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!

 

 



Isle Sur La Sorgue- My Favorite Town in Provence

My favorite town in Provence was Isle sur la Sorgue. 

 The Sorgue river is  a clear blue green  and runs through canals in the town, creating this little enchanting town.  

 

 

 

On Sundays, there is a street market of incredible foods-

 

 

 So many olives to choose from- love all  these colors together.

 Big pans of paella ready to be served.

 I stopped counting all the different types of sausages!

 

 We purchased a slice of this fruit pate and a big chunk of sharp hard cheese with a baguette- it was divine for our  personal little "happy hour" back in our hotel!

 

The food market was huge and extended down every street and alley in the center of town.

 

The architecture in the town is charming.

 

 

Isn't this moss covered fountain incredible??

Antique stores are abundant-

 

 

 

There was a small area of antique dealers at the end of the food market,

 

I found a wonderful pair of door knockers for my doors at home.

 

 

 I love the details on them.



While I was shopping, a dog was thoroughly entertaining my husband.  The dog walked over to Jay and laid down a stone in front of his shoes.  When Jay kicked it away, the dog ran for the stone and brought it back to the same place.  Finally, my husband understood what the dog wanted and started kicking the stone up in the air and the dog would jump and catch it and bring it back to his feet.  I wonder how many American tourists that little dog has tricked into playing catch with him!

 

 See the small rock at his foot!!

So cute to watch!  Thanks little dog for keeping him occupied while I shopped!  

 

 

Love this restaurants communal table

 

And that drippy candelabra!  Many glasses of wine have been enjoyed here I bet!

 

 

The water from the river comes from a spring in the mountains about 25 minutes away.

The water is a clear beautiful shade of green! 

 

We drove about 25 minutes to get to the spring where the river starts.
They told us  that divers have been down over 300 feet, but never found the bottom of the spring!

 

A picture of the river flowing down through the mountain canyons.

 

 

 



Lupines at the restaurant where we had lunch.  Can you believe the color??

 

This pretty little town in Provence stole my heart. We enjoyed a delightful lunch on a bridge that crossed one of the canals.  It was a breezy, sunny 75 degrees.  I can only wonder how crazy this town becomes during the 2 big antique shows that happen here twice a year ( one is Easter weekend).  Maybe I'll just have to find out for myself!!!!