Tonight write about one of the most beautiful days that I have spent in France so far. Viewing France from the eyes of a French !! This is one of the best things that can happen when someone hosts you around the city . So it was the time a colleague and I were hosted by our Mr Francois and his wife who gracefully not only showed us the beautiful Provence but also hosted us for great dinner at their house .
It first started with the city with a small tour at Aix-en -Provence , in short Aix . And it started like as good as it gets . As it had been months that I had not been out of Marseilles , looking at the first opportunity I thoroughly enjoyed my day .
As we started , the first to notice was Pauls Cezannes statue who is a much coveted painter who lived in Aix . So the relationship of Aix to Cezanne just as Prague to Kafka .
It was a bright sun and fountains all around the streets . The old town consists of the small , curvy lanes , something that is very typical to the 18th century french architecture . Aix is one of the rich cities in Provence region and you could see the exuberance on the streets . South of France is known for its fashion sense the , the panache and aestheticism and you could see the influence all over . The streets of Aix which are all full of the restaurants and the fashion stores and there are multiple squares here and there , each of them is dedicated to a flower market , a fruit and fish market.
Aix is like a resort town very high end and with a bent of luxury and country side . It was a lot of fun to go around the meandering ways of Aix and then experience the lanes that get narrower and narrower and open in a square . It would be too easy to get lost if you really want to get in somewhere .
During the lunch we went to a restaurant that serves French food place . As I am a vegetarian, I had the salad for myself . I wasn't a salad person before , but now i have changed into one . I would say that I really loved it , especially the cherry tomatoes . There is a thing about the French that they want to make everything look and feel good . You may not suffer from a gastronomic disaster but your food would look so so good that you would never want to eat it . Check out the food , It looks so good that you just cant eat it .
Our third spot was Mt Victor , which is quite famous in Aix-on -Provence , This is one of the famous hill that Paul Cezanne painted . Okay so now if you want to ask that who Paul Cezanne and are embarrassed to ask . He was the inspiration guru for Mr Picasso . Its funny but Picassos painings quite differed from Paul Cezanne . I think Cezanne was better : )
This place reminded me of Pune , Lonawala . It had the mountain , a dam and few people to trek and go around . The only thing i was missing were the street shops where you get the corn and the Bhel-puri /chaat in India .
Something which was very interesting to these forests is that there are a lot of Provencal herbs which grow in these forests . They have a subtle and distinct aroma . When you cook you can add these herbs .Well oh yeah did I forget the mountain offers you a trek of two hours , and this is one of the famous mountain painted by Paul Cezanne .
The next and the most surprising destination for me was Picasso grave.These are the kind of surprises that interest me and well if Francois had not been our host .We wont have seen this interesting place .So the painters of France unlike that of India are like rich .Mr Picasso was buried at the backyard of his house . He was buried i the backyard of his Chateau behind the Cedars .
Picassos castle is private castle right in the valley , where is a living castle , where his youngest wife lives with his daughter .
And then came the best part , the House ; the Barbecue dinner .Well could anything be more beautiful I asked myself when I entered Francois house . They had a big and beautiful house, in the hilly terrain of Aix . A hall with a big piano , bonfire , and lot of photographs , magnets , artifacts all arranged beautifully . A big kitchen which opened into the backyard where they had space for the Barbecue . and garden with a Pool . Oh well would you want more in life .
You have to really feel the french culture , when you visit there house . They would value each and everything , beautify and keep it .a lot of pottery , paintings and a lot flowers and warm colors but pastel shades . I never felt so French before .
My dinner ended with strawberry Tiramisu , French wine , cheese and a lot of warm wishes .
It first started with the city with a small tour at Aix-en -Provence , in short Aix . And it started like as good as it gets . As it had been months that I had not been out of Marseilles , looking at the first opportunity I thoroughly enjoyed my day .
As we started , the first to notice was Pauls Cezannes statue who is a much coveted painter who lived in Aix . So the relationship of Aix to Cezanne just as Prague to Kafka .
It was a bright sun and fountains all around the streets . The old town consists of the small , curvy lanes , something that is very typical to the 18th century french architecture . Aix is one of the rich cities in Provence region and you could see the exuberance on the streets . South of France is known for its fashion sense the , the panache and aestheticism and you could see the influence all over . The streets of Aix which are all full of the restaurants and the fashion stores and there are multiple squares here and there , each of them is dedicated to a flower market , a fruit and fish market.
Aix is like a resort town very high end and with a bent of luxury and country side . It was a lot of fun to go around the meandering ways of Aix and then experience the lanes that get narrower and narrower and open in a square . It would be too easy to get lost if you really want to get in somewhere .
During the lunch we went to a restaurant that serves French food place . As I am a vegetarian, I had the salad for myself . I wasn't a salad person before , but now i have changed into one . I would say that I really loved it , especially the cherry tomatoes . There is a thing about the French that they want to make everything look and feel good . You may not suffer from a gastronomic disaster but your food would look so so good that you would never want to eat it . Check out the food , It looks so good that you just cant eat it .
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| I thought to get as colorful as the flowers |
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| Guess what is that ! This is Radio , could you think of it ? |
Our third spot was Mt Victor , which is quite famous in Aix-on -Provence , This is one of the famous hill that Paul Cezanne painted . Okay so now if you want to ask that who Paul Cezanne and are embarrassed to ask . He was the inspiration guru for Mr Picasso . Its funny but Picassos painings quite differed from Paul Cezanne . I think Cezanne was better : )
This place reminded me of Pune , Lonawala . It had the mountain , a dam and few people to trek and go around . The only thing i was missing were the street shops where you get the corn and the Bhel-puri /chaat in India .
Something which was very interesting to these forests is that there are a lot of Provencal herbs which grow in these forests . They have a subtle and distinct aroma . When you cook you can add these herbs .Well oh yeah did I forget the mountain offers you a trek of two hours , and this is one of the famous mountain painted by Paul Cezanne .
The next and the most surprising destination for me was Picasso grave.These are the kind of surprises that interest me and well if Francois had not been our host .We wont have seen this interesting place .So the painters of France unlike that of India are like rich .Mr Picasso was buried at the backyard of his house . He was buried i the backyard of his Chateau behind the Cedars .
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| All that you see in the Picture is owned by Piacasso , they valley , the Chateau , the Garden , the trees . Oh hell , his life was a painting . |
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| Many houses in France have a entrance of that houses from the Back door , in the Front they like to enjoy the view from the balcony. |
You have to really feel the french culture , when you visit there house . They would value each and everything , beautify and keep it .a lot of pottery , paintings and a lot flowers and warm colors but pastel shades . I never felt so French before .
My dinner ended with strawberry Tiramisu , French wine , cheese and a lot of warm wishes .
