Escape
to
Pr ovence Greatest Places to visit in the south of France
France // Spain Issue
PHOTOGRAPHER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jessie Scott www.Jessiescottphotography.com
Jessie Scott Photography Š 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Table of Contents
9
5-8
Vi s i t L a c o s t e
16 20
9-12
FASHION/BEAUTY Wi t h L o v e
16-19
FOOD Barraca
20-24
25
TRAVEL
5
FASHION Cherry Picked
25-29
SHOP Merci
30-34
TRAVEL Vi s i t B a r c e l o n a
30
visit
medieval Lacoste
“IMAGINE WHAT LIFE IS LIKE THROUGH LACOSTES OLDEST PORTAL ” As you climb up the steep cobblestone streets of Lacoste you find yourself going back in time! Starting way at the bottom, where there’s a little restaurant serving curry dishes, you travel the centuries, passing the Café de la France and its suspended terrace, to the town hall higher up. Then, going through the Portail de la Garde gate, you enter the medieval heart of the village. Here, little has changed since the 14th century; no shop or restaurant steals the show from the beautiful and fascinating architecture of the façades with their richly decorated doors and mullion windows. Despite the memory of this sorrowful period, Lacoste has always remained open and welcoming. But with better and much more peaceful consequences. After the surrealists Breton, Ernst and Char, who
stayed here, came a succession of sculptors, painters and poets. In the 1970s, the American artist Bernard Pfriem settled here and set up a school, which has since become the Savannah Art College, in the upper half of the village. Today, the houses that he renovated host 80 students each trimester – for the 400 permanent residents! Yep, American is spoken here. But the contact with the people is easy and friendly and you get the feeling that the village is proud of its social, cultural and artistic melting pot. In any case, Lacoste is a small jewel, an open-air museum. The Middle Ages and the Renaissance mix in the beautiful old houses, the arched lintels, picturesque streets and vaulted passageways. -avignon-
et-provence.com
Day 1 Provence is littered with open-air markets full of the finest local offerings: produce, cheeses, meats, spices, fresh pastas, olives and olive oil, lavender oil, you name it. (Francemag.com lists the daily markets, or stop by the tourist office in Avignon or Aix en Provence for info on regional Provencal markets.) At the Bedoin market we began what became a daily ritual of devouring pain chocolat (chocolate crossaints) at a boulangerie (bakery) right off the main market. We also regularly stocked up on fresh bread, cheese and saussicon (dry sausage) – the perfect picnic ingredients. And please don’t forget the wine. The Southern Rhone Valley has an exceptional selection: Chateauneuf-duPape, Cote du Rhone, Gigondas, Vacqueryas, Beaumes de Venise, Rasteau.
Day 2 After all that hiking and swimming and eating and drinking, it was time to unwind. We opted for a leisurely day strolling the streets and squares of Aix en Provence… stepping into several shops, slowly sipping a café, enjoying a long lunch, and visiting a museum or two. An added bonus was the Christmas Fair, it being late December (at other times of the year the streets transformed with large open-air markets). The Post-Impressionist artist, Paul Cézanne, split his time between Paris and Aix en Provence. We visited Cézanne’s studio at Les Lauves, a short uphill walk from the city center. Walking into the studio is like stepping back in time – they’ve kept the studio as it was when he was working. - Viator Travel Team
How to spend your days in the south of france
Fashion and Beauty
go with love
“With delicious food with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean, Barraca has fast become one of Barcelona’s most popular seaside and seafood restaurants.” With delicious food with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean, Barraca has fast become one of Barcelona’s most popular seaside and seafood restaurants. Situated in the rustic old fisherman village of Barceloneta, the restaurant serves some of the city’s best paella, fish and seafood – all based on local, organic and fresh produce. A new addition to its already impressive menu is Barraca’s mouthwatering vegan paella. A phenomenon that hasn’t quite taken off in Barcelona (yet one on the brink of explosion), the vegan culture is slowly gaining speed, with visionary establishments like Barraca jumping on the bandwagon.
where to find Barcelonas Best Paella
Not only does it offer a tasty vegan paella, but the restaurant is also incredibly accommodating and eager to adapt for dietary restrictions and create vegan options that aren’t on the menu. Owned by Tribu Woki, Barraca is just one of several restaurants in this group that caters to vegans. Carmelitas Tapas and its sister Carmelitas Vermuteria are both located in the Raval neighborhood, where they offer a great variety of tapas, including several vegan options like artichokes and vegan canelloni. Barraca’s “other half” is located in Castelldefels on a beautiful beach, about 45 minutes outside of the city. - Sam Mednick, 10 Best, USA Today
“At the top of our list for the provider of the best paella in Barcelona is Barraca, located a stone´s throw from the waterfront in Barceloneta. Barraca´s outdoor terrace on Passeig de Marítim provides the ideal spot to sit back and absorb the local atmosphere whilst sampling mouth-watering dishes from a menu prepared by acclaimed chef Xavier Pellier. The seafood paella here is not to be missed. However, if the idea of fresh seafood doesn´t tickle your tastebuds, the vegetarian paella comprised of organic produce is a great alternative. Due to its fabulous location and delectable dishes made from the freshest produce, Barraca undoubtedly serves up the best paella in Barcelona.” - Natàlia Gibernau, BCN Confidential “We open this list with a recommendation from ‘A Taste of Spain’ via Twitter @atasteofspain, who also suggested our first Madrid restaurant. Their top pick for Barcelona is a bright and airy establishment situated right in the middle of Barceloneta Beach Promenade. Not only does Barraca boast this coveted seafront view complete with golden sands, but it serves up some incredible Spanish cuisine. They specialise in Mediterranean tapas and rice dishes, which bodes well for their paella credentials. Main course prices float around the 18 Euro mark, and include such treats as Organic Vegetable Paella Rice or the tantalising Bomba Rice Paella with Squid, Fresh Fish, Clams, Mussels and Parsley. So if the vistas and flavours of the Mediterranean are what you crave, take a break from your explorations and consider heading to La Barceloneta, where you can be assured of stunning views and great seafood at Barraca’s.” Easy Guide Barcelona
Where to find Provence’s best Cherries In the 15th Century, the crushed stone of the cherry was prescribed for stomach and chest problems. The stems of the cherry were made into tea to treat bronchitis, and eating six whole cherries a day was thought to prevent kidney stones. Cherries contain the most sugar of all red fruit, and provide both vitamin C and the provitamin A. Modern nutritionists believe that the antioxidants found in the skin of the fruit have important health benefits. But when I think of cherries, the ‘benefits’ I consider are the beauty of the blossom and the glory of the taste. Cherry blossoms dot the landscape of the Luberon region of
Provence in early spring, and by late May or early June the trees branches are weighed down by the bright fruit. The area offers 300 days of sunshine a year, which is ideal. The trees are planted strategically on the hillsides, exposed to the sun but protected from the Mistral winds. Cherries became especially important in the late 19th century when phylloxera ravaged the grape vines and many farmers converted to cherry cultivation. As I walked through my market this week, I saw overflowing baskets of the hand-picked fruit in every market stall. The harvest began in late May with the Burlat cherry – a plump, deep-red varietal that
are the first to ripen. Next on the market are the Summit, which are fleshy and in the shape of a heart. The Monts de Venasque are the last to be harvested and close the season at the beginning of July. The village of Venasque even has a ‘Confrérie de la Cerise’ or the ‘Brotherhood of Cherries’ and celebrate the fruit at the Festival de la Cerise. The Festival brings the producers to Venasque, and visitors can taste their way through the village and pick up some tips and various recipes. Today the Luberon region has over 800 producers but not all the fruit is for immediate consumption. - My French Life, Laurence Bry