Montauroux

Monday and Tuesday, July 18 & 19 - Montauroux

Proud of ourselves for traveling light!

We woke up early after having packed up our things the night before. We had to catch our train at 10:19 in the morning, and we left the hotel an hour prior by taxi to make sure we had plenty of time to spare to navigate Parisian traffic and purchase something for lunch to take with us on the train. Once at the station, we boarded the train and found our seats easily, and prepared ourselves for the five hour long ride to Nice on the TGV (high speed) train. We kept ourselves busy by reading, writing and looking out the window as the scenery changed from the sprawling green fields through the French countryside to the sun-baked cities of the Riviera as we headed south. We caught glimpses of the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean and my surged filled with happiness. 

Finally we arrived in Nice and after securing our rental car, we were on our way to my great-uncle’s house in a tiny village about an hour’s drive inland, northwest of Nice. We were greeted warmly by my great-uncle, his wife and their two darling granddaughters, ages 6 and 8, who were staying with them during their school holiday. 

Their house is truly a little slice of heaven, overlooking a gorgeous valley. The terrain is familiar, not unlike the mountains in our part of northern California’s golden hills dotted with green trees and bushes, but the buildings are all distinctly southern European, chalky stone and stucco. Their house is built into the slope of their large property, surrounded by terraced gardens boasting colorful flowers, succulents, lavender and fruit trees. They have worked so hard to create their own little paradise, and my industrious uncle himself built large tiled decks and a covered patio surrounding the focal point of their yard: a gorgeous infinity pool. 

Both of them are artists, and many whimsical sculptures and mosaics decorate the inviting space, where dozens of chairs beckon you to sit, linger, and enjoy the view. 

In addition to their artistic talent, they are both skilled in the kitchen (imagine that, in my family!) For our arrival, they had prepared an incredible spread, beginning with aperitifs served at the table on their highest terrace. 

They served us some delectable nibbles including crostini with paté, salami, and other savory munchies. We sipped a special, refreshing, fruity champagne concoction, garnished with a sugared rim and fresh strawberries. Our dinner began with an artfully arranged perfectly ripe melon with prosciutto plate, followed by pork roast, vegetables and roasted potatoes. 

For dessert we were treated to a regional specialty, gâteau Tropezienne, two layers of airy sponge cake, the top encrusted in course sugar, with a thick layer of sweet vanilla cream sandwiched in the middle. 

Ewan and the girls had jumped into the pool, just minutes after our arrival, and only emerged briefly for pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and dessert. The evening temperature was quite warm, but the faint breeze was refreshingly pleasant, as we sat outside until nearly midnight, enjoying the conversation. 

The next day we awoke, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast dining on their beautiful patio, and prepared for our outing. I had been assigned a mission by my mom to replace her favorite tablecloth that she had purchased a few years prior when they had visited, and somehow misplaced. For this, we went first to the village of Fayence, all seven of us cramming into Uncle’s Euro-wagon, and parked in a public lot. I was shocked by the number of Northern European tourists in this tiny little village in the middle of nowhere, pedestrians ambling through the narrow streets, and cars stacked on top of each other navigating the cobbled passageways, trying not to run over tourists. My aunt expressed her disdain for the summer months and all of the crowds of foreign visitors it brought, which I can understand. After parking, we walked straight to the tablecloth store and found a suitable replacement. Mission accomplished. 

I was delighted to find the bustling market in the center of town and I loved browsing the various stalls, selling all kinds of wonderful wares: olives, charcuterie, cheeses, produce, clothing, more Provençal linens, handbags, artisan crafts and more. 

Naturally, Gavin wandered off with his camera to amuse himself while I shopped (the market photos above are his), and picked up a colorful tote bag—hey, I needed something to carry back our souvenirs, since our travel suitcases are so small! We popped into the local church for a moment of respite from the intense heat, and then went back to the car in order to head to our lunch destination in another nearby village called Seillans. This is another very old village, built into a hillside, overlooking the valley below. I’m not sure when it was built, but it felt hundreds of years old, possibly even medieval, with it’s zigzagging cobblestone streets, stone structures and red tiled roofs. 

We parked in a lot just outside the town, and walked into the pedestrian zone and approached a restaurant in a large, peaceful square surrounding a bubbling fountain, shaded by the canopy of an enormous tree. 

The restaurant was called La Glorie de mon Père (The Glory of My Father), and my aunt and uncle had brought my parents there as well on their last visit. The food was delicious. The kids all had steak “hacher” (basically a hamburger patty) and “frites” and I had a salade Niçoise, and the other adults all had the salmon “plat du jour.” 

The desserts truly shined, however, all made in house, so fresh and delicious. After lunch we poked around the village for a wee bit before taking the scenic drive through one more hill town called Callian, then drove back to the house where we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and lounging. 

When taking a break from the pool, the kids played checkers and Uno, somehow managing to communicate without sharing a common language. I enjoyed the opportunity to practice speaking French in a setting with no pressure. Though my aunt and uncle both speak English, I tried to speak mostly in French with them, and the girls spoke absolutely no English, so I had to speak to them in French. It’s amazing how much one can learn and improve in just a few days time. Though I have a decent French vocabulary, I worried because when we were in Paris and I started to speak a few words, people would start speaking to me so fast that I couldn’t understand a word. Spending time with family and speaking with them really helped me to overcome the inhibitions I had felt before in Paris. We enjoyed another delicious dinner on their terrace patio, and went to bed on the early side so we could get up and pack before heading off on our next leg to Arles.