Pre-Christmas in the South of France 2013
Note: We are in the South of France near the Italian border. We’ll bring you up to speed with a new segment of blogs soon – after Christmas.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Today, when Swiss light the fourth candle on their Advent wreaths and Nevada City has the last of its famous Victorian Christmas markets, we too brought a little pre-Christmas spirit into our Turtle home. A small Poinsettia, The Turtle and a simple arrangement are decorating the table. The four candles are lit and the little red Christmas tree is reflecting in their light. We are sipping a glass of French wine and enjoying a piece of Italian Panettone. Christmas music is playing in the background. As you can see, we are safe, warm and content…..
Pre-Christmas season in the South of France is mellower than in the States. City streets are decorated and grocery stores are displaying all the traditional Christmas foods like fois gras (f. ex. goose liver), pain d’épis (spice bread), peeled canned chestnuts, oysters in baskets, escargot (stuffed snails), lobster, scallops, sea urchin, crab and giant shrimp, lamb, rabbit, goose, Bûche de Noël (Yule log), panettone, seasonal soft cheeses, dried fruit and nuts, chocolates, etc. What’s lacking is the constant drizzle of Christmas music. We certainly don’t miss it.
On Christmas Eve, Père Noël (Father Christmas) also enters the homes through the chimney but he does not seem to have the luxury of a reindeer-pulled sled instead, he arrives with a donkey named Gui (French for Mistletoe). Children fill their shoes full of carrots and treats for Gui. Père Noël takes their offerings and replaces them with small gifts. Now we understand why we have spotted Santas clinging on a rope from windows and balconies…..we think it’s not the Mediterranean diet that keeps him slim but all the rope climbing….
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- The symbol of Saintes Maries de la Mer in the Camargue is decorated for the Christmas season.
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- Happy Festivities signs are to be found in many towns.
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- This lamp post decoration in Saintes Maries de la Mer was quite unique.
We were fascinated with all the tempting gourmet foods on display in the supermarkets.
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- Aren’t they tempting?
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- It was hard to resist all these tantalizing sweets.
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- Ham anyone?
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- Gary loves European sausages.
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- Páté, escargot and Beluga caviar.
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- This Côte d’Azur Santa is sporting sunglasses and in charge of promoting Panettone and escargot (stuffed snails).
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- Oysters in a box. We were wondering how long they stay fresh this way.
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- Many kinds of seafood were offered.
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- All kinds of spirits were on sale.
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- At first we thought these were maggots but then figured they were related to Jerusalem artichokes.
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- This gentleman let us taste several different kinds of fois gras. Goose liver, duck liver and duck liver prepared with Sauterne, a white wine.
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- We got to sample the different fois gras (duck and goose liver) products.
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- These fois gras products were enticing and expensive. We couldn’t resist….
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- Fois Gras everywhere; goose liver, duck liver from raw to dozens of differently prepared ways were available. (E42.90=$58.50)
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- Lindt & Sprüngli, Mon Cherie and Ferrero Rocher displays were dominant.
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- Wow, 24 baguettes. We should find out where the party is…..
Note: We are in the South of France near the Italian border. We’ll bring you up to speed with a new segment of… http://t.co/2jsbvH1iHb