The Vendange Begins

Saturday, August 27
The vendange begins. The first day of the grape harvest was a about 4 days ago and it has started slowly. Last year it was much more sudden.
The weather has been very hot and muggy this past couple of weeks. A big change came yesterday with a cold rain that had been predicted for several days and it finally came giving relief from the humid uncomfortable weather – the kind that you are sitting inside perfectly still and you notice your hair is wet. Today is very cool but sunny with a fairly strong cool, actually cold, breeze. I suspect if this kind of weather continues for a few days the harvest will become full blown very soon.


The grapes certainly look ready to be picked. They are dark purple and look full of juice. The large clusters are making the vines sag with their heavy load.




The first grapes to be picked are the green ones and since this is not the favored grape variety here, the beginning of the vendange isn’t much noticeable. As soon as the reds come in, the harvest will be deafening and delaying traffic everywhere. Here most of the grape picking is done by machine and they are very, very noisy driving back and forth to the coop and doing their work in the field. Some of the finer vintners, like Des Trinites where they held the winery dinner last week, do pick entirely by hand (but this is the exception).
The other sign that the vendange has begun is the grape debris on the side of the road where it has fallen while being hauled and the faint fragrance of fermenting grapes which actually smells quite good.







Here is a brand new looking grape picking device driving down my street. Most of them aren't so shiny and look like they've been used for many years.

Maison Verte

During the summer Ken and Alison Miller cater wonderful dinners which are usually held at wineries (see previous posts). Last night they put on an "End of Summer Dinner" (oh no it can't be true) at Maison Verte which is not a winery. It is a beautiful old group of buildings in Roujan, a nearby village. Musical workshops are held at Maison Verte, with the lucky participants staying at this beautiful place. It also hosts free concerts put on by the workshop participants or visiting choral groups.

So last nights dinner wasn't part of any workshop it similar was the beautiful location for another Ken and Alison dinner with 85 guests. The weather forecast was for rain - actually thunderstorms - following an incredibly hot and humid couple of days. Luckily the storms didn't materialize and we stayed dry and a bit cooler with a slight breeze during dinner. Our table mates were great fun full of good conversation and many laughs.







Here is Ken plating the first second course which was a delicious pork tamale with a pretty authentic sauce - satisfied my craving for Mexican food.

Places set and ready for guests.

Maison Verte is aptly named as you can see by all the ivy covering the buildings.

The extensived gardens are obviously very old and well established.

A wine bottle sculpture.

Lots of flowering plants/trees and a vegetable garden.

Beaches and Canal lunches

Summer in the South of France is what summer was meant to be I think. It is pretty hot and muggy but who cares when you can hang out on a sandy beach, swim in the calm and crystal clear Mediterranean, sip a cool drink brought to you as you recline on a "sun bed" under a parasol, and then have a nice lunch right behind you at a little restaurant/bar. This is "La Nomada" which is where a friend's son is the "beach guy". It is located at the end of Valras Plage and only about 25 minutes from "my" house.
















I also recently checked out the beach at Meze which is on the Etan de Thau which is the huge inlet bay opens between Sete and Agde. It is where the most delicious oysters and mussels in France are farmed. I expected that the water wouldn't be very inviting and that the beach would be muddy - WRONG. The water was beautifully clear and the sandy. Lots of locals were enjoying it.

Here is the harbor and dock at Meze. It was a very attractive town. Not terribly crowded on a Sunday afternoon which lots of cafes along the port.

This is the beach by La Nomada where Vol and I spent the day two days ago. There was a very sweet young French family next to us with four children. These two boys spent the entire day digging a hole which was about as deep as they were tall by the end of the day.

Yesterday we went to a lake in the Minervois. The day was hot but not sunny. The beach was really rocky.

I had two very lovely lunches by the Canal du Midi this week. The first was at La Croisada a really beautiful spot right on the Canal. I was with Deb (from Bize) and Vol.

The second lunch was yesterday at it was in the town of Homps. It was a pretty busy spot with lots of boats docked there as well as passing by.

To give you some idea of the yummy food we had (photos courtesy of Vol):


Salad with a poached oeff

I can't remember what this was - I'm pretty sure it wasn't mine but it certainly is colorful.

Here is a delicious fish with pesto. Yum!

Peach melba anyone?

This was Vol's dessert at La Croisade. She was so excited she forgot to photograph it when it arrived.










Tonight is another Winery dinner. I will need to go on a diet next week for sure!

Domaine des Trinites and Jardin Saint Adrien

Summer brings interesting weather here. Yesterday was very hot and muggy. This weather pattern produces electrical storms in the late after which is what happened yesterday. I watched the storm approaching (on the right). It hit pretty had with major lightning and thunder. Then it rained for a couple of hours. Nice and clear today.

Yesterday I visited Jardin Saint Adrien which is very near here. Last year I saw signs for it but never figured out exactly where it was - turns out it is outside the very next village to me. After several people told me it was a "must see" I went yesterday afternoon.

It is the creation of a local man who constructed it from a deserted quarry from the middle ages. He diverted a stream into it so it has many pools, fountains, and reflection. He has also made a number of beautiful sculptures. Although it is very different, in some ways it reminded me of Monet's Giverny.

The man who created the place lives with his wife in this house on the site. It looks like a perfect place to live. Since the garden is only open a few hours several days a week they have plenty of privace to enjoy this magical place.

Lots of pretty flowers as pools and sculptures.


I love this sleeping water maiden.

There are a number of wierd wooden "people" througout like this fisherman.



It is 10 hectars in size.

There is an amphitheater and a big stage. They must have concerts here. This day music was recorded and there was an interesting variety ranging from Jacque Brell to Chris Botti.

This woman just couldn't help herself. She took to the stage and entertained her friends.

There were also these emus (related to the ostrich) and peacocks in cages.

Last Friday night Vol and I attended a winery dinner catered by Ken and Alison. It was a Domaine des Trinites in Roquessels - near Faugier (sp?). I had been there last year as well. It was a lovely setting with a view that looks all the way to Sete.

Appertifs with a lovely rose. Dinner was on the newly tiled deck (actually not quite finished - they worked all day on it).

Dinner was delicious. Wines were excellent.

Company was also excellent. Here are our tablemates. Made some new friends.

The evening was beautiful Perfect temperature and the sunset looked like an impressionist painting.

The very next day there was a wildfire not far from this location. I saw the planes carrying water to it flying over Abeilhan the following afternoon.

This is the Saturday market in Pezenas. It is a BIG market.

Hard to see but this shows a large pan with paella cooking. There is a huge variety of the stuff - chicken, seafood, mixte, etc.

A local musician and his sun play the market with old timey French tunes.

This vendor sells great stuff - tampades of all colors, fresh marinated anchois (anchovies) -
which are unbelievably yummy, grilled octupus, etc.

Pouissons.



They do of course have wonderful fruits and vegetables but I was busy buying those so I didn't get any pictures.

Saturday night I went to a local event with my French neighbors. It was a pitanque (sp?)tournament which is like bacchi ball. Mostly though it was mostly a get together to visit with friends, eat, drink, and dance. I had a great time doing all those things. I didn't want to take any pictures and look like the tourist I am.

As it was I had to pretty much get by with sign language and more horrid french and a little Spani sh. There were only two people who spoke English in my group. I also chatted with the Mayor who speaks good English.

Everyone was very friendly and I had some great "conversations". Everyone had heard of San Francisco and they'd love to go there. One young man was a 49er fan and we "talked" about Joe Montana. The woman sitting next to me was very fun and said she never "touched" an American before. Most everyone there are natives of the village and many are from families that have "always" lived here.

There was some discussion bemoaning the growth of the village and changing way of life here (with supermarkets etc).

After dinner there was a dj playing mostly rock and roll. At first the only dancers were a couple of 10 year old girls. However before long lots of people were dancing (solo and couples). We danced for hours and had so much fun. I couldn't believe when I looked at my watch it was 1 am. I left and walked home. I think the party went on for some time after that!

Train Ride Up the Mountains to Cathar Country

Yesterday my friend, Vol, and I took the Fenouilledes Tourist Train up a gorge in the Pyrenees into Cathar Country. Cathars were a Christian sect beginning in the 11th Century and flourishing in Languedoc until they were slaughtered by the Catholics - "Onward Christian Soldiers". All that is left of them are remnants of some of their castles.

The train that we boarded looked pretty modern. I was surprised because it was advertized as very old.



The trip began in a small town just north of Perpignon. The landscape here is quite different from that around where my village is. Here it is much more arid, rocky, and has sage brush. It still has some vinyards but nothing as dense as in my area.

It is beautiful though with the Pryenees rising west and north. It was a perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky but cool and really pleasant.

The views along the way were beautiful. I liked these haystacks.

As we traveled up the gorge and came to higher elevations the countryside changed remarkably with pine forests and deciduous trees. We could see some of the Cathar castle ruins but most were very far away and diffucult to photograph.

The train crossed a number of old bridges.

About halfway in our ride we switched to the antique train with open cars and a steam engine. Once it started we decided it was acutally powered by burning coal. It belched thick, black, acrid smoke. It was enough to take your breath away. We heard someone in back of us gasp (in french) "Help. We need oxygen."

Even though we were in the last car, the furthest from the source it was pretty awful.

Here is some smoke passing by our side of the train.

Eventually they switched the engine to another old one, but one that wasn't producing this kind of noxius fumes. What a relief!

This is the largest Cathar castle we saw.

All along the way people madly waived at us - and we waived back. Everyone waived - mothers pushing their kids in strollers, motorists waiting for the train to pass, roadside workman, and people from their windows - like this woman.

Here are some kids in theirng backyard waiving.

Guess there isn't a lot going on and the train passing a couple times a day is a big deal.

Looking out a tunnel window as we arrive to our destination - something like Atax. It is a very pretty town with a good restaurant. Vol and I were the first off the train and headed straight to the restaurant to make sure we got in. When we arrived there was no one their but the staff. Within 10 minutes there wasn't a vacant seat.

After lunch we reboarded the train for the ride back down the gorge. Here is Vol looking happy. We'd had a nice lunch and were looking forward to the return trip. It didn't last long. There were two cars with roofs on them. However, we weren't permitted in them even though we were in the front of the line. Apparently some people had special reservations.

As we waited for the train to depart we became aware it was very, very hot (hottest I've been since I arrived here). The direct sun was hard to take. Boy did I wish I'd brough my big sunhat!! After the train got moving it was slightly more comfortable but not a lot. Again they switched us to the newer train and since it had regular train cars were hopeful that it would be more comfortable. Wrong! Now even though we were out of the direct sun the train cars were very crowded and it was hot, humid, and even though the windows were open it didn't feel like a breath of air. People were also sweating like mad (and there was pretty thick body odor).

The hot ride down. We were sure glad to see the train station and made a beeline to the car and turned on the air conditioning.

Once I was more comfortable it was easier to appreciate what an awesome place we had just been. Next time I would take - my sun hat, some sun screen and my bathing suit. Next time I would take advantage of the big swimming pool
at the destination stop. It sure looked more inviting after we'd been sitting in the full sun waiting for the train to leave.