St. Remy, Provence, France

St Remy in Provence was an enchanting village. 

 Full of streets of houses of old stone and worn shutters, it was so quaint!

 

 

Even the dog grooming signs were chic!

Tree lined streets were full of great shops.

But it was the artisanal food products in St. Remy that I will never forget! First stop was the chocolate shop - Joel Durand.  My friend Jill had told me not to miss it- so when we arrived we quickly spotted in near the center of town.

 

They were in the process of making rose flavored chocolates.

Joel Durand store window.

 He is famous for his Chocolate alphabet.  Each chocolate is inscribed with a different letter - each one is a different flavor.  I really enjoyed his herb chocolates of thyme and lavender.

Next door to his shop was a confectionery called Le Petit Due.  I could not resist the sugared mint, rose, and violet flowers.

Across the street from these shops was a large house that was home to an amazing store full of culinary delights!

 

 

First of all the décor in this store was amazing- a true visual treat for the eyes.

 

 Love the white lacquered arm chair with the orange fabric.

                                          Love the way they updated this old crystal chandelier!

 Bannister detail going up the staircase.

 

A painted canvas that was lit from behind with a simple light bulb. Clever!

 

 Tasted these pulp infused vinegars- divine! Especially the tomato basil one! 

 Pretty candied fruit- wonderful with hard sharp cheeses.

 

Got a few of these home without breaking them!

 

The town was full of adorable restaurants-

 

 This one was stunning!

 

Great place to stay!

 

 

This one really looks like Provence!

 

 

But we decided to eat here based on the recommendation of one of the shop owners.

 

As you sit down, you are immediately given this little crock of olive tapenade.

 

                                                Beef Carpaccio - so gorgeous and so good!

 Roast pork over this yummy potato and broth combination

 

 

 

Too many choices - 

But ultimately I settled on the Rum Baba!  This was the prettiest presentation on Rum Baba on the trip so far.  A yummy pastry filled with whipped cream in the canning jar and a sherry glass filled with rum to pour over the desired amount!  It was wonderful!

                                              I loved the gooseberry on the lid as a garnish.

 

 

It seemed so strange to sit and have such a large meal and drink wine in the middle of the day. But after all, all the shops closed from 12 to 2:30.  So what's a girl do while she waits for them to re-open??  Enjoy a 2 hour lunch in a courtyard in Provence of course!