You're Invited: Thanksgiving in France 2019

Because I totally live to please you, once again I've rounded up a great selection of American Thanksgiving celebrations here in the South of France and in Paris. Who attends these gala soirées? Local expats of course, but also hungry French folks and other Europeans, travelers, house guests...whomever! With a couple exceptions, all nationalities are wanted and welcome! 

Over the years, many of my French friends have told me they love the idea of celebrating this American holiday...to meet new people, to sample unusual foods, to learn the history and traditions. At a friend's Thanksgiving in Provence a few years back, one French guest told me he loved how the various dishes were served all at once, all on one plate, rather than in courses. Another said he was looking forward to his first taste of cranberry sauce, which he called red fruits jam. 

While the literal translation is Action de Grâce, most French people just call it Thanksgiving...except for my friend Philippe who refers to it as Merci Donnant, which he says "means absolutely nothing at all." 

I’ve only listed the Thanksgivings that still had space available, as of today. Book soon because most have limited capacity and fill up. For a Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 30 at the American Church in Paris--the first American church established outside the United States, with roots back to 1814--seats will be opened up to non parishioners after Nov. 17 but there's a special service on Thanksgiving Day, open to all. 

Also in Paris, there's a Thanksgiving cooking class, with lunch or dinner, that sounds like great fun.

For those of you hosting your own Thanksgiving or sharing in the food prep, I've provided three sources for traditional ingredients. When it comes to the big juicy bird, the Paris shop called The Real McCoy sells them both fresh and already roasted; more info about that is below.

If you're hosting or know of a Thanksgiving celebration in the South of France that's not listed here, email me the info (provenceblog@aol.com) and I'll happily add it. 

And finally, a very heartfelt thank you to all of you: for reading and supporting my blog...for sharing it with your friends....for commenting on the stories you particularly enjoy. I wish you all the most joyous and delicious Merci Donnant, wherever you plan to spend it!

COTE D’AZUR

The American Club of the Riviera's Thanksgiving is a gala, annual affair...large, elegant and extremely popular. This year it's in the Salon Belle Epoque at the Hotel Hermitage in Monte Carlo on Thursday Nov. 28, starting with a 12:30 Champagne reception, followed by a luncheon feast of butternut squash veloute, stuffed turkey, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, grilled veggies and apple and pumpkin pies.  All nationalities are welcome but book quickly as this event always sells out; 150 people are expected and it's first come, first served with priority going to members and their families. Last call for reservation payments is Nov 19. All the info is on the ACR website here. Questions? secretary@americanclubriviera.com.

MonacoUSA will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at StarsNBars (Monaco) on Thursday Nov. 28  starting at 7 pm. Seating is family style at communal tables in the main restaurant. The menu: Stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce, peas, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and cornbread. Desserts will be apple tart, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and brownies. Also included: a glass of wine, beer or soft drink, bottled water and espresso.  Cost: 40€ adults, 25€ kids.  Space is limited, you must reserve through MonacoUSA at rsvpmcusa@gmail.com  and payment in advance is required; no payment at the door and no walk-ins allowed, sorry! All details are on Facebook here.

The MonacoUSA party (just above) is open to everyone but for those who don’t want to join the group, the all-you can-eat Thanksgiving buffet will be available at StarsNBars starting at 7 pm. Cost is 38€ for adults and 20€ for kids, excluding drinks. The restaurant will also be serving its regular menu that evening. Turkey will be served as the plat du jour at lunch, starting at noon, for 21€ (with a drink and dessert) or 15€ (main course only). To book: + 377 9797 9595. Questions: info@starsnbars.com.

The Riviera Chapter of Democrats Abroad invites you to a festive Thanksgiving pot luck at Holy Trinity Church Hall, at 11 rue de la Buffa in Nice, on Nov. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. It’s open to members, Americans in the region and accompanying guests. Seats are limited and they’re filling up quickly so RSVP soon!  DA will provide the turkey and asks all guests to bring a prepared salad, vegetable or dessert to be shared. (Sorry, no cooking facilities available on-site). The closest parking is Palais de la Méditerranée or Grimaldi and there are several bus stops in walking distance. For a map and details, click here. For more info, to RSVP or questions: daf-riviera@democratsabroad.org. *NOTE THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT, SORRY!

PROVENCE

Once again, the Anglo-American Group of Provence welcomes the community to its annual family-oriented  Thanksgiving in Aix "with a spirit of appreciation for all that we share."  The dinner is Sunday, Nov. 24 at 4 pm (aperitif) and 5 pm (dinner) at Restaurant Le Verguetier, 7 chemin d'Eguilles in Celony (Aix), across from the Maison de Ste-Victoire. They'll have all the traditional foods: turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Cost: 20€ for members, 10€ for their children under 12; 36€ for guests and 18€ for their children under 12. This includes aperitif, the meal with dessert, wine and coffee. To reserve, send a check payable to AAGP to Michel Parisot, 5 rue Emmanuel Brunet, 13080 Luynes.  Please make sure to specify the number of adults and kids (with ages). Reservations will be made upon receipt of your check, which must be received by Nov. 18. Questions? bobkeltz@aol.com or 06 37 83 80 45.

Once again the Avignon Chapter of Democrats Abroad will celebrate Thanksgiving with a family-style pot luck at the Cavaillon home of Joan and Charlie Jarowski. The party’s scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 24, from 1 pm to 5 pm. Expect turkey of course but also baked ham, leg of lamb, sausages and all the typical sides including an Impeachment Pie for dessert. Guests are asked to make a small financial contribution and also to bring a starter, side, dessert or drinks to share. *NOTE THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT WITH NO WAIT LIST.

At the restaurant L'Epicerie de Cecile in Beaucaire, chef/owner Cécile Guillo is all fired up to host her annual Thanksgiving fête, at lunch and dinner, on Saturday Nov. 30. Seating is communal at large tables for 12. Expect to pay 25 to 30€ per person (with a couple glasses of wine) and there will be live music in the evening. Cecile is also happy to offer her traditional Thanksgiving meal on the day itself (Thursday Nov. 28) but only for groups of 10 or more.  To reserve: 07 85 40 38 20. The restaurant has no website but they’re on Facebook here. Questions? niefchristine12@gmail.com.

Near Forcalquier, the restaurant Le Bistrot de Pierrerue in Pierrerue celebrates its annual Thanksgiving on Friday Nov. 29 and Sat Nov. 30 at 8 pm. On the menu: an amuse bouche, brined and roasted turkey with dressing (made from bio sausage and chestnuts), homemade gravy and cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, roasted local Brussels sprouts,  pumpkin pie and chocolate pumpkin-seed torte with vanilla ice cream. Price is 25€ per person, without drinks. To book: 04 92 75 33 00, maryvonne.kutsch@orange.fr.

Once again my friend Jon Chiri, an American chef with 20+ years experience working in Provence, will offer a Thanksgiving lunch at Cuisine Centr'Halles, his cafe and cooking school at Les Halles, the wonderful indoor food market in Avignon. On Thursday Nov. 28, Jon invites you to join his family for a special holiday lunch from 11:30 am to 2:15 pm. (The market officially closes at 2:15 pm so be sure to seated by 1:30 pm latest.) The Thanksgiving Plat du Jour (turkey with Jon's version of accoutrements) will be 24€ ...or 30€ with pumpkin pie. Wine and soft drinks are extra. To reserve: contact@jonathanchiri.com, 06 46 89 85 33.

Biocoop - La Coumpagnie in Aix (840 ave. du Camp de Menthe ) will host two Thanksgivings on Thursday Nov. 28: a lunch at the store and a dinner at the restaurant BioChef, near the center of Aix. The lunch, owner Rick Harrison says, ''is mostly for our curious French clientele and always our biggest lunch turnout of the year!" It’s 18.50€ per person and reservations are not necessary.  Then comes the main event: a dinner starting at 7:30 pm. at BioChef (4 rue Pierre de Coubertin, 13100 Aix). "We have a wide diversity of Americans, French and English people excited to attend," Rick says. "The meal will be 100% organic, 0% GMOs and 100% homemade from American family recipes.” The evening starts with spiced wine and appetizers, followed by turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole (with cream of mushroom soup...yes!), pumpkin and pecan pies and a classic cheesecake. Prices are 29€ adults and 19€ kids under 12; wine and beer are available for purchase. Reservations are required for dinner; reserve soon as there’s less availability than last year, due to the change in venue. To reserve: 06 81 34 85 74, rick@biocoop-lacoumpagnie.fr. 

On Friday Nov. 29, Cyril Giordano, chef/owner of the restaurant BioChef in Aix (see listing just above) will present his own Thanksgiving dinner. Like the one the previous night, it will be 100% organic but this will be quite a bit more gastronomic. It’s 37€ per person (kids or adults); drinks are extra. Seating starts at 8 pm and reservations are required: 04 42 93 26 05. BioChef is at 4 rue Pierre de Coubertin, 13100 Aix.  

PARIS 

Celebrations Hosted by Clubs

The American University Clubs of France (which promotes networking, cultural and business-related events for all American University alumni in France), invites you to their traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday, Nov 26 at 7 pm at the Ecole Militaire. Founded in 1750 by Louis XVI for the training of military officers, the Ecole Militaire is an important heritage site that’s normally closed to the public so this is rare opportunity to enjoy exclusive access. A four-course meal will be served, starting with an aperitif and ending with pecan pie. Wine and soft drinks are included. Price: 59€ for AUC member; 69€ non members. Registration is limited so be sure to reserve soon, by clicking here before Nov. 12; registration closes after that date. For security purposes, you’ll be asked to provide official ID to enter the building. Questions? contact@aucfrance.com

The American Club of Paris will hold its annual Thanksgiving at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Paris 3ème) on Friday Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm. This private hunting and nature museum in the heart of the Marais has been described by Smithsonian Magazine as "one of the most rewarding and inventive in Paris." The evening includes pre-dinner Champagne (accompanied by Lionel Patrix at the piano), an elegant Thanksgiving dinner and after-dinner drinks in the bar. The dress code is evening attire/black tie optional and roughly 50 people are expected. Members 150€; non-members and guests 175€. All the info and registration is here. Questions? contact@americanclubparis.org, 01 47 23 64 36.

Restaurants

There seem to be more and more Thanksgiving celebrations in Paris restaurants each year, ranging from the very-casual one at the Hard Rock Cafe  (Nov. 28 at lunch and dinner; reserve here or call 01 53 24 60 00) to the very-posh one at Ralph's in Ralph Lauren's elaborately appointed store on the Blvd. St.-Germain (dinner Nov 28, with a set menu at 135€). Reservation by email only please: restaurant.ralphs@ralphlauren.com. Questions? 01 44 77  76 00.

On Thursday, Nov. 28, chef Fabienne Eymard of the Michelin-starred Parisian bistro Benoit invites you for free-range turkey stuffed with wild mushrooms, cranberry and gravy (46€). Details and reservations are here. restaurant.benoit@ducasse-paris.com, 01 42 72 25 76.

This year, the restaurant Sunday in Soho (at 7 rue Saint Marc, hello@sundayinsoho.com) will offer Thanksgiving for three nights (Nov. 28, 29, 30), with two seatings per night. The 55€ adult price includes appetizers, the Thanksgiving feast, desserts and one glass of Champagne or the house cocktail. Kids prices upon request. Reservations are online only, here.

Not what you’re looking for? Thanksgiving is also being celebrated at Joe Allen, Verjus, Harry’s Bar, Breakfast in America, Ô Chateau and Treize au Jardin. 

A Paris Church

At the American Church in Paris (65 quai d’Orsay), Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Saturday Nov. 30 at 5:30 pm. A traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings is 20€ for adults, 15 € for kids. The event is currently open to parishioners only, but any remaining tickets will be available to the general public sometime after Sunday Nov. 17 on a first-come, first-served basis, at the church and possibly online. Also, a special Thanksgiving service will be held Nov. 28 at 12:15, with music, a speaker and a reception afterwards. For more info: reception@acparis.org, 01 40 62 05 00.

Cooking Class with Lunch or Dinner

La Cuisine Paris is once again offering their popular Thanksgiving Cooking Class; in fact this year they’re hosting two! On Thursday Nov. 28 you can choose between a lunchtime or evening class and enjoy the festivities! Find out more and snap up a space here. Info: contact@lacuisineparis.com, 01 40 51 78 18.

SUPPLIES

MyAmericanMarket.com sells lots of things you’ll likely need to prepare your holiday feast: cranberry sauce, canned pumpkin, cornbread mix, gravy, corn syrup and more. They also have ingredients and treats for other holidays, too, such as eggnog and candy canes. They are 100% online and will deliver pretty much anywhere in the world.  The company uses various couriers but plan to order by Nov. 14 to get your goodies sent to you anywhere in France  in time. Specific Thanksgiving foods are on a special page here. contact@myamericanmarket.com, 05 34 50 47 36.

The Franco-American owners of My Little America, Todd and Anthony, hail from Ohio and Brittany and launched their mail-order business to make it possible for Americans to find their favorite foods easily, wherever they might live....and to help French people discover these new products. Today they import a wide range of American foods and ship them throughout France and Europe. For Thanksgiving, they sell cranberry sauce (whole berry and jellied), stuffing mix, turkey gravy, corn muffin mix, corn syrup (light and dark), graham crackers, canned pumpkin, cut sweet potatoes and more. See their Thanksgiving selection here. Their special items for Christmas are already available online too. Plus they sell classics such as Kraft Mac & Cheese, Toll-House Chocolate Chips, A-1 Steak Sauce, Jif Peanut Butter, A&W Root Beer and more. Questions: contact@mylittleamerica.com.

The Real McCoy is the Parisian go-to for American foods, particularly at holiday time.  In their shop (no mail order) they’re selling fresh farm-bred turkeys...or they’ll even roast and package it for you with stuffing and roasting juices. (Be sure to order at least a few days ahead.) Their roast turkeys average 4 to 7 kilos each; they request a 30€ deposit and then charge 11.50€ per kilo. The Real McCoy also sells pecan and pumpkin pies, cheesecakes and a wide selection of Thanksgiving products such as fresh cranberries and canned cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, stuffing mix, cornbread mix, pie crusts and fillings, yams, turkey bags, basters and more. They’re located at:  194 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, 01 45 56 00 00, us.food@wanadoo.fr. No website but find them on Facebook here. 

Above: The much-loved, often-parodied painting is Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want" from 1942. Everyone in it was a Rockwell family member or friend; they were photographed individually and painted into the scene. Learn more about the painting and artist here. 

Matisse Called It His Masterpiece...

When someone tells me about a place in Provence that they adore, I sometimes ask if they'd write a guest post about it so we all can enjoy. This time, not only was that person a career journalist but a journalist of the very highest order! I've been reading Jesse Kornbluth for years: in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and elsewhere. I was fascinated when he told me he had just written a play about the Matisse Chapel in Vence on the French Riviera...and delighted when he said he'd love to share his Matisse story with us here. Jesse's full bio and details about the play (which opens April 4 in Westchester County, New York) appear at the end of this post.

The chapel that Henri Matisse designed in Vence is a must-see for pretty much everyone visiting the South of France. It’s a painless expedition from Nice: a pleasant half-hour drive along the coast and into the hills, and there you are. The Chapelle du Rosaire is a small building. You can experience it quickly in the cool of the morning and move on to a lovely lunch at Le Michel Ange.

Roughly 200,000 people a year visit the Chapelle du Rosaire. I suspect most of them leave if not moved then at least appropriately impressed — every tour guide tells visitors that Matisse, one of the most celebrated artists of the last century, described the chapel as the “masterpiece” of his career. The story behind its creation? It’s no secret, but it seems to be known only by hard-core art lovers and scholars. It certainly wasn’t known to me when I waltzed through the chapel decades ago.

A few years ago, a random Internet search led me to the back-story, and, fascinated, I narrowed my search to learn how and where it had been dramatized. It hadn’t been. So although I’d never written a play, I applied the skills of my long career in journalism: I read every biography of Matisse and every art book about the chapel. And then I wrote “The Color of Light.” As a drama, the story of the chapel deals with a single question: How did Matisse, a lifelong atheist, come to design a place of worship for Catholics?

The answer: a woman. Of course. But not in the way you may be thinking.

In 1942, Matisse was 72, divorced, living in Nice and recovering from an operation for cancer. His only companion was his chilly Russian assistant. Needing a night nurse, he hired Monique Bourgeois, a 21-year-old nursing student. In the 15 nights they were together, Matisse came to love her like a daughter. But when he learned that she was going to become a nun, he was enraged. They parted on bad terms.

Five years later, Matisse was living in Vence. So was Monique, who was Matisse’s friend again — even if she was now Sister Jacques-Marie. Her convent prayed in a chapel that was once a garage. When it rained, the roof leaked. She asked Matisse to design a stained glass window so the nuns could raise money and repair the garage. He had another idea: a new chapel. Which he’d both design and pay for. Over opposition, Matisse spent years focused on the project. Jacques-Marie, who had unwittingly been photographed with Matisse for Vogue, wasn’t allowed to attend the dedication.

It’s easy to be underwhelmed by the chapel. It’s as close to empty as possible. No organ. No seats for a choir. Nothing to look at but colored windows, a few figures and some black designs and abstractions on the glazed white ceramic tiled walls. But to see it as a building that contains Matisse’s art and some colored windows is to miss his intent. For him, the building itself was art, an environment designed to lift your spirits and bring you closer to wherever you find the divine.

The main feature of the chapel is light. There are many windows, some clear, some blue, green and yellow. But not just any blue, green and yellow. The blue is a shade Matisse said he’d only seen twice, once on the wing of a butterfly, once in the flame of burning sulphur. The green is bottle green.  And it’s lemon yellow. When the light streams through, the colors merge on the white tiled floor and come alive. Children sometimes cup their hands and try to gather a present for their parents. They get it.

Most of the figures on the wall are non-threatening. That can’t be said of the Stations of the Cross. Matisse depicted the 14 fatal steps of Christ’s last day on a single wall in a jumble of graffiti-like figures that suggest broken limbs and profound grief. The church was horrified. It seemed the chapel wouldn’t be built. But Matisse was an astute politician: You don’t see The Stations of the Cross as you enter.

In our world, old age means a winding down, assisted living, and death in an antiseptic hospital room. But the Chapelle du Rosaire celebrates the exact opposite. It’s a late-life success story, with a creative flowering, a great love, and a good death at home. That story, told as a play, might deliver a transcendent theatrical experience. I dare to hope I’ve done that.

Jesse's Bio: Over the years, Jesse Kornbluth has been a contributor or contributing editor at Vanity Fair, New York, The New Yorker, The New York Times and many others. In 1996, he co-founded Bookreporter.com, now the hub of the internet’s most successful non-commercial book network. From 1997 to 2002, he was editorial director of America Online. In 2004, he launched HeadButler.com a cultural concierge site. Having once been married to a woman whose family owned a home in Provence, Jesse fondly recalls, among other things, the roast chicken at the Regalido in Fontvieille, the grilled steak at the Vallon de Gayet in Mouries (thanks to a recommendation from his mother-in-law’s hairdresser) and the incense at the Christmas Eve service at the church in Saint-Remy. Jesse's play, "The Color of Light," will be staged from April 4 to 28 by the Schoolhouse Theater in North Salem, NY, a pleasant drive or train from Manhattan. For info and tickets, click here. To reach Jesse directly: jessekay@aol.com.

Photos: (1, 3, 4, 5, 6) The Color of Light. Matisse designed three sets of stained glass windows for the chapel. All three make use of just three colors: an intense yellow for the sun, an intense green for vegetation and cactus forms, and a vivid blue for the Mediterranean Sea, the Riviera sky and the Madonna. The color from the windows floods the chapel's interior, which is otherwise all white. (2) Henri Matisse and Sister Jacques-Marie.  (7)  Matisse's Stations of the Cross, an ensemble of 14 scenes leading to the crucifixion, is one of three murals in the chapel. (8) Matisse started work on the chapel in 1947, at age 77; the project took four years to complete. (9, 10) Matisse also designed liturgical vestments for the clergy at the chapel, using the traditional ecclesiastical colors of the religious seasons: purple, black, pink/rose, green and red. For more about the Matisse "chasubles," click here. 

For a lovely video tour of the chapel from the BBC, click here. 

Posh and Becks are Selling in Provence

David and Victoria Beckham have listed their six-bedroom home in the Var region of Provence for €2.75 million. Marketed as "an exceptional estate in a pristine setting," the 200-acre property, Domaine Saint-Vincent, has three reception rooms, four bathrooms, staff accommodation, an infinity pool and pool house, a two-story guest house, a chapel, various outbuildings "with additional potential" and far-reaching valley views. 

The Daily Mail reports that the Beckhams bought the 19th-century home for €1.74 million in 2003 and spent €5.7 million on renovation. If it sells for its asking price, that could represent a loss of €4.6 million for the couple, who are estimated to be worth more than €500 million. 

The Daily Mail also says that the house is reportedly haunted by the former owner, who committed suicide in the study.

The reason Posh and Becks are upping sticks, however, is said to be that the couple and their four children--Brooklyn, 17; Romeo, 13; Cruz, 11; and Harper, 5--prefer to spend their time in London (where they recently spent £31 milllion on a townhouse in Holland Park) and in Los Angeles.

Other reports suggest the Beckhams are offloading real estate because they're planning to divorce.

Either way, everyone seems to agree they've hardly used the house. A story in The Sun quoted "a source": "The locals won't miss them as they were hardly ever here. When they were, David signed the odd autograph and he once had a kick-about with the villagers, but that was their only contact with them. You wouldn't have seen Victoria queuing for a croissant in the boulangerie."

Domaine Saint-Vincent is 4 km from the village of Bargemon, 23 km off the A8 motorway (exit Le Muy) and 99 km from Nice International Airport.

For all the details see the listing here... 

Friday: Food, Friends, Fireworks, Fun...

After the Bastille Day atrocities in Nice, the City of Cannes cancelled the fireworks scheduled for July 21. Shortly thereafter, the Mayor of Cannes announced that the International Fireworks Festival--a hugely popular annual event that welcomes pyrotechnic teams from all over the world--would resume this Friday, July 29, "with new security arrangements, a specific tribute to the victims of the Nice terrorist attack, and affirmation, by the renewal of the world’s largest fireworks festival, of our resilience and defense of our way of life as the Riviera spirit." There will also be fireworks on August 7, 15 and 24...more on that below.

The American Club of the Riviera has also rescheduled the party they had planned for July 21...now it's this Friday as well. ACR president Burton Gintell tells me they have a few spots left and they'd love to have you! For this popular annual event, the ACR booked one of Cannes' finest beach restaurants, the  3.14 Plage, located very centrally on the Croisette just opposite the Carlton Hotel. The fireworks are launched from several barges moored in the Bay, just opposite the restaurant, and are beautifully choreographed to music. 

The ACR evening begins at 8 pm with a welcome drink and nibbles, followed by a three-course dinner with wine, and fireworks set to start at 10 pm. You must reserve ahead...walk ins won't be possible.  The evening is €85 for members; €90 for non-members; €40 for kids.

For reservations, parking info and more, see the ACR website here.

Questions? Contact Burton: +33 (0)6 20 40 11 28  or bgintell@aol.com.

The Fireworks Festival will continue with shows on August 7, 15 and 24th. The festival website in English is here.

Photos: Past fireworks in Cannes...and the restaurant called 3.14 Plage, where the American Club of the Riviera will host their party on Friday July 29.

Julia Child's Provence House is For Rent

Now that it's possible to rent Julia Child's old house in Provence, it's only a matter of time until someone settles into that famous kitchen, whips up some delicious new recipes and publishes a cookbook titled In Julia's Provençal Kitchen or Channeling Julia or something similar.

From the moment I heard that Sotheby's had listed the house for sale (asking price: €880,000), I had a half-real, half-ridiculous fantasy of buying it and transforming it into a cooking school. And now that's exactly what Makenna and Yvonne (Evie) Johnston have done. They swept in, snapped it up and announced they'll be offering week-long "courageous cooking" workshops there, for six people at a time, in 2017.

In the meantime they're renting the house out via Airbnb, as of June 13, 2016.  Which means that alone or in a group, you could fulfill that classic foodie fantasy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in Julia's actual kitchen! Or, of course, write your own master work. When one of her students spied the house on Airbnb, food writer Molly O'Neill quickly booked it--along with another next door--for two one-week writers' retreats in October. (Molly is a former NY Times food columnist, author of six books, a multiple James Beard Award winner and founder of LongHouse Food Revival. For info: molly@cooknscribble.com.)

I'm so delighted that Julia's old digs--the summer home she loved so much--will continue to be a magnet for French food- and wine-lovers!

In reality this isn't the first time the house will be used as a cooking school.  In 1993, Kathie Alex, who knew and worked for Julia, took it over and ran a program there called Cooking with Friends in France.  She put it on the market in November 2015.

The story beyond the house--how Julia and Paul Child came to have it, who hung out with them there, why it was important to the whole American food revolution--has been well documented so I won't go too deeply into that here.  (If  the topic interests you, you'd love Julia's book My Life in France and as well as Provence 1970 by Luke Barr, which you can read about here.)

The house is called La Pitchoune ("the little one") but everyone calls it La Pitch or La Peetch. It was built in 1963, on a property belonging to Simone Beck, one of Julia's original cookbook collaborators. M.F.K. Fisher and James Beard were frequent guests. It's set amongst the olive groves near the villages of Châteauneuf and Plascassier,  not far from Cannes and Grasse.  (Not that Châteauneuf...but one of many villages with the same name.)

Makenna and Evie say that La Peetch Ecole de Cuisine will be more than just a cooking school. It will also welcome high-end retreats, family experiences, food and wine journeys and more. 

The Airbnb listing calls it "a space to cook, commune, explore and walk in the footsteps of the culinary greats." On Facebook they call it "A Center for Food, Culture and Community." 

Evie, a former U.S. Air Force captain who left the military in 2014,  is now studying at the International Culinary Center in New York. Makenna, a business strategist and life coach, will train at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where Julia earned Le Grand Diplôme in 1951. (Like Julia did, Makenna graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA.) 

The house has three antique-filled bedrooms, a sitting room, gardens, a pool...and of course that famous kitchen, which is virtually intact. Even Julia's pegboard is still there, the one Paul made and painted with outlines so Julia knew exactly which implements went where. The only thing missing is Julia's beloved white La Cornue stove, which now belongs to that other famous American cookbook author and cooking teacher in Provence, Patricia Wells. 

So of course I had to ring up Patricia to ask how she got Julia's stove.  "When the time came for Paul and Julia to give up La Pitchoune," she told me, "I asked her if I could buy it and she said no. Then she changed her mind and said I could have it as a gift, as long as I replaced it. So that’s what we did! We went to Darty, bought a new stove, went to her house, took the La Cornue and replaced it with the new one, which I believe is still the one in the house."

The La Cornue has two gas burners, a side burner where you can set a series of pots and a small, single gas oven. If you have Patricia's most-recent book, The French Kitchen Cookbook,  you'll see it in there. "The oven is bit cantankerous," Patricia reports, "and it's very difficult to adjust the heat so we don't use it often. But we definitely use the cooktop with our students, who of course love to cook on it. I always joke that having Julia's stove is a bit like having Freud's couch!"

As to what Julia would say about all this, I have no idea. I met her a few times over the years at food-world events but didn't know her. So I turned to someone who did,  my old pal Bob Spitz. Bob is the author of Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child and he's currently putting final touches on the script for a one-woman show of Dearie, which will open on Broadway early next year.

"Julia always filled La Peetch with friends and guests," Bob says, "so I’m sure it would delight her that the house was continuing her gracious tradition.  The fact that it will live on as a cooking school and retreat would be the icing on her, well, Reine de Saba.”  

Want to know more? Check out the stories on La Peetch in Vogue,  Conde Nast Traveler and People, then go to Lapeetch.com, where you can sign up for email updates.

Photos: (1) Julia's famously colorful Provence kitchen has been kept (almost completely) intact. Rent the house and have it all to yourself...or come take a weeklong "courageous cooking" workshop next year. (2) In the kitchen at La Pitchoune, Paul Child painted outlines of Julia’s tools and equipment on the pegboard walls. [Photo by Benoit Peverelli, courtesy of Luke Barr.]  (3) Julia Child on the terrace at La Pitchoune in the early 1970s, courtesy Luke Barr. (4-8) Interior and exterior shots of the house. Makenna says "Our goal is to maintain the house as much as possible, we have no intentions to remodel or update the house itself.  But we definitely are updating some elements of decor, including furniture and linens." (9) Julia's old La Cornue range now lives with Patricia Wells at her home and cooking school in Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence. Owning it, Patricia says, is like "having Freud's couch." (10) Julia at La Pitchoune in 1969. [Photo by Marc Riboud/Magnum Photos, from the Wall Street Journal.]