Hallo every-one, it's been very quiet on this blog as we have been to Arles in the south of France for a very special, once in a life-time holiday. Arles is in Western Provence and is studded with Roman architecture, Medieval churches and houses and was the home of Vincent Van Gogh for over a year...he did over 200 paintings around the town in some-what of a frenzy and it was here that he cut off part of his ear-lobe!
You can follow a trail of where he painted and they have these plaques and information for you, another artist is painting the same view of the avenue at Alyscamps...
Now things are settling down here at home I will share some of the wonderful times with you...firstly of course though we'll talk about the amazing market that stretches for over 2 kilometres on both sides of the main road twice a week. It seems everything under the sun is available to buy here from fruit and veg to fish and cheese, sausages and salamis, hot roast chicken whose fat drips on to tiny potatoes for an unbelievable treat, cakes and pastries, fresh bread and hot paella, olives and honey, vintage goods, hats and shoes, books and all manner of things...
dried lavender in sachets for your drawers...lavender is the basis of a huge perfume industry in Provence...
glorious local pottery...
fresh organic bread...
this is our shopping from one such market day...
I was particularly delighted with the huge variety and flavour of the heirloom tomatoes available, green, yellow, striped, long and thin or as big as my hand...
So without further ado I will introduce to you the first of my Tigerella seedlings to 'hatch'; this variety should be fruiting in 10 weeks which is amazing, the flavour is meant to be wonderful...I ordered the seeds on-line from Diggers while I was still in France...I am so eager to have these wonderful fruits in my garden and I have also planted some Hungarian Heart seeds too. In Provence we ate delicious tomato based sauces flavoured with local herbs and I used them in a ratatouille dishes in our rented apartment.
I've also planted lettuce seedlings this week as the weather is warming up and it will soon be Summer.
I hope you are keeping well, I need to catch up with all your blogs which is always fun
Au revoir!
xox
You can follow a trail of where he painted and they have these plaques and information for you, another artist is painting the same view of the avenue at Alyscamps...
Now things are settling down here at home I will share some of the wonderful times with you...firstly of course though we'll talk about the amazing market that stretches for over 2 kilometres on both sides of the main road twice a week. It seems everything under the sun is available to buy here from fruit and veg to fish and cheese, sausages and salamis, hot roast chicken whose fat drips on to tiny potatoes for an unbelievable treat, cakes and pastries, fresh bread and hot paella, olives and honey, vintage goods, hats and shoes, books and all manner of things...
dried lavender in sachets for your drawers...lavender is the basis of a huge perfume industry in Provence...
glorious local pottery...
fresh organic bread...
this is our shopping from one such market day...
I was particularly delighted with the huge variety and flavour of the heirloom tomatoes available, green, yellow, striped, long and thin or as big as my hand...
So without further ado I will introduce to you the first of my Tigerella seedlings to 'hatch'; this variety should be fruiting in 10 weeks which is amazing, the flavour is meant to be wonderful...I ordered the seeds on-line from Diggers while I was still in France...I am so eager to have these wonderful fruits in my garden and I have also planted some Hungarian Heart seeds too. In Provence we ate delicious tomato based sauces flavoured with local herbs and I used them in a ratatouille dishes in our rented apartment.
I've also planted lettuce seedlings this week as the weather is warming up and it will soon be Summer.
I hope you are keeping well, I need to catch up with all your blogs which is always fun
Au revoir!
xox
Welcome back Sue! Glad to hear that you had such a lovely holiday. The photos are beautiful. I got to see Rodin's house when I worked in Paris. It was such a treat. Isn't traveling wonderful?
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful Sue. Your trip really does sound like a once in a lifetime. My husband and I love Vincent Van Gogh paintings and purchased a print on our honeymoon back in 1997 whilst in Europe. I like his colours. We have the 'Cafe at Night.'
ReplyDeleteThe lavender caught my eye too. I remember visiting a lavender farm a few years back. Must go again it was lovely.
Welcome home and it's great to hear from you.
Kylie xx
What a mighty holiday!! Love your photos!
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you again,Sue. We wondered where you were and Heather said you were overseas. You deserved a nice holiday. What a fabulous market!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Sue. What a wonderful holiday. I still remember the taste of those rotisserie chickens and potatoes sold at the markets. :)
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful Sue. Our son's partner is from Avignon In Provence so we had a lovely holiday there about 6 years ago. The market sounds amazing. I look forward to hearing how your tomatoes grow. Bet wishes, Pauline
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely holiday for you, Sue. I have only been to France once and never made it to Arles. I think I would've loved it! I do like van Gogh's paintings very much, I have a book and prints of them that I share with children when they are learning about him. Thank you for sharing your holiday snaps! Meg:)
ReplyDelete