Sculpture Classes for Kids & Adults

Bob Appelmans is a charming Belgian-born sculptor living and working in St. Remy.  He’s been in Provence almost 30 years now and is very active and beloved on the local art scene. Fully bi-lingual, Bob loves to welcome visitors into his studio but it’s easy to miss: he’s hidden away in a pretty courtyard off the main traffic circle.  Bob’s work takes many forms but I especially love his whimsical caricature busts; there are two above but many more on his website and in his studio. Bob accepts commissions so if you don’t see the one you want, he’ll happily make it for you.

Bob’s sculptures range in price from 30€ to 1500€. 

Bob is also a terrific teacher who offers hand-sculpting classes for all levels: kids and adults, tourists and locals, and groups of up to ten people. He’ll teach children as young as four, charging just 15€ per child for a 1.5 to 2-hour session. Your little monsters will come home with clay under their ongles and a fun new skill. For adults, Bob offers one two-hour class for 35€ or four sessions for 130€.

Group prices are available and Bob will work around your schedule.

To find him: Enter the courtyard using the pathway in between the shop called Tectona and the one called Les Jardins Van Gogh, which is opposite the Campus gas station and down just a bit. Or follow the signs to the restaurants Chez Fanny or La Medina. The square is called Place Mireille Moatti and Bob’s address is #34 blvd. Mirabeau, St. Remy.  And while you’re back there, consider La Medina or Chez Fanny for lunch or dinner…both are very nice options for casual dining. 

L'atelier de Bob, 06 75 08 13 58, bobappelmans.com, bob13210@hotmail.fr

One New Provence Restaurant I Love

After many years on a prominent corner next to the cinema in St. Remy,  the restaurant La France gasped its last breath this winter…probably because locals avoided it like la peste. This spring, a well-known local couple—John and Laetitia Vergnaud -- took it over and transformed it into a lovely Italian restaurant called Da Peppe…named for Laeticia’s grandfather, Giuseppi. To run the kitchen, they lured chef Maurizio Scalia over from Sicily and chances are you’ll find him paddling pretty pizzas in and out of the vast, round Morello oven, the first thing you see when you step through the door. John calls the stainless-steel oven—fueled by wood and gas, operated digitally and equipped with a rotating stone “refractory” bedplate that holds ten pies at a time—“the Rolls Royce, the Bentley, the Ferrari of forni!”  

“Quanto è costato?” I asked the chef, impressed by its gleam, its glowing controls and how cool it feels to the touch; Maurizio’s pizzas bake to crispy/chewy perfection at 380 degrees C (700-plus F) in just two to 2.5  minutes.    

“Tres cher!” was all he’d say, with a big smile.

I also noticed the oven creates no smoke or smell, thanks to a serious system of venting. Obviously this is key when you decide to plant a spaceship-sized, fire-breathing behemoth smack in the center of your dining room.  So I went to the Morello website to learn a bit more. “Never again lawsuit against neighbours and/or burning chimney !!!” the company proclaims proudly. "Morello Forni  can offer antipollution-water filters enabling to clean wood oven smoke, stop chimney fire risks and mainly to avoid noising quarrel versus neighbours!!!!”

Noising quarrel versus neighbours in Provence? Never!

The menu at Da Peppe is a la carte only, with a lunch-time plat du jour priced at 13€.  John tells me his best-selling main courses right now are the Risotto St. Jacques “a l'encre de seiche” (­­­squid ink risotto with scallops) and the Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal with ham and sage, rolled up and cooked with white wine and butter).

But pizzas are far and away the most-popular choice, with the Pizza Nona--scallops, arugula, truffle oil, olives, crème fraiche, mozzarella—currently in the lead.

And for dessert? “Our Tiramisu is excellent, our guests’ favorite dessert by far,” John says. “We make it the right way, with not a lot of liquid underneath, and very-nice Pavesini biscuits from Italy.”

My friend Lorraine and I shared a Pizza Decima (tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarella, gorgonzola, cherry tomatoes, basil, olives), a Pizza Settima (tomato, gorgonzola, pecorino, fresh ricotta, olives) and the Salad Burrattina (tomatoes, Burrata cheese, arugula, pine nuts, balsamic syrup). I thought all three were terrific. And Lorraine, who happens to be a bit pizza-obsessive and has always been staunchly loyal to Pizzeria Brun in nearby Maussane, proclaimed everything bellissima e molto bene! Or something very funny-sounding that meant that.

The atmosphere in Da Peppe’s dining room is warm and welcoming; the staff young, handsome and professional . (Don’t be surprised to see Jean-Pierre Ricci, the owner of nearby L’Áile ou la Cuisse, helping out; he’s Laetitia’s father.) The vibe is casual—jeans are fine—but in the evening the crowd makes  an effort to kick it up a notch, clothes wise. Dining all around us I saw dating couples, young families, foreign tourists, familiar local faces and a large gaggle of girlfriends sharing pizzas, carafes of wine and laughter.  Da Peppe has a handful of sidewalk tables and a terrific rooftop terrace too, with views of the Place Republique (that sounds so much better than saying ‘the big parking lot,’ no?) and our enormous church, with bits dating to the 14^th century.  

Da Peppe is a much-need addition to the dining scene in St. Remy and I’m so happy to have them in my quartier. All hail chef Maurizio,  the new Prince of Pizza in Provence!

Prices: Pizzas are 12.50€ to 14.50€. Meat and fish main courses: 19€ to 22€. Pasta and risotto: 12.50€ to 23€. Desserts: 7€. There’s a small selection of Italian specialties and sweets for sale at the door.  Hours: Open for lunch and dinner every day but Tuesday; dinner is served from 7 to 11 pm. Parking: On the street or on the Place Republique. And as always, please tell them I sent you…

Da Peppe, #2 ave Fauconnet (next door to the cinema), St. Remy, 04-90-92-11-56, venezmanger@dapeppe.fr, no website.

Photos: John and Laetitia Vergnaud; tucking into a Pizza Prima; at Da Peppe you can eat indoors, on the sidewalk or on the rooftop terrace.

Fireworks to Light Up the Pont du Gard

Les Fééries du Pont - Pont du Gard by pontdugard

The 2,000-year-old aqueduct called the Pont du Gard is one of the most magnificent sites in Provence; I never get tired of gazing at it, tromping around on it, photographing it. (I've yet to kayak the Gard River underneath it but hope to soon.) And my favorite Roman relic is even more spectacular when she’s all lit up with video, light, flame and fireworks as she is each summer during a popular evening sound-and-light show called “Les Féeries du Pont’’ (Fairies of the Bridge). 

This year’s show is called Ulysses in Wonderland. It will be presented four times in June, on Friday and Saturday evenings: June 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2013. Showtime is 10:30 p.m or at dusk. But definitely arrive early as there are some "animations" before the main event, probably starting around 7 p.m.

Once again, the producer is Groupe F, the internationally acclaimed pyrotechnicians known for shows at the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and the Olympics. If you want a smile, have a look at their website; their work is over-the-top wonderful. I think the Romans would love it!

The Pont du Gard site will be open all day, as usual, but separate tickets are required. Seating will be on the right bank of the river so if you arrive on the left bank, you must be in by 9:30 pm in order to cross the bridge; the gates to the Pont du Gard park will close at 9:30. Bring cushions, chairs and blankets or you'll be sitting on the ground; the shops on site also sell seats if you forget. My best advice is sit as close to the bridge itself as possible.  ''And don't forget to bring also warm wears,'' my contact at the Pont du Gard sweetly tells me. 

Tickets for the Les Féeries show range from €14 to €20. You can buy them online here or at the Pont du Gard box office at any time. They're also available at FNAC, Virgin, Carrefour, Cultura and France Billet. Children under six are free and group rates are available (for group rates call 04 66 37 51 10). If you have an annual pass to the Pont du Gard, you get a discount. Parking is free.

Still not sure? You can see another video from a previous year, click here. 

So what about dinner? Casual food will be sold on site or you can bring a picnic in with you. There's also a restaurant called Les Terrasses that serves excellent Mediterranean cuisine (04 66 63 91 37). A special Féeries du Pont menu will be offered at Les Terrasses but the restaurant fills up very quickly so reserve early. 

My pals at the Pont du Gard also wanted me to let you know that on July 11 and 12,  they'll be hosting “Lives au Pont,’’ an electro-pop music festival  For the third year, the French group IAM will be the headliner. Other bands performing are Woodkid, Asaf Avidan and Jamie Lidell. For info, click here.

For all the info on the Féeries du Pont show or on visiting Pont du Gard at other times, click here. For historical info, click here. To contact the Pont du Gard directly: contact@pontdugard.fr or 04 66 37 50 99....and yes, they speak English.

If you want to catch a Groupe F fireworks show at another time,  go to their site here and click Rendezvous to see the 2013 schedule. After Les Féeries du Pont, they’ll be staging shows in Provence on the following dates:

July 5: Avignon
July 6: Martigues
August 8: Port St. Louis
August 17: Port St. Louis

Finally, if you plan to be in Paris this summer,  you can get a taste of Groupe F at the Chateau de Versailles, where they're once again staging their musical fountain display called ''Les Grandes Eaux Nocturnes.'' It's on certain evenings until September 14 and the schedule is on the Versailles website here. 

This Weekend: A Big Celebration in the Sky

The prestigious Patrouille Acrobatique de France (PAF), the precision aerobatic team of the French Air Force,  has its 60^th anniversary this year.  And to celebrate, they’ll be strutting their best stuff in a big air show over Salon de Provence on Sunday May 26. I happened upon them practicing the other day and what I saw--three planes trailing red, white and blue smoke across the sky in a beautifully choreographed ballet--looked awesome.  The nine pilots fly red, white and blue Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha-Jets, with the gun fittings replaced by smoke generators. They have a support crew of 35. 

As part of the show, the PAF, in association with “weightless  choreography specialist” Kitsou Dubois, will present a specially coordinated duo that took several months to prepare. The aim of this highly challenging and daring blend of aeronautics and dance is to bring an additional artistic dimension to the team’s considerable flying skills.

Other French and international flight teams (Poland, Spain, Belgium, UK, Italy) will be participating as well. A full schedule for the day is here.

The show runs from 10 am to 6 pm, and if you’re anywhere near Salon you’re likely to see them in flight; another good vantage point will be the hills of Lancon de Provence, which overlook the PAF’s headquarters:  Air Base 701 in Salon.  

But the best way to experience this will be to go to the base itself…and entry is free all day. The Salon Tourist Office tells me that many events and exhibitions are being planned so bring the family and hang out all day. Reservations are not required but you must show a valid ID to get in…and folding chairs would be good too.

On Sunday, all the parking lots in Salon will be running special shuttle buses (navettes) to and from the base…so leave your car in town.

Now here’s the thing: all the main access roads to Salon will be closed as of 7.30 am. I can’t quite visualize how that will work but far be it from me to argue with the French Air Force! If you click here, you can see an access plan that should help. Real-time traffic info will be broadcast on France Bleu Radio Provence: 106.6 FM. 

The 60^th Anniversary Celebration of the Patrouille de France is part of the year-long Marseille-Provence 2013 Celebration. A special show just for sponsors and personnel will be held on Saturday May 25.

For more info on the celebration, go to the PAF website here. I couldn’t get the English pages to load properly but maybe you’ll have better luck! If you have questions, you can  call the Salon Tourist Office (04 90 56 27 60) or email them at accueil@visitsalondeprovence.com. For a schedule of all the Marseille-Provence 2013 events happening in Salon, click here. And for the full Marseille-Provence 2013 website in English, click here.

Whale Watching in the Med Starts June 9

Ok, I admit it: Until I wrote about this last year, I had no idea there were whales in the Mediterranean! Or that you could get up close and personal with them on day cruises. So I was delighted to find out that every Sunday, Decouverte du Vivant offers Naturalist Discovery Cruises aboard the boat La Croix du Sud V. During the nine-hour voyage you're likely to see striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales and the second largest animal on the planet, the fin whale. You can also expect to encounter seabirds, sunfish, loggerhead turtles, bluefin tuna, bonito and swordfish. The season opens June 9 and runs through October 20, 2013. Cruises depart from Sanary sur Mer in the Var at 9:30 am and return at 6 pm. Prices are 55€ (under 13), 66€ (students and teens), 78€ (adult) and on demand for groups.  For more info or to reserve, click here or call 06 10 57 17 11 or email to: info@decouverteduvivant.fr. 

Days of Wine and Truffles

Very quickly after I launched my new company Provence Post Travel---arranging amazing vacations in Provence for couples, families and groups of all sizes--I learned how much my clients love activities that get them up close and personal with real life in Provence….the special experiences I arrange for them with artists, farmers, fishermen, winemakers, bread bakers, chefs, guides and more. Travelers these days definitely want to meet interesting locals who love to share their passions.

For example? At our local goat farm, clients love seeing the animals and then tasting the fresh goat cheeses with the farmer who just made them. They love biking with a charming chef who provides a gourmet picnic along the way. They've loved meeting artisan food-makers in Aix and walking in Roman footsteps with an American blogger in Arles. They’ve experienced vineyard barbecues with winemakers and olive oil-tastings with the young woman who tends hundreds of her family's trees and presses award-winning oils. I’ve sent clients out wine tasting with a charming sommelier...to bake croissants and make nougat at a traditional boulangerie…to slice and dice with Michelin-starred chefs…to comparison-taste homemade honey with a third-generation beekeeper…to ride gorgeous horses on a windswept Camargue beach...to tour lush, hidden gardens and learn about the visionaries who created them. I’ve sent private chefs to prepare special dinners in scores of rental villas…and sent kids to sculpting class with my favorite local potter.  This week some clients sipped chilled Pastis in the sunshine while learning to play boules on the village pitch. Loved it!

So now that I know what how appealing these activities are, I’m working on a Menu of Delicious Provence Experiences that I’ll be publishing here soon. In the meantime, here’s one that I just couldn’t wait to share.

Lisa and Johann Pepin are a Franco American couple who moved to the South of France from Chicago in 2003 to take over the Pepin family vineyard and find a better quality of life. (That’s the press release version of the story. What really happened is that Johann’s grandparents really missed him and were dying for him to come home … so they bribed the younger couple by offering up the family farmhouse as a gift. How sweet is that?)

So just like on Green Acres (remember?), the Pepins traded in their high-flying jobs in finance and PR for fresh air, starry skies and organic farming in the bucolic Luberon region of Provence. That was ten years ago. Today their 11-hectare farm Les Pastras (in Cadenet, near Lourmarin) produces grapes, olives, apricots, cherries, plums, apples, pears, pomegranates, figs, almonds, hazelnuts and—wait for it--black winter truffles. Yes, la famille Pepin must have done something right in a past life because they own 50 mature olive trees and another 320 trees (that they they planted themselves—yikes!)  and a stand of oak that regularly produce the prized tuber melanasporum, AKA truffes noirs, AKA Black Gold. They also produce tuber aestivum--white summer truffles--as well.

“Most foodies are familiar with the famous Perigord truffle,” Lisa tells me, “but what they don’t know is that those pricey morsels are the same sort that you find at Les Pastras and across Provence, which is where 80% of black truffles are produced. The Perigord region has just done a vastly better job of marketing themselves to truffle lovers.”    

The olive oils, meanwhile, are 100% organic, extra-virgin and cold pressed, made with olives from trees that were grown in the wild and have never been treated with chemicals of any kind. Also, they don't plump their olives unnaturally using a water-wasting irrigation system; any extra water their trees need comes from collected rainwater.

Because they are just totally cool people all around, Lisa and Johann decided early on that they would give 50% of their olive oil and truffle oil profits to the One Family Orphanage in Dargout, Haiti, where their close friend Kelsey works.  For the time being, the oils are sold only at the farm and online, but they’re currently working on distribution in the U.S. and beyond. So if you visit, be sure to take a bottle or two home! Or order from the website here.

So here’s where the experience comes in: Lisa and Johann are now hosting truffle hunts in both summer and winter truffle seasons. At other times they offer olive picking, grape harvesting, petanques parties and other outdoors events. But their extremely popular truffle hunts are the main event, offered in both Winter (Nov 15 to March 15) and Summer truffle seasons (May 1 to Sept. 30).

In season, truffle hunts are available every weekday except for French public holidays. First you'll learn how truffles are cultivated and truffle dogs are trained, and then you'll sniff out some of your own, with the help of two truffle dogs. Following that, you'll discover the rest of the property, home to wild herbs, vineyards, olive groves and beehives. Then you'll return to the outdoor kitchen to taste three different hors d'oeuvre with truffles, followed by truffle ice cream with truffle honey, and finally a tasting of Les Pastras' organic extra-virgin olive oil, truffle oil and truffle salt. To accompany your tasting there will be Champagne, of course...all you care to drink. And during the tasting you'll learn how to buy, clean, store and prepare truffles once you're back home. The experience lasts at least 3 hours. The cost is 70 euros per adult, 50 euros for kids (10 to 17) and 30 euros for children (2 to 9).

For more info or to book, see the Les Pastras website here. To reach Lisa or Johann directly, email: pepin@lespastras.com. And for more fabulous Provence experiences you can share with family and friends, stay tuned….

Photos: Lisa and Johann do their best American Gothic; Green Acres and black truffles at Les Pastras; 50% of  olive- and truffle-oil profits go to an orphanage in Haiti so order often and order lots!