Easton Place

Provence

Travel Tuesday: Good Eats, Europe

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Not use to seeing Crocodile, Zebra, Emu and Kangaroo on a menu like they offer at the Outback Lodge in Zürich, Switzerland

This past summer Matthew and I spent 23 days traveling Europe. The majority of our time was in Ireland, France and Italy. On a spur-of-the-moment decision, we traveled up to Innsbruck, Austria where we spent two nights (more on that part of the trip at a later date). We took a scenic drive through Liechtenstein (a tiny and beautiful country) so we could have lunch in Zürich, Switzerland before finally heading back into Italy for our final 3 nights of vacation. It was an incredibly fun trip filled with delicious food and drink plus plenty of sweets. 

While I didn't take the challenge to eat Zebra, Emu, Kangaroo or Crocodile in Switzerland, I did enjoy plenty of fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken and seafood during our travels. And I might have had more than one helping of gelato as well. My favorite breakfasts were had in Ireland where we were offered a hearty buffet selection of meats, cheeses, fresh fruit and pastries (though no pastries for me), plus we also ordered from the resort's menu where I enjoyed the best eggs and bacon along with perfectly prepared mushroom caps. And the silver pot of tea, that was frequently refilled, ensured a leisurely start to the day.

Italy offered delicious meals, but I believe the best lunches and dinners were had in France. The French know their sauces! And the seafood was incredibly fresh, as it was in Ireland, but the French seem to really know how to do everything just right. From salads to elaborate dishes, our palates were most happy in Provence! Here are a few shots of some of our favorite dishes. Enjoy!


Travel Tuesday: Cassis, France

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Today I'm sharing with you the beautiful town of Cassis, located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region in the south of France. We sort of stumbled upon Cassis one day while out on a driving adventure. That's always fun, right? The water was a breathtakingly blue/green and the rocky stone cliffs framed it perfectly. The first day in Cassis we just followed the crowd and did the tourist-thing. Parked in a nearly full lot and squeezed onto a very crowded, rocky beach. The water was truly so beautiful, the crowd was almost not a bother... almost. 

We just had to return for a second day. This time, though, we did a little research on the area and decided to avoid the crowded beach and go for the hiking route. I'm so happy we did, because the views were even more incredible and we found a little eatery, La Plage Bleue, that had the most amazing seafood (for my husband) and delicious salad (for me) enjoyed overlooking the water we were so drawn to in the first place! The cliff walks were only partially open due to the strong winds that day, but we still managed to take in some of the views along the Calanques de Casis. My husband and I both agree, Cassis is well worth the visit and on our next trip to the region, we'll do our best to rent a flat and enjoy the views even longer!

I hope you've enjoyed today's Travel Tuesday. Let me know if you've been to Cassis and if so, how did you like it?

Travel Tuesday: L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France

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We left Dublin, Ireland at 10:00 a.m. flying south to Nice, France. Once we'd secured our rental car, we drove north to the provincial town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I made arrangements with the rental site Haven in Paris for a one bedroom apartment, located on the second floor of a 17th century building, facing the town's square. We were a bit worried about the village upon our 10:00 pm arrival, as all the shops were closed with pull-down metal doors covered in graffiti. The apartment's caretaker assured us there was nothing to worry about, for this was very common throughout the area. We decided to stay the night and see how things looked in the morning. The flat was large and clean, nicely appointed and located near several other towns I'd wanted to see while in France, so we gave it a go. As it turned out, we had an amazing time staying in our little French flat!

photos by Easton Place Design Studio: L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France

photos by Easton Place Design Studio: L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France

The town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is filled with quaint gift shops and restaurants, as well as antique shops. There is a small waterway that encircles the town proper and features large mossy waterwheels. On any given day you can watch people racing around the waterway in flat wooden boats, having to lay down in the vessels to squeeze under several low bridges! It's great fun to watch and you can be certain no one participating leaves with dry clothing! The French refer to this water-wrapped village as the Venice of Provence.

Matthew and I adored the outdoor cafes, one as tasty as the next. The food was good, most of the servers spoke English (which was most appreciated by the two of us non-French-speaking tourists). The cappuccinos were readily available and delicious. After meals, finding dessert was as easy as finding the water... there were patisseries and glacier located after nearly every cafe and restaurant. Lucky for us, there was a new shop, opening the week we arrived, which sold the most amazing macarons I've ever tasted! 

 

Beautiful skies, flowers and water outside... beautiful candied fruit inside. Photos by Easton Place Design Studio

Beautiful skies, flowers and water outside... beautiful candied fruit inside. Photos by Easton Place Design Studio

Be sure to visit next week when I'll share photos from the market days. Perhaps the most colorful and fragrant market I've ever had the chance to shop, and it was just outside our apartment window! See you next week for Travel Tuesday.

-Patti