Traveling through Provence for a couple of days on a trip organized by Maison de la France (the French Government Tourist Office) and the tourist bureau of the Var.
There are fishing villages all along the Mediterranean coast, of course, and here's a typically picturesque one 30 miles east of Marseille: Sanary sur Mer. Traditional on Sunday mornings for locals (and perhaps Brad & Angelina) to visit the open-air market, buy some fish just off the boat, then stop in at Hotel de la Tour for a little tasting: locally grown oysters, locally harvested sea urchins, a garlicky anchoïade and couple of glasses of local wine, Domaine de la Goujonne, crisp and bright and local, blended from the principal white grape varieties grown here: mostly rolle (also called vermentino) and ugni blanc. The oysters were as fresh as you can get, and the sea urchin roe tangy with the taste of the sea. Didn't take long, glass was empty, shells were empty.
It's a modest hotel with a fantastic location, right on the harbor. The fishing boats are just beyond the windows. Our little delegation is assured that the restaurant staff do this sort of thing regularly. So what did you do Sunday morning? Watch the Hawks?
Leave a comment