Le Jardin Extraordinaire

.....that's the name of a favorite song, sung by Charles Trenet that played on the Home Page of SabletHome.com for some time.

It will come as no surprise then, that our courtyard garden at Maison des Pelerins is a place that we spend a lot of very happy hours.  From breakfast on a cool crisp morning by the fountain to lunch under the cool shade of the large umbrella on a hot summer's day -  let's not forget an early evening aperitif as the sun sets and then dinner in the light of the old church steeple until the last bells chime at 10pm. 

 

I just love "pottering" around the garden, trimming here and there, cutting the dead flowers, tying back the wisteria vines, training the bright orange Bower Vine on the wall around the fountain and making sure the herbs are "happy".

Here is a little pictorial "Sablet - Provence garden tour" that I hope you will enjoy.


                                
                                 

The back wall of our courtyard is also the back wall of the old Church of St. Nazaire .........  Wisteria and Roses climb - on the wall and  around the windows. On warm days, when a window is open, we can sometimes hear the sweet sound of the children singing at their Catechism class.

From late Spring to late Summer, Hollyhocks pop up in different spaces all around the garden ..... wherever the wind has blown the seeds .... they happily stand up, their faces smiling to welcome visitors .....              

What is this creature???? No it is not the escaped Monster from the Ouveze River!! During Winter 2009/2010 we had a  heavy snowfall and were very sad to lose the old, old Rosemary bush that had grown near the front door of Maison des Pelerins for a long time.  Our thoughtful gardener saved the root and the large ball at the base of the trunk, which now decorates the base of the Olive tree!

 

Monsuieur Lyon (the old cast iron fontain)...... roses climbing agianst the old stone wall


                                 
                             

                                       Anyone for Dinner?


                                
                            
Potted Geraniums - a must in any French Garden ....... Spring blooming Lilac ..... Wisteria vines....Oleander ....... Lavender ...... Herbs - Bay Laurel - Sage - Thyme - Mint - Rosemary - Tarragon - Basil (of course!) - Chives - Parsley (in season) ...... 
a welcoming Provencal Cypress Tree       ..............

C'est,  Mon Jardin ....... Extraordinaire ......

Nice Things that Happen on the Way To (and From) Sablet

Spring is here, the weather is warmer and the days are getting longer ...  it reminds
 me of market stalls with mounds of fresh garlic,
 bright red and white radishes, bundles of plump, white asparagus and 
wooden crates brimming with shiny, green fava beans.

The pale green of early Spring in the vineyards around Sablet Village

Pale green leaves  peep out from the dark stems of the vines in all the vineyards throughout Provence. Restaurants near Sablet display their new Spring Menus, and the tulips in the field along the road between Sablet and Jonquieres will be getting ready to burst into bloom, creating a sea of bright red and yellow with Mt. Ventoux in the background.  By now, colorful window boxes will appear in the windows, that were hidden behind wooden shutters during the winter.

Rows and rows of tulips in a field on the road from Sablet to Jonquieres

In a fit of "Springy nostalgia", I started looking through "Spring" pictures and found some that were quite literally, a dream come true for me.  On the way back to California after visiting Provence a few years ago, as is quite common, we stopped in Paris.  Having a longtime interest in the Impressionist school of art and a love of gardening, Claude Monet's house and garden was the natural place to visit.

Let's take a walk through Monet's garden at Giverny....

A great guide ......

"Monet's Passion"  which has been in our bookshelves for many years, is very informative and has beautiful pictures.  It not only provides a wealth of information to read in preparation for a trip, but also gives the you a guide to creating your own version of the Painter's garden, complete with a list of plants.

Two distinctly different gardens were inspired by the painter's love of color and form .....

Claude Monet's garden at Giverny is made up of the original walled garden and the Japanese garden across what then was the railroad, and is now the Chemin du Roy.

The walled garden - the Clos Normand, is a stunning arrangement of garden beds overflowing with colors of the season - in the Spring - pink tulips growing through a carpet of vivid blue forget-me-nots, irises in blues and yellows....

Gravel walkways separate the wide garden beds where it is very common to see groups of excited school children on field trips, hurrying around trying to find 

the plants they on their assignment sheet.

The "Grande Allee" - a wide walkway adorned with climbing rose covered arches, and wide garden beds full of seasonal perennials and annuals leads to Monet's home, with its pink walls and green shutters  that blends so beautifully into the landscape.

Pages from "Monet's Passion" show the Grande Allee in early Spring on the right, and on the left, and "black" tulips growing through a carpet of white and deep purple pansies 

Every garden bed is filled with flourishing combinations of plants of varying heights, grouped by complimentary colors  against a background of fruit trees and ornamentals

The Water Garden ....

Inspired by many of the Japanese prints that Monet was an avid collector of, he purchased the land across the railway tracks, about 10 years after settling in Giverny.

 Today, the railway tracks have become the Chemin du Roy and a passage under the road connects the two gardens making access from one to the other very easy.

The water garden with its Wisteria covered Japanese bridge was the subject of

 many, many of Monet's paintings.  The garden was originally crossed by a

 small brook, which was the site on which Monet had the pond dug.  

Later, the pond was enlarged to its present size.

Today, the house, studio gardens and buildings are maintained by the Fondation Claude Monet at

 84 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France  Phone#  +33 2 32 51 28 21

Giverny in Normandy, is a very pleasant drive of little over one hour  from Paris. You can also take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris on the main line Paris-Rouen-Le Havre.  Click here for information on getting from Paris to Giverny You will also find information on full day and half day trips to Giverney here. 

For information on purchasing entry tickets or to purchase etickets, click here. 

Supermarket Shopping in Provence (and France)

We hear much about the Markets of Provence and the small specialty stores that sell the very best of produce, cheese, charcuterie and so on. 

These shops are all around you and they are very much a part of the French life. For instance, it's not uncommon to hear our friends talk about making a special trip to Vaison-la-Romaine, to see Josiane Deal at Lou Canestou for their cheese course at a special dinner - and Lou Canestou is an extremely good choice as they have excellent cheese!

But .... many of our guests vacationing in Provence at Maison des Pelerins and la Baume des Pelerins, have to balance food shopping and cooking the perfect Provencal Dinner, with getting out and about to visit all the sites and scenery that they have come to see, maybe with their young children, and don't have the time to devote to finding and visiting the specialty stores. In Sablet we are very fortunate to have a wonderful little Mini Market, but not all villages have that luxury.

Intermarche Supermarket on the Route de Nyons - Vaison la Romaine

To everyone who falls into this category - I have good news for you!  Provence has excellent Supermarkets!  The quality is excellent - the stores are generally very large and well laid out, carrying a very wide range of foods and other household items. 

Carrefour Market - Orange - just off Exit 22 from the A7 AuroRoute

The larger Supermarket chains are: Intermarche, Carrefour, LeClerc, SuperU and Auchan (this is a humungous store that carries everything from groceries to automotive supplies, clothing, household items and appliances). I'm sure I have missed some, but you will commonly see these stores.  

Super U Supermarket in Vaison la Romaine - Avenue des Choralies  84110 Vaison-la-Romaine

If you are planning a "self-catering" vacation at a rental home in Provence or anywhere in France, it's very easy to find a Supermarket near your destination to stock up on supplies, without having to hurriedly brush up on your French for fear of starving!

The entry to Auchan Market ("Hypermarche") near Avignon (Centre Commercial - le Pontet).. now this is a Supermarket!

It is easy to recognize the layout of most Supermarkets in Provence since they follow a pattern that will be similar to the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries.  

Do you think there's an adequate choice of cheeses?   ..... browse at your leisure ... and then pick your fromage

There are sections for fruit and vegetables, deli items, fresh meats and poultry, bakery, dairy etc., In Provence (and throughout France) there are however a few practical differences that it will help to know about before you get there.

Let's take it from the beginning ..... 

1.  Grocery Bags (Sacs) ....

Isn't this what a Provencal shopping bag should look like?

 ....  Always take your own bags - Supermarkets in Provence will charge you per bag if you do not have any, and do not want to carry your items out to the car loose in your cart (Chariot).  

2.  Grocery Carts (Chariots) ....

Carts are stored at various points around the parking lot, where they can be picked up and dropped off easily

.... Most Supermarkets make their carts available outside the store - some have carts stored in various parts of the parking lot as well as by the doors.

3.    Keep a 1 Euro Coin handy!  ......

Slide a 1Euro coin into the slot - it releases the lock on the cart .. and you are free to walk around the store!

.... In order to get a cart, you will have to slide a one euro piece into the mechanism that keeps it locked in place to all the other carts.  

When you have unpacked your cart at the end of your shopping trip, simply take the cart back and slide the catch back in and your Euro will pop back out.  

                                                 Don't forget it!

4.  Once in the store, when purchasing fruit and vegetables - place them in your plastic bag, seal the bag and weigh them on the nearest electronic scale. 

Produce must be bagged, weighed and priced prior to checkout. (Picture from Americans in France website)

You will see pictures of all the fruit and vegetables available, right on the scales.  Find your choice and press the appropriate button.  An adhesive price tag will be printed out and ejected from the scales.  Be sure to stick the tag on the plastic bag of produce. If you miss this step, the checker will send you back to do it! (Yes.... it was embarrassing!) 

5.  Checking Out ...

When you get to the checkout, as usual, you will have to unload your cart, but you will also have to do your own bagging. There will be no one bagging, and the checker does not bag your purchases - here is where you need the bags you brought.

Just one more hint:  If you are renting a vacation home, I strongly recommend going to your destination and unloading your luggage, before going to the supermarket (perhaps after a cup of coffee or even a glass of wine).  That way, you will not be leaving your luggage in an unattended car whilst shopping, AND you will have an opportunity to do a quick stock take on items that may already be provided with your rental as this varies. 

I hope you won't have to put the top down on your car to fit all your purchases in!

Happy Shopping and Bon Courage!   

Practical Items:

Large supermarkets close to Sablet are: Intermarche on the Route de Nyons in Vaison la Romaine, Super U on the Avenue des Choralies, Vaison-la-Romaine and Carrefour in South Orange right off Autoroute 22 from the A7.

Most large supermarkets are open from 8am to 7.30pm continuously 

(no closure for lunch).

Here are a few words that may be helpful when you are shopping:

la banque                         - bank

le boucherie                     - butchers

la boulangerie                  - bakers

le bureau de tabac            - cigarettes, also sells stamps,

                                           sometimes newspapers and often is part

                                           of the local bar

le bureau de poste           - post office

le centre commercial       - shopping centre

la charcuterie                  - traditionally the pork butcher, but is more
                                          like a delicatessen, selling
                                          cold meats, quiche, salads, pates                                      

le coiffeur / la coiffeuse   - hairdressers

l’épicerie                          - grocery store

le marché                          - market

la patisserie                       - cakes/pastries (also sold at the bakers)

la pharmacie                      - drug store - chemist

la presse                             - newspapers/magazines

le supermarché                   - supermarket

le chariot                            - cart - trolley

les bonbons                         - candy - sweets

le beurre                             - butter

le fromage                          - cheese

du lait                                 - milk

le sucre                               - sugar

un œuf                                 - egg

le pain                                  - bread

le poulet                               - chicken                           

le poulet fermier                  - free range chicken

la viande                               - meat

une tranche                           - a slice

le vin                                     - wine

le café                                   - coffee

le thé                                     - tea

jus d’orange                          - orange juice

jus de pomme                        - apple juice

les allumettes                         - matches

un sac                                    - bag

un timbre                               - a stamp

entrée                                    - entrance

sortie                                     - exit

sortie de secours                    - emergency exit

tirez                                       - pull (on shop doors)

poussez                                  - push (on shop doors)

Shopping in Sablet - a Truly Provencal Village

                Every Friday morning the weekly market in Sablet takes its place in the Village Square, known as the Aire de la Croix.

The Charcuterie Stall a the weekly market - looks like everything you need for Aperitifs - Some Saucisson, Cheese, perhaps some Pate .....

               It is still a fairly small market,  having started during summer 2011, but I'm sure that it will grow this year into a flourishing small town market as Sabletains, visitors taking vacation breaks in the village, and neighbors from nearby villages stop by to do their fresh fish, produce, cheese and charcuterie shopping......

The Fish Market stall has been visiting Sablet on Thursday mornings for a number of years. You can count on the freshest of fresh fish and shellfish

                  .........maybe take home some Couscous Royal for lunch from the stall at the market.

Couscous Royale for lunch anyone? Light and fluffy Couscous accompanied by a delicious, spicy sauce - a little bit of Morocco infused into your Provence vacation

Visitors to Provence and Sablet often comment on the friendliness of the "commercants" in the village. Whether your vacation is one week or two months, you are greeted with the same friendly smile and  customary, happy  "Bonjour Monsieur" or "Bonjour Madame" when you enter the shops. Help in finding  purchases - maybe even suggestions on how to prepare and serve whatever it is you are buying, is normal.  Presentations are always prepared with care and pride -  the displays are so inviting that you can't help but let your creativity and imagination go to work planning your next meal. When they know you like a particular item, they will make a point of remembering.

Good old fashioned service!

The Bureau de Toursime is right there off the village square

Over the years, our village has attracted a group of dedicated 
and hardworking shop keepers,hairdressers, artists and "Bureau de Tourisme".  The staff at the Bureau de Toursime are ready with helpful information, and to serve visitors with samples of wine from all the Sablet Vintners. They host scheduled informational walks around the village, recounting the history of Sablet over the centuries, and pointing out significant buildings. Without this group of people, working at their businesses daily,  then planning events for the inhabitants and visitors to Sablet, our village would certainly lack some of its ambiance, charm and fun.

Just off the Village Square, the Tabac carries a variety of newspapers, souvenirs and gifts.  It is also where you can buy a card to recharge your French "mobicarte" mobile phone.

Just in case you find yourself visiting Sablet .... let me introduce you to some of our Commercants ....  

that way, you'll already have friends in the village.

Madame Moulin - proprietor of the Boulanger Festival, presents an extensive variety of traditional and old fashioned bread, as well as many different whole grain breads.  All breads and patisseries are baked fresh daily on the premises.

Monsieur and Madame Pradier - proprietors of the Boulanger Pradier, where you can buy traditonal breads and patisserie.  Here they are pictured with the "Gallette de rois" or the Three Kings Cake a tradition in Provence at the feast of the Epiphany.  This picture is from the Sablet Blog

There's something about French bread that makes it hard to resist munching it as soon as you get it!

We have two Boulangeries - les Festival and  Pradier. If you are a guest spending your Provence vacation at Maison des Pelerins or la Baume des Pelerins,  the smell  fresh bread baking at the boulangeries of Monsieur & Madame Pradier who run the Boulangerie Pradier and the Moulin family who have the Boulangerie Festival, very early each morning, will be familiar to you. These bakeries open before 7am each day to make sure that everyone who comes can get their fresh bread, croissants and my favorite, Pain au Raisin (I'm addicted to these!) for breakfast each day.
What better way to start the day, than with a very cheerful,
"Bonjour Madame! Un pain au raisin et une baguette?" 

But be prepared, these guys are popular - the lines often stretch 
all the way out of the door!

Monsieur and Madame Fabre - proprietors of the Epicerie Vival Market - there's never a problem of running out of the essentials when you have the Vival Market within a few steps.

Next door ..... Monsieur & Madame Fabre, proprietors of  the Epicerie Vival (Mini) Market, have stocked the little market with everything you might need for your day to day living.

Charcuterie, wine and cheese .... what more can you want?

This store  is really like a small supermarket. It is packed full of fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, butter, yogurt, cheeses and other dairy products, cleaning products, a small deli (which includes a great selection of sausages) and a good selection of wine.

The attractively displayed produce is fresh and seasonal

It is SOOOO nice to be able to walk for less than two minutes down to the store 

to pick up something  when I run out.

Then ... we have the Pizza Restaurant, Pizza Comme Di (take out or sidewalk seating), and the Cafe - very important in the life of the village, as a meeting place.  It is impossible to stop in any time of day - early in the morning for a cup of coffee, or an aperitif in the evening without running into someone you know.

Bruno - the proprietor of the Cafe des Sports offers a warm welcome to all who stop by for a coffee first thing in the morning or an aperitif in the early evening. This picture was taken by Loran List, a professional photographer, who was one of our guests at Maison des Pelerins

Your host at the Cafe des Sports is Bruno, whose smiling face and warm greeting lets you know your in a friendly place. The cafe also has a casual restaurant "la Cornucopia" right next door - great for lunch or dinner.

The Restaurant Cornucopia displays its menu on easy to read boards.  As you can see, they serve both a Prix Fixe Menu and an a la Carte Menu for both lunch and dinner.  During the "season" they have special evenings such as the one known as the Fete des Belges, which means that the meal they serve that evening is the best Moules/Frites (Mussels Mariniere and French Fries) you have ever tasted!

The Restaurant les Remparts is a cosy place to have a meal in the Winter and cool relaxing spot on the Terrasse during the warm weather.

Likewise for les Remparts, another casual restaurant that serves a Prix Fixe menu and A La Carte menu at lunch and dinner - inside, or outside on their pretty terrasse 

in good weather.

Madame Bonnet - proprietor of GB Fleurs - always an display of gorgeous flowers and plants

Madame Giselle Bonnet who runs GB Fleurs - is a treasure. She makes a great contribution towards making Sablet a "beau village," as I heard one visitor describe our village.  It is impossible to walk past floral displays both inside and outside her store without stopping. Really nice to be able to pop in for a last minute gift of fresh flowers or a beautiful plant. She also holds Flower Arranging classes.  I know that at least on one occasion, Madame Bonnet has accompanied our neighbor, who looks after the garden/courtyard at Maison des Pelerins, to advise and supply the flowering plants for the garden and vegetables for our petite potager. Merci Madame ....

Hanging Ivy Geraniums decorate the wine barrels and fresh lavender joins the display of flowers outside GB Fleurs. Now.... do you see why it's so hard to walk past and not stop?

We spent the time in Sablet right after Christmas, and met Mr. Thierry Bonfils, our new butcher. Monsieur and Madame Bonfils took over the Boucherie about a year ago and there is universal admiration for the quality and well priced products he presents.

Monsieur Bonfils - don't hesitate to go into the store thinking you don't know the cuts of meat - he will patiently help you find just the right cut for your meal.

Don't worry about not knowing the French cuts of meat. Monsieur Bonfils is always cheerful and helpful, making sure you completely understand the cut of meat you inquire about, and if you wish to know, the best method of cooking it. Although he does not speak English, he has diagrams on the wall and he will show you exactly where the cut of meat you are considering comes from.  He has a wide variety of meat - beef, lamb, pork & chicken as well as pates, home made sausages and other charcuterie.

If you're not sure which cut will be best for the dish you are planning to make ... don't hesitate to ask. 

Over the years, I have heard many people say, "French lamb is great, but the beef is not the best." I now have news for everyone who has not had great beef in France - Come to Sablet.  I tried many cuts of beef during the three weeks we were there and I will say that they were all great, the Entrecote steak and short ribs were the best! While we were in there, 

I heard many people say, 
"we are so glad that Monsieur and Madame Bonfils are in Sablet."

and ... if your not in the mood to cook ... Monsieur and Madame Bonfils carry a good array of prepared dishes that are  ready to simply take home and heat.

Lastly, about a year ago,  Mme Roure who had owned the second Epicerie for many years retired  -  and we miss her smiling face in the village square.  Since her departure, the new owner of the building that housed her store, has spent all this time renovating the building and I am told that we will soon have our own Estethician!

Could it be possible?  Facials - perhaps a mini-spa?     I can't wait ...

This is a very brief introduction to the Commercants of Sablet.  There are many others such as the Hairdressers (very good), talented Artists, the Pharmacie, Banque and so on who haven't been mentioned here.  They will all treat you with the same care .... but I thought I would introduce those whom you are most likely to come into contact with on your vacation in Provence.

CLICK HERE To see a map of the village and the location of the shops.