After my friends left I had to go back to the shop at le Caylar to buy some Christmas presents. We had been there at the weekend, but I wasn’t really in present-buying mode then. I decided to take the road by the Cirque de Labeil, which goes to the west of the main road up to Millau, I hadn’t been that way before; perhaps if I’d known how narrow the road was I wouldn’t have tried it. The Cirque itself is only open in the summer months, and I’m told coaches go that way then, but I’m not sure how they manage it.
The road wound up through trees with their autumn colours, with views over the rocks on occasion. Mostly I concentrated on driving and didn’t look, but when I did stop to take a photo all was still except for goat bells in the distance. I saw 2 cars along the whole route (luckily not on the narrow bits). I took a photo of Le Caylar before going to do my shopping – you can see that it was well protected against invaders – and then drove back for lunch in the sun yet again; the weather had been mild for the time of year
The friends who came for the weekend (Bristol to Béziers flight) reminded me how many things the Languedoc has to offer. It was the second time they had visited; this time we spend Friday in Béziers, enjoying the cathedral and wandering round the old town, and of course having lunch. We ate at le Cristal on the Allées Paul Riquet where I had been in the Spring, and enjoyed a wonderful fish stew. Next time I must find another car park which has spaces you can actually get into. We parked in the car park under the Place Jean Jaurès and the pillars are always in the way.. We drove back to Lodève in the late afternoon – time to reacquaint my friends with a pastis for an aperitif.
You can’t let Saturday morning go by without a visit to the market at Lodève. We bought goats cheese, olives, tielles, pears and clementines. Then it seemed a good idea to pause for glass of rosé before going back up the hill for lunch. We wondered about eating some oysters from the adjacent stall, but gave them a miss as we had the tielles to eat for lunch at the house. We ate them outside in the sunshine with a salad of local tomatoes.
The olive shop in Clermont l’Hérault is another essential stop on a weekend tour, and we went there on Saturday afternoon. As well as olive oil, they have a wonderful range of things made with olives and olive wood, including soap, shower gel and various cooking implements, and local produce as well. It always keeps my visitors happy, but unfortunately as they only have hand luggage booked with Ryanair, they are limited as to what they can take back.
On Sunday we drove up to the Cirque de Navacelles, which looked quite different at this time of year. After that we drove across the plateau to Le Caylar. There was thick fog on the way but we decided it had cleared enough to drive on up to the Millau bridge, and it wsa certainly well worth the drive.
The autumn days continue. Just as you think it’s time to put the deckchair away, the sun comes out again and it’s time for lunch in the sun. These are some girolles which I bought earlier this month at Intermarché. I served them as a starter on toast, first stewing them in olive oil and then adding some parsley and crème fraiche.
As there was nothing much to do – it was too wet to garden – last week it was time for my long planned visit to the Espace Georges Brassens at Sète. Brassens was born and grew up in Sète but later moved to Paris. One of the many songs he wrote is about being buried in Sète which of course he is.
I found the Museum rather dated and the display not terribly informative. It depended on a commentary by Brassens himself which you listened to on headphones as you went round. That was probably considered innovative 10 years ago, before youtube and all the rest. His grave is in the cemetery opposite the museum (se the photo above). It was unassuming and not easy to find; there were several people looking for it. The graves were covered with chrysanthemums as this was just after All Saints’ Day when the French traditionally visit their family graves.
There is another Cemetery in Sete, also overlooking the sea but from a different angle, where Paul Valéry the poet is buried. The Musée Paul Valery is next on my list for a visit.
Here’s a bit more about Brassens on Wikipedia
– and here’s the man himself.
A pissaladiere is speciality of Nice and the South of France, a French variant on a pizza.
I made mine with the ingredients I had bought at the market (see previous post). I mainly followed Elizabeth David’s recipe from French Provincial Cooking, but cheated by using a bought pizza base. I‘ll make my own next time. I took1 kilo of Cévennes onions, sliced thinly, and cooked them slowly in olive oil with the lid on the pan for 40 minutes until they were soft and golden. I then added 2 skinned tomatoes and some garlic and cooked with the lid off until they were all amalgamated and the water evaporated. Then I added anchovies and black olives on the top.
There are lots of possibilities for amending this recipe, and Wikipedia has some good links.
Anchovies and black olives as I’m going to make a pissaladiere – I’ll let you know how it goes. Large tomatoes – I could stuff them with brandade de morue or just use in ratatouille or a salad. Clementines and Muscat grapes. The small tomatoes came from the garden.
So I thought Summer was over. Well I was wrong. Several days with temperatures in the low 20s, the sun hot on the terrace after lunch, with no wind and everything quiet (except for the work going on at Christian and MIchelle’s house, where they are having their chimney redone).
At Cap D’Agde people were enjoying the sunshine and the Toussaint (All Saints) holiday weekend. I was there to visit the Salon Nautique; everyone in shorts and T shirts as if summer had never gone away. A wonderful selection of boats and yachts.
I liked this one which looked as if it could have come out of a James Bond film. I imagined a much skinnier me in a bikini, the wind in my hair, sitting at the table with a glass of champagne, with Sean Connery at the wheel. Well at least we have managed to buy a house in the South of France, which isn’t bad; a boat would be a bit extravagant – and I still can’t swim.
So summer is over, but never mind, there are so many things to celebrate in the autumn – mushrooms, chestnuts, and of course the new wine.
I spent the weekend driving around in search of wine festivals, to take advantage of the special offers that the vineyards have at this time. This has involved negotiating narrow village streets in search of the cave cooperative, trying to find somewhere to park, sometimes reversing with someone’s living room much too near the side of the car. In spite of these awkward situations (I didn’t scratch the Clio, but was relieved I didn’t have the Golf), it was pleasant driving round in the October sunshine with the hills of the Languedoc on all sides.
On Saturday I went to the chestnut festival at Saint Jean de Fos, a village on the way to St Guilhem le Désert where I hadn’t been before. Their special offer was 6 bottles for the price of 4 on selected wines. There were also stalls selling mushrooms and various sorts of nuts; I bought 2 sorts of mushrooms, including mousserons which go well in omelettes. Their smell lingers in the kitchen now.
Sunday’s festival was at Saint Saturnin, where wines had 20% off and I bought 2 cases. I haven’t got the calculator out to see which was the better buy, but we now have a little store in the mas which will see us through the winter (well at least until Christmas)
Last Thursday, the third Thursday in October, was vin primeur day in the Languedoc. In Northern France, as the weather is colder this doesn’t happen until November (as in Beaujolais Nouveau) but of course everything ripens earlier here. The wines go down very easily but I’ve saved some to enjoy later on.
The Minuscule had a special evening to celebrate the wine (“Le Prem’s” from Saint Felix-Saint Jean). Poems were read, songs were sung – and Gisela, in fine form, wore a splendid red dress; I’m sorry I don’t have a photo.
I’ve been visiting various wine festivals around the region (remaining sober, I should add, as I was driving) but more of that later.
Since I arrived on Sunday the weather has got cooler. At first it was shorts and tee shirt weather, then the nights became cooler. Yesterday afternoon I needed a jacket walking into Lodève. We sat by the pool for the last time on Wednesday before it is closed up for the winter.
We’ve enjoyed a walk by the sea at le Grau d’Agde, and one in the hills around Clermont l’Herault. At the market at Clermont we bought Muscat grapes and Chantecler apples, and also the new duck paté en croute that Tom has discovered. The neighbours brought us their some of their new olive crop and we’ve had the little tomatoes from the garden. The figs have just finished but I’m waiting for the rest of the quinces to ripen. No sign of pears on the pear tree this year (there was one earlier but it has gone now)
It’s good to have the house back now the renters have gone. Mostly they’re not a problem but I wonder who took the wooden coat hangers I bought from Ikea for 3 euros? Was it really worth it?
