BON VIVANT
SLOW TRAVEL Warm and Bountiful Auvillar By Renée S. Suen
© RENEE SUEN
A pilgrimage to the Occitanie region and its enchanting villages in southwest France is a must for gastronomes
PILGRIMS RESTING BY ONE OF AUVILLAR’S COBBLESTONE ROADS
A
m I dreaming? Can melons taste this juicy and sweet? Or are my senses being reawakened after 16 months of seclusion in my cramped Toronto home?
I’ve ruminated over many things, but never about melons, including the exquisite Quercy melons I’m binging 56 • Vacations ® • Winter 2022
on while basking in the fresh country air in southwestern France. It’s my first trip abroad since travel has resumed. I’m in Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée to attend the annual Jazz à l’Hospitalet Festival in Narbonne. I’d heard rumors about the region’s incredible culinary scene.
