, enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Hotel Beaulieu (neither couple was staying there; Phil and I were at the Hotel Turenne), and prepared to hit the trails the next morning.

A fountain we passed on the way out of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne

The first day, billed as “relatively easy,” was supposed to take about 4.5 hours, including rests. After four hours, and barely halfway to our first destination, Port de Gagnac, we confirmed that we are in fact NOT the “middle-aged, fit” people described in the walking times! We called Emily to request a taxi the rest of the way, and while we waited I chatted with a friendly French couple who told me about their hamlet of nine people. The wife even offered to drive us to our next stop if the taxi didn’t arrive! French people are so warm, kind, and welcoming.

Linda and Norm on the trail

When we arrived at our hotel, we were relieved of our shoes! Phil and I assumed shoes were not allowed, but our stocking feet amused our dinner tablemates (lovely dinner in the hotel restaurant), who had learned that our shoes had been cleaned for us! 

The river view from our hotel window

The next day, with 7.5 hours of hiking (which would have been more like 12 hours for us!), poured rain all day, so we decided to skip the walk and take a taxi to Loubressec, our next destination. We stayed in a delightful hotel with gracious hosts, and we braved the rain for a few local strolls, including a walking tour with an art historian guide. 

Stones embedded in a tree on the square

We had a lovely dinner at the hotel: a velouté of pumpkin (I think!), followed by ribs, green beans, and a veggie purée. I’ve forgotten what we had for dessert. But the box lunch the next day was an interesting salad: quinoa on the bottom, green beans (leftovers from dinner?), mushrooms, and three big chickpea cakes on top, with a house-made vinaigrette. Delicious!

Morning view from our hotel room

The next morning at breakfast we decided to take the walk-shortening option, leaving us about 4 hours of walking. Our destination was Carrenac, a Romanesque village on the Dordogne river. We struggled on this walk: lots of scree hills, narrow paths, and nowhere to sit for a rest, except the damp ground. Despite using our walking poles, Phil fell (he wasn’t hurt!), and all of us were exhausted and rather stressed when we came to actual pavement. The solution? Call Emily! This time there was no taxi available, so Gerard, our host (with his husband Jerry) for the night, picked us up in his car. After checking in and showering, and chatting with our hosts and their two dogs, Crazy Daisy and Gizmo, and their friendly cat Oreo (all rescues, along with two bashful kitties we didn’t meet), Phil and I set out to explore the village.

Beautiful view of Carrenac from our walk in the village

Jerry and Gerard were our favorite hosts of the trip. Originally from Ireland, they had lived 20+ years in England before moving to France with their son. Jerry, a former psych nurse who worked as a “switch bitch” during his training, demonstrated his prized antique switchboard in the hotel entry, and Gerard, a professionally trained chef, made a fabulous dinner of asparagus tart, salmon risotto, and a chocolate dessert that only Phil could manage.

The next day we again opted for the route-shortening taxi, making the walk about four hours. When I say walk, I mean steep hills, scary sheer drop-offs, way too many stones to trip over, as well as some “normal” walking. This time, after a particularly stony descent that taxed us, we came upon an unoccupied house with a porch where we could sit to eat the sandwiches provided by Gerard. Refreshed, we proceeded on an easy road to our next destination, a chateau stay in Meyronne.

Signpost to Meyronne

Francoise, our hostess at the chateau, was a ball of energy, almost running up the scary circular stone staircase to our rooms. The place was gorgeous, with stone walls and river views. After enjoying an apéro on the terrace, we were escorted into the beautiful dining room for an exceptional dinner.

The Roamers and friends enjoying dinner at the chateau

This was my seabass wih carrots two ways

The next morning we crossed over the river to the next village, only to find that virtually everything was closed. We did find a Spar (chain grocery), where we loaded up on tissues, as everyone had a cold. I chatted with a friendly local in French, who was telling us about his career traveling the world, when the woman at the cash register said, “George, tu veux acheter quelque chose, ou tu veux bavarder?” Which means, “George, do you want to buy something or just talk?!” 

Pizza vending machine along the way

The next day we decided to forego the long walk and took a taxi to Rocamadour, a miraculous village hanging on a sheer cliff. We’d seen photos, but nothing could have prepared us for the sight as we rounded a bend.

Rocamadour

Steeped in religious history, this village has welcomed pilgrims to its shrine of a black Madonna for hundreds of years. We checked into our hotel and began exploring. The village is an interesting mix of religious history and crass commercialism, as well as gorgeous views and fabulous food (I may have bought fois gras, truffles, and a few other delicacies in the shops!).

La Vierge Noire, the Black Madonna, in her chapel

The next day we decided again to forego the walk, spending most of the day in Rocamadour. Phil and I decided to walk (and by walk I mean climb) to the other part of the village, which is at the same elevation as the top of Roacamadour. There, after taking photos and enjoying the sunshine, we came upon travelers with a donkey!

This donkey was very popular with the children!

Upon arrival at our final stop, Bel Castel at Le Pont de l’Ouyisse, we sat for a while, taking in the beauty of the point where the L’Ouyisse river meets the Dordogne. This hotel is luxurious and boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant–what a lovely way to end our trip! After a nap for me, Phil and I climbed to the Bel Castel, only to find that it’s privately owned and not open to visitors. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching a spectacular documentary of Nina Simone’s first European performance, before our superb dinner. 

Bel Castel, worth the climb!

The next morning after breakfast our taxi arrived to return us to our starting point in Beaulieu. We had a beautiful drive home, dropping Linda and Norm at their last-night hotel, and we returned to their hotel’s rooftop bar for a final apéro, where we toasted to friendship, adventure, and, as Linda says, carpe diem. We were sad to say goodbye, but we’ve made some wonderful, lifelong memories together.

On a final note, our handyman James was unable to do the painting and tile work he’d planned to complete during our trip, so the last day in April we had to make ourselves scarce while he worked. Fortunately, our friends Dave and Sue, who are traveling to the U.S., allowed us to hang out at their apartment, where I’m writing this. We arrived to find this note from their fur babies: “Hello Mrs. Sandy and Mr. Phil, Welcome to our home!”

Friends! We are so very grateful for all of them.

March 2025

Posted on by Sandy

Things get better in March

Spring arrives, and the Roamers finally get out of the house!

Knowing that we needed to “train”–I use this word loosely–for our April walking holiday, we decided to spend the first day of March walking. We headed across the river to the Marché du Lez, an indoor/outdoor market and shopping venue with a huge food court, to try the Belgian food recommended by our friends Dave and Sue. After that meal–pork cutlets, frites, and wine–we definitely needed more walking, so after browsing the shops we walked to the médiatheque and (after three years!) finally got our library cards. 

A rather heavy lunch!

A few days later my friend Mari and I headed out for our Second Annual Nanas’ Trip to Paris. If you read this blog, you might remember that we inaugurated this trip in February 2024, and we had so much fun we decided to make it an annual thing. On the agenda this year were the same lovely hotel as last year, three exhibitions, plenty of delicious food and wine, and lots of walking. Our first stop, after dropping off our bags, was the Louvre Couture exhibit.

One of the gorgeous gowns in the Louvre Couture

This exhibit is unique in my experience, as the gowns are displayed throughout a main wing of the Louvre and are set up to blend in with the permanent exhibits. If you make it to Paris during the exhibit, I hope you’ll get a chance to see it.

I can’t remember the designer, but this gown was gorgeous!

The entire skirt of this gown was made of feathers!

Our hotel concierge recommend several restaurants for dinner, and we chose Brasserie Rosie, a lively restaurant nearby. After we were seated we noticed that we were by far the oldest people in the crowded restaurant! It’s a hip (is that still a word?) hangout for people in their 20s, and we had a grand time there. My favorite thing was the cocktail napkin.

Brasserie Rosie cocktail napkin

The next day was full, as we had two exhibits, both at the Grand Palais, some shopping, and of course food and wine on the agenda. First up was the Chiharu Shiota retrospective. Her magnificent yarn installations defy description.

Just one of the yarn installations in the Chiharu Shiota retrospective

This amazing Japanese artist, who lives in Berlin, had paintings, yarn installations, opera set designs, videos of performance art, and much more. Margi and I were especially fascinated, and moved, by a huge installation featuring dollhouse-sized miniatures in various scenes, all connected by yarn. The yarn was featured throughout the exhibition, and for me it brought to mind how interconnected all things are–especially people.

This photo shows about half of the miniature installation.

After this experience, we needed an emotional break, so we headed out for a bit of shopping and lunch before returning to the Grand Palais for the Dolce & Gabbana exhibit. I highly recommend clicking the link, as my photos don’t do justice to this remarkable experience.

The chandelier room in the Dolce & Gabbana experience

The exhibition took us through many themed rooms, each displaying gorgeous creations. The ten immersive rooms featured music, art, religion, interior design, and even one of the D&G ateliers, where we could glimpse their working environment.

This mannequin is looking into a D&G-decorated SMEG fridge!

The exhibit included shoes, accessories, headpieces, and some truly beautiful jewelry.

This earrings are carved with an excerpt from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden!

It was a lot to take in, and I’d love to see it all again. If this exhibition comes to a city near you, I highly recommend it!

Beautiful!

All of our meals were great, but my favorite was at a restaurant that Margi and her husband Michael had visited before, Le Square Trousseau. This cozy bistro, founded in the early 1900s, was beautiful and convivial. The service was excellent, and we loved the food. Highly recommended!

My favorite restaurant from this trip

We are already looking forward to next year’s trip! Back home, Phil and I had a quiet week before a special treat the following weekend: the Opéra Orchestre gala! We’ve always loved opera (my first was La Traviata in 8th grade), and in Montpellier we get to attend regularly. Since Roderick Cox, a brilliant young American, was chosen as the new maestro, we’ve become fans.

The Roamers at the gala

What a fun evening that was! We were greeted with cocktails, Champagne, and passed hors d’ouevres as we roamed through the building. There was an art auction (I kept my hands down but enjoyed watching the bidding!) interspersed by musical performances in the theatre. The dinner that followed was delicious, and we enjoyed more performances throughout.

A beautiful, musical, delicious evening

Like January and February, March was mostly cold, windy, and rainy. One nice day we drove to La Grande Motte, a resort town by the sea, for lunch and a stroll. After lunch the wind began whipping up yet another storm!

Storm clouds looming over La Grande Motte

One day we received a notice from the post office that we owed 13 euros on a package. Phil collected it and handed it to me. “What is this???” I asked, “Read the label,” he replied. The label said CANNED BEANS. What??? Then he told me to look at the sender’s name. It was Michael, our friend who visited us last fall with his partner Sara. We were delighted to see what was inside!

Ro-tel, martini olives, and beautiful cocktail napkins–what a lovely and unexpected gift from our friends!

That same day, my birthday present arrived. I’d had my eye on this beautiful buffet for our entryway for many weeks, and after lots of searching we (well, I) finally decided to order it. It was very securely shipped, and unpacking it was a workout!

Just a portion of the packaging from our buffet!

The following Sunday we met friends Jo and Dennis for a tour of the Chateau Laurens, an architectural masterpiece we’d visited before. This time I was most fascinated with the stained glass in the study, and especially the portion featuring the sirens who sang sailors to their death.

The gorgeous stained glass doors in the study

The poem at the bottom of the scene reads, “Sirènes de la mer au sourire dégume, Aux yeux verts, aux cheveux docent les couchants. Votre charme est mortel ! Pour vos palais de brume Vous tentez d’arracher les hommes à leur champs Et vous perdez les fils des femmes par vos chants. Sirènes de la mer au sourire dégume.”

A rough translation (forgive my mistakes!):  “Sirens of the sea with disgusting smiles, with your green eyes, your soft hair that sweetens the sunsets. Your charm is deadly! For your palaces of mist you try to tear men from their fields and drown women’s sons with your songs. Sirens of the sea with disgusting smiles.”

One day last week I took a different route to my French lesson and came across one of the many WWII memorial plaques one can see throughout our city. The war is still very much present in the minds of the French people, and we have been touched by how they honor their dead.

A plaque honoring a concentration camp victim

At the end of the week my friend Sandi and I ventured out to a tiny village in the mountains, where a British couple had announced they were giving away their extensive book collection. We enjoyed gorgeous scenery, selected a few books, and after coffee and a chat with Linda and Graeme began our 70-kilometer drive home. But we took a wrong turn! After too many hairpin curves and death-defying dropoffs, we realized that the GPS was steering us wrong and we turned around. Two hours later we arrived home, a bit shaken but glad for our adventure.

Giant ant sculptures along the route

The last event of March was the second annual fiesta hosted by friends Dave and Sue. They used to do this party every year in Chicago, and now they’ve brought the tradition to France. We’ve been honored to help with the party, along with friends Anne and John, and this year almost 40 guests enjoyed the fabulous repast.

Just part of the offerings on the buffet table

And that brings March to an end! We’re now enjoying beautiful spring weather and looking forward to fun times in April. Next weekend we’ll be participating in a resistance sing-along with people of various nationalities to protest against the awful things happening in the U.S. We’re grateful to be living in France with like-minded friends in these harrowing times.

What happened to February??

Posted on by Sandy

What happened to february???

The Roamers stay home

Well, first of all, it rained. A lot. This has been the rainiest winter since we arrived in France–which only made us appreciate the beautiful days even more! Our friend Margi shared this gorgeous double rainbow photo taken from her terrace.

What an image!!!

One fun thing to do on rainy, cold winter days is to reflect on the fun we’ve had. Our friend Shelia sent this photo taken by our host at le Pat’ Daniels, the restaurant where we celebrated Shelia’s birthday last month. Pat insisted that we all give him the finger, so we did. Well, perhaps not ALL of us. . .

Hilarious fun being had

I didn’t get out much in February, due to the rain and also staying home for six days fighting off (successfully!) a respiratory bug, but I did make it to almost all of my French lessons (two private, one-hour lessons and two 1.5-hour conversation classes per week). There is a cute shop featuring handmade items on my route, and one day I had to stop to take a photo of the sewing doll in the window. Such creativity!

I especially like her spool-of-thread chapeau!

Phil has been painting almost every day. He keeps getting better and better, and since our visas don’t allow us to work in France, instead of selling his paintings he has been giving them to close friends. Linda and Brecka have created a “Phil Shroyer Gallery” in their beautiful apartment, featuring two of his works.

Linda and Brecka’s Phil Shroyer wall

After six days without leaving our apartment, I was a bit stir crazy and announced to Phil we were going on an outing (it’s winter school holidays here, so no French lessons for a week). We decided on a mini-road trip in Pic Saint-Loup, our local mountain. First stop was les Matelles, for lunch at Brasserie le Donjon. Les Matelles is a charming village by Le Lirou, a small river that feeds into the Lez, which runs through Montpellier near our apartment. 

Walking along the Lirou in Les Matelles

We wandered the tiny, steep streets, admiring the ancient stone houses in this medieval village, until the restaurant opened. I had to take a photo of a hilarious sign at a closed restaurant. 

The sign says, “On leave. Tired. Reopening March 6.”

Those of you who know me well may remember that one of my dearest friends, Gwyn Harwell, who died in 2007 at the age of 81, returned to me in a dream after her death, as a dragonfly. She had promised me that if it was possible to communicate after she died, she would, and ever since that dream, when I see a dragonfly I believe it’s Gwyn saying hello.

My friend Gwyn, saying hello via someone’s street number sign

We loved Brasserie le Donjon, not only for the delicious food, but also for the warm welcome. After lunch, it was on to our first winery visit: Domaine de l’Hortus, where we sampled several wines (they have so many, ranging from about $15 to over $100) and bought two bottles (the more modestly priced ones). Our second stop, at Chateau La Roque, was in a gorgeous setting with such a kind guide (her English is even worse than my French, so we spoke Franglish), and I fell a bit in love with one of their rosés. We also bought a bottle of their olive oil. 

Chateau La Roque

And that brought February to and end. Oh, but I did work a lovely puzzle that daughter Amelia gave me for Christmas. It was SO much more fun than that map of Montpellier! And now we’re in March, with the promise of spring! I’m grateful.

Such a fun puzzle to work on rainy winter days!

 

Posted on by Sandy

January, a quiet month

The Roamers rest

After the challenging month of December, we needed a little rest, and that’s what we got in January. Still feeling the effects of my December health issues, I mostly stayed home for the first couple of weeks, venturing out only for French lessons. But one morning in early January I was greeted with a lovely rainbow, promising better days ahead.

Rainbow view from our terrace

Staying in afforded me the obligation opportunity to finish the puzzle I’d started in October. I’d neglected it because (a) we were traveling a lot and (b) it was the hardest puzzle ever–and the accompanying poster didn’t match the puzzle! It’s a map of Montpellier, and I bought it thinking it would help me better navigate the city. Weeks of work finally yielded the desired result, and our dining table was returned to service.

The finished puzzle!

In mid-January we joined friends Shelia and Steve for a wonderful birthday dinner (Shelia’s) at Le Pat’Daniel’s, a very special restaurant where most of the food features Jack Daniels whiskey. The jovial, bearded proprieter is the greeter, waiter, chef, dishwasher, and entertainer in this tiny gem. Dressed in a kilt and t-shirt, he found time to chat and make jokes with all the guests–and the food was excellent! 

Le Pat’Daniel’s, our new favorite neighborhood restaurant

Last summer we struck up a conversation with Graeme and Eileen, a British couple who spend part of their time in Montpellier, and we quickly became friends. Last time they were here, we hosted them, along with friends Margi and Michael, for dinner, and in January, Margi and Michael hosted all of us. We enjoyed superb company, a delicious dinner, and excellent wines–and Eileen took a picture!

Enjoying our evening with lovely friends

Our friends Dave and Sue never met a stranger, and the language barrier has not impeded their ability to make great French friends. To honor the French people who have made them feel welcome here–relocation advisors, hair stylists, cheese mongers, bakers, language instructors, butchers, and more–they hosted a brunch for about 30 people. We were honored to be asked to help with the party, which was a huge success. I helped cook, along with friends Anne and John, and Phil served as bartender. The spread was fabulous, and everyone, including a couple of adorable toddlers, had a great time.

Dave and Sue’s bounteous buffet

While I was resting, Phil was painting, and one of his works was so beautiful I framed it and hung it in our entry. Now, when anyone arrives chez nous, this gorgeous painting is the first thing they see. And he named the restaurant in the foreground after our granddaughter!

Phil’s painting hanging in our entry

On January 23 we celebrated our third Franciversary with a sumptuous dinner at Ebullition, which serves the best food I’ve had in Montpellier. Our friends Michael and Sara took us there for lunch during their October visit, and this was a great excuse to return. It was just as wonderful as our first time, and we look forward to celebrating many more special occasions there.

Our amuses bouches and Champagne at Ebullition

Finally, on the last day of the month, we joined other Opéra Orchestre supporters at the rehearsal for tonight’s performance of Traversée, with works by Ravel, Barber, and Tchaikovsky, conducted by our new American Maestro, Roderick Cox. It was fascinating to see the rehearsal, to hear Maestro Cox’s coaching, and to understand a bit about how these amazing works take shape. The reception afterward, with Champagne and appetizers, was lovely as well.

The orchestra about to begin rehearsal

And so we bid January farewell. I’m grateful for the time to rest, the time spent with friends, and the opportunity to live in a city with such culture, cuisine, and kindness.

A gorgeous sunset shot from Shelia

December

Posted on by Sandy

December was . . . Interesting

The Roamers survive the festive season

No sooner had we returned home, unpacked, and settled into our “normal” routine, than I came down with a robust case of bronchitis. This seems to be an annual event for me, so I hunkered down, saw the doctor, and stayed home for almost three weeks. I did make it out for most of my French lessons, and I was rewarded one day with a lovely rainbow. Promising fluency one day, perhaps?

The Rainbow Promise of French Fluency

Just as I was starting to feel human again, it was time for my cataract surgery. I was impressed with the efficiency and kindness of the staff (although the surgery was more uncomfortable than I expected), and Phil especially loved the disposable outfit they gave me.

Eye shield fashionista

Four days later, we caught an early train for Paris, where we would spend Christmas at la Fantasie, a boutique hotel in the 9th arrondissement (for which we used an annual credit card benefit). We checked in quickly and headed out to the Musée Rodin, which was. . .closed on Mondays. No problem, we simply made our way, aka walked an hour (with a stroll through a nearby Christmas market), to the bar at the Meurice, where we enjoyed a cocktail before our teatime reservation. The tea at Restaurant la Dali, a splurge, was intended to put us in the holiday spirit. It was nice, lots of sweets, but we don’t need to do it again.

 

The next day, Christmas Eve, was unscheduled, and we spent most of the day wandering the streets. Shop windows, churches, people-watching, and simply strolling are special fun in Paris, despite the crowds.

A beautiful shop window

The famous Galleries Lafayette Christmas tree

a

Galleries Lafayette’s ceiling

Nativity scene at a church; I’ve forgotten which one

One of many amazing animated window displays at Printemps

We noticed several blocked-off streets and heard lots of sirens, and as we made our way back to the hotel we discovered the cause: a fire in the upper floors of a beautiful Haussmann building near the Gare St. Lazare.

They were still fighting the fire when we walked by

It took a lot of searching to find restaurant reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas, but we were happy with our choices. Christmas Eve dinner was at Sorza, a tiny jewel of a restaurant that seats only about 24 people.

Sorza; highly recommended!

On Christmas day we enjoyed a video call with kids before heading to a bouillon for lunch. A bouillon is traditionally known as a large restaurant where one can get good quality food at a reasonable price. We chose this one, Chez Julien, for its gorgeous Belle Epoque décor, but we truly enjoyed the food as well.

Beautiful stained glass ceiling at Chez Julien

We noticed a French group at a nearby table taking photos, so we offered to take one for them. And they returned the favor!

Roamers toasting Christmas

For several days I’d thought I’d cracked a rib coughing (see aforementioned bronchitis), but on Christmas afternoon the pain worsened. By the next morning I couldn’t move or breathe without severe pain (when I can’t eat or sip my coffee, it’s serious!), so at the advice of our hotel front desk staff we headed out to the American Hospital. The good news: no broken ribs, just a muscle sprain/tear. The bad news: it took SEVEN HOURS to get through the process, which included a Covid/RSV test, EKG, blood draw, IV, and Xrays. After paying my $750 (much of which will be reimbursed), I noticed my hand where they’d removed the IV was puffed up. Hmm.

A nurse applied alcohol and re-bandaged the hand. And apologized, profusely.

We had a reserved time at the Musée D’Orsay, so Phil went on his own while I stayed at the hospital. When I finally arrived back at the hotel, it was time to head out for dinner before the ballet we were attending at the Palais Garnier. Last February my friend Margi and I had drinks at the Café de la Paix, next to the opera house, so I’d reserved a table for dinner there. It’s a gorgeous Belle Epoque restaurant where you can easily imagine the elegant people who were regulars back in the day.

Gazing past my dessert at Phil

After a lovely dinner (and paracetamol for me), we strolled to the Palais Garnier, the gorgeous, historic opera house that was the inspiration for “The Phantom of the Opera.” On our first trip to Paris in 1993, we had seen a ballet there, and we were excited to return. We had great seats for the Play Ballet by Alexander Ekman, which was amazing–playful, exuberant, creative, and fun. 

Waiting for the performance to begin

And of course I had to take a photo of the incredibly beautiful ceiling by Marc Chagall!

Palais Garnier ceiling, by Marc Chagall

The next day we wandered the streets again, stopping for coffee and later for lunch, before checking out of our hotel. We made it to the train station with a robust train picnic, complete with wine, for our three-hour trip home to Montpellier. 

A vintage child’s tea set in a shop window

So now we’re back home, sleeping in our own bed and getting some needed rest. I’m hardly coughing, my ribs are slowly getting better, the cataract surgery follow-up was positive, and my poor ugly hand is gradually healing. But honestly? After this month, I’m ready to start a new year!

The hand, three days later

 

November

Posted on by Sandy

at sea

The Roamers cruise the ocean

While we spent most of November on a cruise, we started off the month with a special lunch honoring our friend Tom’s birthday. Where he had dessert. Just a small one.

Tom with his profiteroles birthday dessert. Yes, he ate it all!

We also enjoyed a long-anticipated lunch at Les Grand Buffets in Narbonne, joined by friends Sheri and Dennis, Sue and Dave, and Shelia and Steve. Amazing!

We made our reservation seven months in advance–for the first available date!

A few days later, we flew to Rome to begin our voyage. We had decided on a Princess cruise because it stopped in Casablanca, along with Cagliari (Sardinia), Malaga, Madeira, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. We spent the night near the airport before taking a one-hour taxi ride to the terminal at Civitavecchia. After a long wait, we boarded and found our cabin. Lesson learned: when booking a cruise, check the age of the ship. The Caribbean Princess is the oldest ship in the Princess fleet–no USB ports, only one electrical outlet in the cabin (American, which didn’t fit our EU plugs), dated décor, and the worst hair dryer ever. But every staff member was awesome!

Our home for 16 days

We set sail, and the next morning we arrived in Cagliari, on the gorgeous Italian island, Sardinia. We had booked a tour that included wine tasting at an estate from the 1930s, where they produce wine and olive oil. They’re developing a botanical garden, and they also display interesting sculptures along the path through the vineyard.

Gorgeous view of Cagliari

A room at the wine estate

The next day was spent at sea before our arrival in Malaga, where a thunderstorm was in progress. All excursions were cancelled, stores and restaurants were closed, and residents were advised to shelter inside, but we left the ship armed with raincoats and umbrellas (which were useless because of the wind), to see what we could. 

 

I got this photo during a lull in the rainstorm.

We spent about three hours walking in Malaga, returning to the ship soaked but happy for the adventure–and grateful for hot showers! We later learned that the captain had closed the ship just after we left, so we were lucky to get out.

The next morning, we landed at Casablanca. Our all-day excursion started with a visit to the largest mosque, where we were not permitted entry (I had bought a scarf anticipating going inside) but strolled the grounds.

Mosque at morning

Our tour bus returned to the mosque that night so that we could see it lighted. The architecture is remarkable, unlike anything we’d seen before.

Mosque at night

In between mosque visits, we headed to Rabat, a beautiful seaside city north of Casablanca, where we enjoyed a Moraccan lunch in a restaurant that began as a private home.

Moroccan lunch: crowded and delicious.

Our tour group walked to a nearby park to admire the plants and the ocean view before boarding the bus for a trip to the tomb of Mohammed V. 

Tomb of Mohammed V

Everyone was disappointed that our tour guide declined to take us to the market (he said there had been complaints, but later others on our cruise said it was wonderful), opting instead for a single shop selling mostly souvenir-type merchandise. After this, and a nightime tour of Casablanca, we returned to the ship around 9:30 pm.

Morccan billboard at night

After that long day we appreciated the sea day that followed!

Lazy day at sea

Our next stop was Funchal in Madeira. We had toured this beautiful place before, so this time we opted for a walking food tour, which turned out to be our favorite excursion. We tasted chocolates featuring Madeira fruits, as well as a pastel, a special custard tart served with cinnamon, before heading to the market to take in the sights, sounds, and smells: fresh flowers, beautiful fruits and vegetables, fish, and much more.

Our guide explaining the monstera delicioso, which is eaten over several days as it ripens.

After a delicious lunch where we sampled far too much food, we stopped at a bar for a delicious poncha, the famous Madeiran cocktail made from honey, citrus juice, and alcohol.

We returned to the ship full and happy. The next morning was our last stop, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, arguably the most beautiful place we visited.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

Here we opted for another bus tour, where we learned about the microclimates of this volcanic island–which is due for an eruption. Our guide explained that they have an event every 100 years, and they’re a few years past due.

Seismic measurements indicate this volcano is ready to erupt!

After a photo stop at a park where locals were playing cards, we headed to our guide’s hometown, where we visited the orchid garden Sitio Litre. 

Amazing orchid garden, apparently a favorite haunt of Agatha Christie

We were given plenty of time to walk around northern Tenerife, window shopping and watching people enjoy the sunny day, before heading back to the ship. Now began our eight days at sea. . .

Sunrise at sea

We enjoyed beautiful views of the sea, especially at sunrise and sunset, and we spent lots of time reading, walking, and eating. But honestly, the activities aboard didn’t interest us much; we don’t gamble or dance much (well, we did try a foxtrot class, which was not a success) or play tv-type game shows, and many of the activities turned out to be sales pitches for the salon, art auctions, shops, etc. One evening, inspired by my favorite author, MFK Fisher, who wrote about this exact meal on a tranatlantic voyage, we enjoyed a picnic in our cabin: chicken and mayonnaise sandwiches with iced vodka! With that we re-watched an old Thanksgiving movie, “What’s Cooking?”

Ingredients for our cabin feast

We did have a delightful surprise during our sea days. I had met Deb two years ago when she and her husband Tim were house-sitting near Montpellier, and we have been Facebook friends since. One day at sea her post popped up, and I realized that they were on the same cruise! We very much enjoyed reconnecting, spending time getting better acquainted. She is a writer, and you might like to check out her novels! 

Sunset from our balcony

After eight long days at sea, we were happy to get off the ship. After a stop to replace Phil’s broken-beyond-repair-but-only-three-years-old Macbook, we headed to the Miami airport, where we were greeted in the lounge with a glass of Champagne.

Champagne at the airport

One nine-hour flight later, we landed in Barcelona, one of our favorite cities. Honestly, I could live there (but I love living in France too much to move!).

Arriving in Barcelona

At the recommendation of our friends, we stayed at the Casa Camper Barcelona hotel, conveniently located near the Rambla. We checked in and headed out to explore (and to try to stay awake until at least 8pm).

One of the beautiful buildings in Barcelona, this one the site of a memorable dinner in 2022 with friends Joni and Scott

At Deb’s suggestion, we visited the Palau de la Musica Catalana, a spectacular music venue built in the Catalan Modernist style. If you are lucky enough to visit Barcelona, don’t miss this amazing building!

Palau de Musica. This photo doesn’t begin to do it justice!

Our hotel was lovely, and we will definitely return. It happens to house a Michelin-starred restaurant, which we skipped after so much rich food on the cruise–but I was fascinated to see in the window an autographed veste blanche from El Bulli, the now-shuttered “best restaurant in the world.”

El Bulli jacket

The next morning we shopped at the market (amazing!) for a train picnic before heading home. We arrived in Montpellier early in the evening, happy to be home after almost three weeks away. And our Thanksgiving dinner was leftover empanadas and croquettas from our train picnic!

Thanksgiving dinner, ready to go into the oven!

October

Posted on by Sandy

We had visitors!

Fun with friends from the U.S.

Early fall is a lovely time to visit Montpellier, and we were lucky to have two fun couples visit. First up were Carol and Richard, friends of 33 years. We were neighbors when our kids were little, and we’ve always stayed close despite being geographically far away. 

Carol arriving

Richard arriving

After they settled into their hotel room, we enjoyed strolling around the city before dinner at l’Artichaut, one of our favorite restaurants. The next morning after coffee and croissants, we left for an adventure in Aigues-Mortes, a medieval town in the Camargue, the marshland famous for white horses, pink flamingos, and salt. First we took the little train tour of the salt production facility, which was fascinating, and which included a quick climb up the salt mountain. 

Salt from the Mediterranean sea!

After our train ride, of course we had to visit the museum and gift shop, where we loaded up on fleur de sel, the finishing salt we use daily, as well as a few gifts for upcoming guests.

Carol and Richard were game for some silly fun.

We then headed into Aigues-Mortes, a fascinating medieval town where you can walk around the entire old city on the ramparts (as long as you’re careful; those old stone walkways are treacherous!). After lunch we strolled around the city, shopping for souvenirs and gifts for our friends to take home.

City view from the ramparts

We came home and enjoyed dinner chez Shroyer, and the next morning we met up to visit the farmers’ market held every Sunday in our neighborhood. Carol has a friend and former colleague who lives near Montpellier with her husband and two children, so we’d invited them over for brunch. After that, we all headed to a beach Phil and I had never visited before, la plage Aresquiers. With no restaurants or services, it’s a much more natural (and less crowded) beach than the others in our area. We had a grand time walking off brunch and enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

Enjoying a beautiful day at the beach

We spent the next day walking through Montpellier, visiting the various sights, enjoying an al fresco lunch, and catching up on all the news, and we ended the day with dinner at our house. Carol and Richard left the next day for Normandy to tour the WWII sites, and finally a few days in Paris before heading home to Texas.

A couple of weeks later we headed to the train station to greet our North Carolina friends Michael and Sara, who would be spending a few nights with us–they were willing to sleep on a queen-sized pull-out sofa and share our only bathroom! Michael and I met through work (he was my boss!), and while we’d only met Sara once before, she was one of those people who immediately feels like an old friend. Their train was late, so we headed home for some soup and an early bedtime, because the next day would be very busy.

Sara, Michael, and Phil casting long shadows

We headed out to walk around the city, hitting many of the monuments and sights, and enjoying a coffee at Café de la Mer, our favorite coffee stop. After more walking and a bit of shopping, we arrived at a very special place, a fabulous restaurant treat from Michael and Sara. Our lunch at Ebullition was the best meal I’ve had in Montpellier. Owned by a young couple, the restaurant is beautiful and calm, the food is gorgeous, delicious, and innovative, and the service is spectacular. 

My butternut squash amuse bouche, which was more like an entrée. And it was served after several tiny amuse bouches!

 

My zucchini main course, a beautiful and delicious garden!

Michael and Sara wanted to get a feel for our lives in France, so that evening we invited a few friends over for an apéro and to meet our guests. We had a wonderful evening–good food, lots of stories, and the fun of watching our friends make friends.

The next morning after a leisurely breakfast, we headed out for the day trip we’d planned, to Couvertoirade, a village founded by the Knights Templar. We had beautiful weather for the pleasant drive, and we were enchanted by this little village high on a hill.

The view from Couvertoirade

We strolled through the village, visited the church and cemetery, had lunch at one of the two restaurants in town, and enjoyed the spectacular views from the top of the village.

One of the many little rocky pedestrian passages in Couvertoirade

Being a fan of pottery, I stopped in at the atelier of a woman who makes all sorts of items, and I found a crescent moon for our terrace. When we realized she doesn’t take credit cards and I had no cash, she simply gave me her bank information and sent me home with the piece, trusting me to pay for it when we got home (which I gratefully did!). The French are such warm, wonderful people!

Our next stop was about an hour away, the famous Viaduc de Millau. Completed in 2004, it is the tallest bridge in the world. We visited the on-site museum and gift shop before paying the 20 euro toll to cross.

A model of the bridge. The museum also offered a film about the construction.

It was fascinating, and we were glad we’d made the trip, but then it was time to go home and make dinner. The next day we walked Michael and Sara to the train station to see them off for the Spanish segment of their journey. It was a great visit, and we were so happy that they made time to come to see us.

The rest of October has been pretty quiet for us, providing some much-needed down time. We are infinitely grateful for the wonderful friends in our life, especially those who come to visit us in France!

Posted on by Sandy

How to say goodbye

Remembering our friend René Sollberger

In 2013 we moved into a beautiful loft in the heart of Boston, where Phil met our new neighbors as they were moving in. Pilar and her husband, René, quickly became dear friends, sharing holidays and dinners during our time in the Boston area and staying in touch through several moves, meetups in various cities, and plenty of emails and Facebook posts. 

René and Pilar in their loft, next door to us

René took this picture of a Thanksgiving together at our beach home in Plymouth, MA, with my high school bestie Patricia.

 

When we moved to France, René and Pilar were among our first house guests, where they fell in love with Montpellier and the south of France.

Enjoying cocktails at our favorite hangout, SmashBar (now closed, unfortunately)

We had only a few days together, but we packed in plenty of fun, walking our legs off, playing pétanque, and enjoying pleasant May weather. And food. We have shared so many wonderful meals together–including a memorable evening when René made authentic Swiss fondue for us, served on special plates that had been in his family for years.

Dinner in the garden of our first Montpellier apartment

René and Pilar were both journalists, and when we met in Boston René was hard at work on a book about Swiss diplomat Jakob Kellenberger. A man of many talents and interests, in addition to being a journalist and author, René also was a travel professional. It cracked me up that as a Swiss person, he led tours of the American Southwest–for Americans! You can learn more about René on his website. 

One of the delightful holiday cards René and Pilar sent each year–this one features their dog, Jet.

René and Pilar eventually left America for northwest Switzerland, where they bought and customized a gorgeous new apartment which would be their dream home. We planned to visit them as soon as they were fully settled. Tragically, on May 9, only six weeks after moving in, René succumbed to a massive cardiac event that ended his life at only 66 years of age. He died in his sleep, leaving a heartbroken widow and hundreds of bereaved family and friends, including Phil and me.

The beautiful invitation to the party to celebrate René’s life

Pilar is a remarkable woman: she was embedded with the military in Iraq, she is an accomplished pilot and flight instructor, professional speaker, journalist, world traveler, and much more. And astonishingly, in the depths of grief, she created a party to celebrate René’s life. Not a funeral, which he would have hated, but a true celebration, at a beautiful, rustic horse trekking ranch in the Jura mountains of Switzerland–for 60 people! 

Because we had never visited Switzerland (and because we are, after all, Roamers), Phil and I decided to make a short vacation of our trip. We drove to Annecy, which is a gorgeous alpine town nestled beside a lake. We spent two nights there, enjoying the scenery, the fresh air (so nice after the heat and humidity at home), and the delicious cuisine.

A lake and chateau view during our drive around Lake Annecy

Our friends Dave and Sue had recently visited Annecy and highly recommended “the best, most authentic Mexican food we’ve found in France” at La Taqueria by Los Primos. Of course we had to go, and it did not disappoint. One of the things we most miss from our U.S. life is Mexican food, so this was truly a treat.

 

Happy Mexican food Phil

Annecy has been described as the Venice of France, with good reason. We loved walking along the canals, people-watching, and finding special culinary treats from the area.

I took this photo while strolling along the canal.

On our second evening in Annecy we had dinner at the Paul Bocuse restaurant honoring his mother, who was a native of Annecy. We had dined at the original Michelin-starred Bocuse in Lyon and were eager to try Brasserie Irma. We dined on the spacious terrace, and I may or may not have slipped a bit of my fish to the  resident cat.

Brasserie Irma

We left very early the next morning to get to Zurich in time for a lovely lunch at the home of my high school friend and Wild Woman Susan and her Swiss husband Kurt. Our visit to their beautiful apartment was short but very sweet, and they made a fabulous luncheon feast. We hope to return for a longer visit.

And then it was time to drive to the Miramont Horse Trekking Hostel, the site of René’s celebration. Pilar, who lives in the next town, had partnered with David, a former commercial pilot and now the Miramont proprietor, to plan a uniquely beautiful event. We had a tearful reunion with Pilar, who got us into our charming room, before joining the al fresco apéro, where we met guests from all over Europe. We re-met René’s cousins, with whom we’d enjoyed lunch in Austin (where René and Pilar had to translate the entire conversation because his cousins had no English and we had no useable French or German), and all four of us were delighted to be able this time to have some rudimentary French conversations.

After the lovely apéro, which featured some of the best appetizers I’ve had at an event, everyone headed upstairs to the event room. Pilar welcomed everyone in German, the predominant language of the group, and she had thoughtfully printed out an English translation of her comments for the non-German speakers. Pilar was eloquent and graceful a she welcomed her guests, accompanied by slides of René over the years, and spoke of her love. No dry eyes. Then it was time for the delicious buffet dinner, followed by a speech by René’s childhood friend. 

When the time came for Pilar to give her speech, complete with slides of the couple’s wedding, travels, and life together, we were amazed by her composure. Yes, there were tears, but she made it through, ending with “I will always be your Sweetie.” Remembering her speech brings tears but also joy.

Pilar sharing her memories of René

And then she directed us to open the gifts on the tables, one for each person or couple. Pilar had framed a photo of each of us with René, to keep as a remembrance. Ours was taken in our garden in Montpellier during their 2022 visit. At this point there was not a dry eye in the house, but it was time for the band to play. We all danced to wonderful music, with René’s cousin the lead singer. 

Celebration of Life

(Thanks to Wendy Lubetkin for the video!)

It was a bittersweet, wonderful evening that we will always remember. We miss René and are grateful to have the memories of this very special friend.

The next day, at our new friend Wendy’s recommendation, we ventured into the charming medieval town of Estavayer-le-Lac, where frog images abound. Our destination was bizarre: a museum featuring taxidermy frogs in various settings. Creepy, but very interesting!

Frog fète

That evening we, along with another couple, were guests for dinner at Pilar’s beautiful apartment. It was a lovely evening, with wonderful food and more stories of René. We are hoping that Pilar and her dog Jet will visit us in Montpellier soon, but for now it was time to say goodbye.

The next morning we drove to Lausanne for a quick lunch with friends Leslie and Arnaud, who were fresh off a redeye flight and train ride; we were honored that they delayed a much-needed rest to lunch with us. Leslie has a wonderful website and blog that I highly recommend. 

Then it was off to Geneva for our last night in Switzerland. We stayed at a Marriott which turned out to have an excellent restaurant and bar.

My dessert: beautiful AND delicious!

And the next day we returned home. It was a bittersweet, wonderful trip, and we were honored to be part of the party for René. And we will treasure his photo, which rests on my desk next to the coaster René and Pilar gave us several years ago.

We will never forget our friend René.

Tomato Festival

Posted on by Sandy

You say tomato, i say tomate

A Tomato Festival in Clapiers

Aaand, it’s September! Fall weather hasn’t yet arrived here, although the mornings are often pleasant enough to sip coffee on the terrace. On Sunday, we were planning to go to the farmers’ market in our neighborhood, but then I saw a Facebook post about something far more interesting: a tomato festival in nearby Clapiers! When we lived in Boston, we were regular attendees at the annual tomato festival, where visitors could sample hundreds of varieties, learn how to make mozzarella, and participate in a food foraging hike (all of which we loved!). So when we realized Clapiers was just a 20-minute drive from home, we hopped in the car.

The fates were with us, as we found a parking spot near the crowded park. As we entered the festival, we were greeted by a men’s chorus singing lustily, if not entirely together, songs from the Occitane, the region of France where we live. This group is hilarious and fun; if you want to translate, you can read about them here. 

 

The festival was packed with food stands, activity centers, and information booths touting everything from recycling to growing herbs. After running into friends (!) and chatting a bit, we decided to follow their example and do our shopping first, as the festival featured a bountiful famers’ market.

One of several cheese vendors

But when we came upon the huge booth display of tomatologist Eric Pédebas, which featured over 250 varieties of tomatoes, we had to stop for a while. We chatted with M Pédebas about the varieties–at least as much as I could manage in my toddler-level French–and bought as much as we thought we could use, before buying a tasting plate to share.

Our tasting plate, complete with gazpacho, several varieties of tomatoes, olive oil, and salt: delicious!

I was tempted to eat all these tomatoes before Phil got back from buying a potato pancake topped with sautéed onions and cheese to share. My favorite was the yellow tomato, the name of which I’ve forgotten. But everything was delicious, including the gallette de pommes de terre. Here is a recipe that’s similar to what we ate.

After eating, we returned to the tomato display for a while, just to see all the different varieties. Seeds were on sale, but since our terrace faces north, I haven’t had good luck growing tomatoes, so we settled for as many tomatoes as we could use up in a few days.

Gorgeous tomato display

We finished our shopping and dropped it at the car before continuing our wander through the festival. We saw goats, dogs for adoption, artwork, crafts, and so. much. food. We were tempted by everything, but in the end we simply bought a beautiful tourtière (savory hand pie) to take home. Filled with lardons, onions, two kinds of cheese, and herbs, it made a wonderful late lunch with a crisp white wine. Followed by a nap.

Al fresco munching at the festival

We wandered back to the car, stopping once more to listen to the chorus, and decided to drive aimlessly through the town and surrounding countryside before finding our way home (without using GPS!!!). With the basil we bought, I made pesto to keep in the freezer for a taste of summer in winter. The olive oil is delicious, and we’ll use the apricot nectar for cocktails. We bought several fabulous confits–sun-dried tomato and morels!–along with a beautiful loaf of crusty bread and a golden pattypan squash. And the tomatoes? Well, they will be gone tomorrow.

Our haul from the market