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DIG INTO BOUILLABAISSE IN MARSEILLE
Home to a diverse population of more than one million
people, Marseille is a fascinating port of entry into all
there is to discover in Provence.
After strolling the narrow streets of the Old Quarter
and basking in Mediterranean views at the hilltop
Romanesque-Byzantine Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica,
it may be time to refuel with Marseille’s iconic dish.
Head to Chez Fonfon, for a steaming bowl of
bouillabaisse, a savory, seafood soup brimming with
scorpion fish, conger eel, tomato, saffron and the
famous Provençal sauce called rouille made from
garlic and olive oil. Fishing boats pull up right out
front of the restaurant, located just outside the
Vieux Port (Old Port), to offload their catch, so
you know it’s fresh. There are even sealed jars
of bouillabaisse you can buy to bring home.
LAVENDER FIELDS FOREVER
AT THE SÉNANQUE ABBEY
Provence’s iconic lavender fields are at peak purpleness
from mid-June through August. You’ll find the bulk of
them north of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille and to the
east of Avignon. For a fabulous architectural backdrop
and ideal photography subject with those flowering
purple views, head to the 12th century Sénanque Abbey,
near the medieval town of Gordes. Monks still live on site
here, planting and harvesting the lavender that you can
purchase in soap, oil and other forms at their gift shop.
AN ART-FILLED VINEYARD VISIT
AT CHATEAU LA COSTE
About ten miles north of Aix-en-Provence, in the village
of Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, the vineyards and winery
of the 600-acre Chateau La Coste boast striking design
elements by French architect Jean Nouvel that contrast
with the property’s 18th century mansion.
Stroll the sculpture garden to see works by Frank Ghery,
Alexander Calder and others. Then settle in at a table
in the gorgeous gardens, surrounded by views of the
Mont Ventoux and the Luberon Massif, to sip the estate’s
certified organic wines. The sparkling La Bulle rosé
tastes like Provence in a glass.
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