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It is July 15th and our France vacation is coming to an end. Air Canada has another surprise for us. This time it is not a flight cancellation. We are checking in for our Paris to Montreal flight and are informed that we have been upgraded to “Super Affaires”, in English Executive First.
I am sitting in 1A, Gabi in 1D. We are just settling into our private space, checking out all the bells and whistles, when the flight attendant is asking ” Is there a doctor on board?”
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Yesterday, we flew from Marseille to Paris and spent the evening strolling along the Canal St.Martin. We found a small local restaurant, “Pomm Resto” along Quai De Valmy, where we had a good pizza , while watching the action along the canal. We are surprised, how many people use one of the rental bikes, which are stationed all over the city. Paris even has dedicated bike lanes.
This morning, Paris is waking up to a brilliant sunshine and blue skies, perfect parade weather. I find a copy of the paper “Le Monde” in the hotel lobby, and quickly search for the schedule of events. (the young ladies at the reception desk had no idea and were somewhat useless for getting any information out of).
No time for a sit-down breakfast, so we grab a cappuccino and croissant from a Boulangerie around the corner from Gare Du Nord, eating in the street. We manage to buy a Metro Pass, after more standing in line at a Paris train station. The Metro takes us to Arc De Triomphe, but we are not alone.
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The day started easy enough. It is Sunday, July13th and it is a short drive on the Autoroute Du Sud from Cavaillon to Marseille Airport in Marignane. We return our Smart Car and fly on Air France to Paris. The Airbus A321 is full. Tomorrow is Juillet Quatorze, Bastille Day. I have some nice views of the old town and harbor of Martigues, before cruising above the Camargue. We arrive at Charles De Gaulle and attempt to take the RER Train, which links the airport with Gare Du Nord in Paris. This is not as easy, as it could be.
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Here are more Provence highlights of our exploration tour:
a memorable picnic with great vistas on the slopes of Mont Ventoux,
the moon-scape at the top of Mont Ventoux, with views reaching from Mont Blanc in the north to Nice in the south,
spending a lazy afternoon and evening in the restaurant “Le Blueberry” in Malaucene, sitting next to the Fontaine de la Vie ( Fountain of Life, dating back to 7/14/1896); we see people, birds and dogs come to the fountain, in order to quench their thirst (not all at the same time),
an evening stroll at sunset through the deserted, narrow streets of Vaison la Romaine and observing a lone white Heron, standing in the river below us,
standing in the Gard river under the Roman Aqueduct “Pont Du Gard”,
walking along the many streams and huge water wheels in the middle of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue ,
searching far and wide for the famous Lavender fields of the Provence, and finding a disappointing small patch at “Abbey Notre-Dame De Senanque”
driving through the vineyards of the “Appellation Cotes Du Luberon” and “Cotes Du Rhone”,
being part of the Melon Festival of the “Confreres Du Melon Cavaillon”, mingling with the town honoraries, drinking punch and eating deliciously sweet melons,
watching the female band leader from Lausanne directing her Swiss musicians with so much verve, that I was afraid she might dislocate her shoulder joints at any moment,
having a drink on the front steps of “Le Café Du Place” in Menerbes, when a sudden wind gust and black clouds almost made us leave,
reaching our Ibis Hotel in Cavaillon later that night, just in time to watch a tremendous thunder and lightning show over the Luberon mountains,
and last but not least, never being able to enjoy a wine tasting, since, despite multiple attempts on our part, the vintners did not let us in, regardless of the all the signs by the road : “Degustation Ouvert”!

This was my worst dinner in France, ever!
We are in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and “La Mere Germaine” comes highly recommended. Maria, Rolf, Gabi and myself are seated on the outside terrace, overlooking the famous vineyards, surrounding the Pope’s former summer castle. The weather and ambiance are perfect. The Maitre d’ helps to clarify some of the dinner choices on the menu, and we begin this memorable dining experience, enjoying the appetizers and wine. Everything is fine, until my main course is presented. I had ordered “cochon” (pork) and, to my unending surprise, a rolled up, thick, fat piece of depilated pig skin somehow found itself from the kitchen’s garbage pile on the plate in front of me. I try two bites and then give up on this French culinary experience. The desert Crème Brulee helps to quiet my hungry stomach. The meals of my fellow diners are average, certainly nothing special.
The scrambled eggs with foie gras have barely noticeable foie gras and Gabi’s main course, an Aioli fish casserole, leaves a lot to be desired.
We did enjoy the atmosphere and beautiful sunset of the Provence.
I ended up paying for the non-edible pig skin, still resting on my plate.
The Maitre d’ would not relent or compromise; even after the two of us had a somewhat heated verbal exchange, during which I explained to him that this was a “First” during our world travels. I have never had to pay for food which did not meet my expectation, up until today! The waiter certainly was not interested in repeat business or his customers possibly recommending his restaurant!
And so the Restaurant “La Mere Germaine” in Chateauneuf-du-Pape achieved a not so honorable mention in my travel log.

During this trip through France, we utilize 2 Smart cars and 5 Ibis Hotels : Marseille, Arles, Orange, Cavaillon and Paris Gare Du Nord Chateau Landon.
On July 8th, we take the train from Arles to Marseille and pick up another Smart Car, this one navy blue. We cruise through the Camargue Nature Park, but are rather disappointed:
we see very few flamingos and only one small herd of black Camargue bulls. The only wild, white horses of the Camargue we find, are some domesticated trail horses, which take tourist for a tame ride.
Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer is a big tourist trap with souvenir shops and an overcrowded beach, lacking any hint of nice atmosphere.
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On Monday, July 7, we say good bye to last week’s floating home. A 90 minute train trip takes us back to our departure point. This is too easy, just letting the scenery go by, without any “ecluse” to navigate through!
Rolf and Maria give us a ride to Arles, and after a refreshing swim in the Ibis Hotel pool, we take a walk into town and tour the sites : Roman arena, Roman amphitheater, Roman baths and Roman Forum.
Provence was established as the first “province” outside of the boundaries of the original Roman Empire. It served as a retirement community for Roman Generals, keeping them at a distance far enough from Rome, so that they could not stage a political coup.
As a decent Roman city, Arles has an arena for gladiator fights, an amphitheater for theatrical performances, a circus maximus for chariot races and a spa for relaxation and relieving rheumatic aches and pains.
We follow the Van Gogh trail, marking several of his famous painting spots. Finally, we are next to the “Cafe Van Gogh” in the former Roman Forum, and have a good dinner in the restaurant “Le Bistro Arlesien”.
I have an excellent entrecote in the Place Du Forum, while the setting sun is changing the color of the bright yellow “Cafe La Nuit”, which is said to be Van Gogh’s “Cafe Terrace At Night” painting.

We did very well with driving our house boat. We did not ram into any locks, narrow bridges (with little clearance overhead or on the sides of the boat), tunnels or other boats. None of us hit their head, ducking under the bridges, and we always remembered to quickly take down the sun umbrella. We avoided being hit by low tree branches, most of the time, and did not swipe the glasses of the sundeck table. But on Friday, the battery charge warning light would not go off, while running the engine. Eventually, the boat’s lights went dim, the pumps would not pump out the shower water and overnight, the refrigerator stopped working.
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We leave Port Cassafieres on June 30 and cruise with our “Royal Classique” houseboat through the Languedoc countryside, arriving in Castelnaudary on July 5. We make some great memories during those 6 days:
We have sunny blue skies until the last day of the cruise. Every night, we have our dinner on the open sun deck. The canal and surrounding hills are peaceful and relaxing The dinners on board, created by our 3 ladies, are master pieces. The nights on board are quiet and restful. We get to meet new people.
I chat with some of the “Eclusieres” ( canal lock “working ladies”), most of them university students. They work 13 shifts (9am to 7 PM) per month. It is not a bad job. The girls are working on their tan, and once in a while have to push the buttons on the remote control, opening and closing the gates of the locks. Another fringe benefit : watching the novice house boat captains ramming the gates, locks and fellow traveler’s boats!
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July 1st is a full day of cruising. The sun wakes us around 7 AM, and Rolf and I take the bikes to buy croissants and “pain chocolat” at the next boulangerie. Breakfast tastes so much better outdoors, sitting on the open sun deck of our Royal Classique. This time, I check out the tree branches above me. Fortunately, there are no pigeons, who could bombard us. At 10 AM, we are casting off at Villeneuve-les-Beziers. Gabi has to work the ropes as we climb through the Fonserannes Staircase, a succession of 7 locks, lifting us 13.6 meters. After all this work, we get rewarded with an all afternoon cruise without locks (the only one on this trip!).
After all, it is her birthday, the sun is shining and we follow the canal, meandering through the vineyards, providing us with great vistas of the surrounding hills and farm houses. Lunch is on board in the middle of nowhere. We drive two stakes into the grass of the river bank and tie up the boat. Our lunch gets rudely interrupted by the passing hotel barge “Roi Soleil”, whose wake and suction tear our stakes out of the ground. We have to retrieve our hardware and continue the leisurely afternoon cruise. Gabi gets even some reading done, before we tie up to the tree roots along the canal’s bank for the night.
We are in Capestang and today have motored 35 kilometers. The Capestang restaurant “La Grillade” is famous for it’s steaks, and Gabi has a nice Birthday Dinner in the courtyard under the stars. We also have a good excuse to try the delicious ice cream they serve here.
The celebration continues on our boat, with candles on our sun (star-) deck. Eventually we have to call it a day, tomorrow we have to be awake for more cruising and more locks.
Bonne Nuit, Mon Amour!