What Is Carole Up To Now?

Carole is wandering the world. Having had a couple successful careers, as a software engineer then a technical marketer, it's time to take a sabbatical and plan for the next big thing. New philosphy: "Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death."

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Trip to Mougins, Part 2

Continuing where I left off, at the start of the ladies trip to Mougins. Saturday, the cars formed up and I was in the one going to the Cap d’Antibes, on our way Antibes to meet for a late lunch, the onto other towns in the area.

Margrit was driving, she knows this area so we took the scenic route along the coast. We stopped at the hotel Eden Roc, talked our way out to the front bar. The scenery was so beautiful – the water so clear. I think I’ve changed my mind about coming back to live in Munich – need to see what it’s like in the south of France!

Cap d’Antibes



Pool at Eden Roc



Cita & I relaxing at Eden Roc, with our ‘adult’ beverages’.



After lunch in Antibes, and strolling around the town, we drove to nearby Vallauris. The town features a mural by Picasso, in what once was a church, and many pottery shops. At the Picasso Museum in Vallauris.


General scenery in the area.



Our best dinner was this night, at Auberge de Fleuris up the road from our hotel. 3 courses, again: pate or lobster ravioli to start, then lamb or local fish, then cheese or a sweet dessert. We were served Sauterns to go with the pate – Judi wasn’t paying attention & took a big mouthful as she thought it was the white dinner for dinner. The look on her face – she hates sweet wine. She was clearly looking for a place to spit it out. Imagine feeding a baby grapefruit and that was the face she pulled.

Sunday, we headed out east again, and drove up into the hills to St. Paul de Vence, another dead picturesque walled town on a hill. That area had been lousy with Impressionists & Post-impressionists, here was this beautiful Chagall just outside St. Paul de Vence.



Jean heading to a good picture taking spot



St. Paul de Vence, from the west side of the town.



Walls in Vence






We ate lunch at the Colombe d’Or. Another 3 course meal. We were out on the terrasse, the weather was beautiful again. This hotel/restaurant is famous for its cuisine and all the works by the local artists.

Our club speaks English, mostly, when we’re together. The women are from all over the world. Iris caught herself and broke out laughing when she realized she had just ordered “Le Fish” at lunch.



That night, we cried off another big meal and ate lightly at the hotel. The next morning, the cars formed up again. I went to Grasse in the morning. This town is famous for perfumes. I want to return when the local lavender fields are in bloom.

Provencal colors – store in Grasse




Lunchtime saw us back in Cannes. And when in Cannes, lunch must be Fruits de Mer.



After lunch, we gave into the temptation of the beach! At Cannes! mid-October!




That evening, we went back to old town Mougins. By now we knew all the ins & outs of the little roads and roundabouts and got there with no detours.

Tuesday morning we headed out at 7:30 to meet our chef at the Cannes open-air market. He walked us through, talking about the produce there. Then we went to the local butcher shop. The store was small & crowded, so I wandered up the street. This appealing display caught my eye, my favorite champagne ever!




Then we zoomed back up to the cooking school, for our second session. Before we started, though, we trundled through the kitchens out to the parking lot to greet the mushroom guy. He makes his way to all the fine restaurants on the coast, with his mushrooms. More varieties than I’d ever dreamed of.








Smelling a truffle.



After the course finished, we zoomed again back to the hotel to check out. Then came the fracas in the parking lot. It was a tight fit with all of us & our luggage coming into Mougins – and we had been shooping. Clothing, cheeses, ceramics add more. We ended up with small suitcases on people’s laps, the front passenger in each car had bags of shopping – mostly Judi’s – all around their feet.

On the way out through Cannes, to get to the highway towards the Nice Airport, I spotted this local commuter. How French is she?