Bonjour Provence Tour - Day 3 Program Details

If you enjoyed breakfast at the Hotel Vendome, you will be amazed by the breakfast fare at the Hotel Aquabella.  Abundance of food, endless variety of pastries, breads, fresh fruit, cheeses, cold meats make it pretty much impossible to try everything but the three breakfasts there will give you a pretty good chance to sample most of what this place has to offer.

The plentiful and delicious breakfast buffet similar to the one served at the Aquabella Hotel

 

Time to get on board and head off to Bandol for our first winery of the tour at the Chateau de Pibarnon. Bandol, located near the coast east of Marseille and Cassis is a gentle seaside resort in a sheltered bay, cradled by hills and protected from the wind.  It is popular in summer but especially pleasant  to visit out of season when the crowds have gone and you can savour the beauty of the place with less people around.

The gentle seaside harbour of Bandol
Image - Courtesy Google Images

The sheltered location of Bandol provides excellent conditions for grape growing and there have been vineyards there since 600 BC.  Bandol produces terrific whites and rosés on the coast (a marvelous accompaniment  to fish and seafood) and stronger red wines grown on the terraces inland. 

 

Bandol is one of the most internationally recognised wines of the Provence regions.  The Mourvèdre grape which is the major variety there for both the red and rosé wines account for at least 50% of the blend.  Nearly 70% of the production is red wine with some rosé and a small amount of white wine making up the remainder. Red Bandol wine is characterised by its dark colour with rich flavours of black fruit, and usually requires at least 10 years of aging before it fully develop.  Mourvèdre has found its home at Bandol.  Three thousand hours of sunshine a year perfectly suit this slow-ripening grape variety which is rarely seen in other French vineyards where it usually ripens very poorly.  Mourvèdre has to spend 18 months in oak casks as an essential prerequisite.  It then takes another five or six years before it fully reveals its elegant constitution. 

My favourite vineyard in Bandol is the Chateau de Pibarnon.  The secret of Pibarnon's wines lies in its local soil; a brilliant grape variety; Mourvèdre, and an altitude of more than 300 metres above sea level, matched by an ideal micro-climate and the most enchanting vineyard.  You will be impressed by the degustation of their most famous vintages.

Entering the Chateau de Pibarnon

 

The Reception Area

Where it all Happens

The Oak Barrels; the essential element for the Mourvèdre Grapes

Our next destination and a place that I love going to and where we will have lunch is Cassis.  Cassis is a small attractive town also known for its wines (white, but also rosé) produced in the region.  There's no better way to enjoy Cassis than by taking a slow, leisurely walk along the fishing harbour and the shop-lined streets of this delightful village. 

Cassis

The Old Fortifications above Present-Day Cassis

Taking a Stroll in Cassis

 

The Beach at Cassis

 

Shopping in Cassis

 

If you've made it all the way to Cassis, it would be an absolute shame to leave without trying the famous Bouillabaisse, the dish it is known for and "Chez Gilbert"; on the harbour, where we have booked our lunch, you will enjoy a bouillabaisse according to the required protocol.  The preparation and serving of this dish is very specific and taken pretty seriously.  To start with, it must be served with at least four to six designated fish types and the fish must be cut up in front of you.  Sip on a glass of Cassis wine like Domaine du Paternel and/or La Ferme Blanche.  If there is any room left, a wide variety of desserts is also available to complete this sumptuous lunch.

Serving the Famous "Chez Gilbert" Bouillabaisse

The Fish varieties that Make up the Bouillabaisse

Fresh bread, Piping Hot Bouillabaisse - Bon Appetit !!!

 A Cassis vineyard is next on the program.  I have two favourite places there which I tend to alternate; Domaine du Paternel or La Ferme Blanche.  Both these vineyards offer some first class wines which will give you an interesting comparison with the Bandol wines sampled before lunch.

Time to head back to Aix en Provence to freshen up at the Aquabella hotel before dinner at "Chez Maxime" another typical Provence place with a whole range of local specialties to enjoy.

Chez Maxime

A gentle stroll back to the hotel to finish off  a wonderful day for another well earned rest.

A leisurely walk down this quaint lane way in Aix, leads us back to our welcoming hotel

Another day filled with new sights, sounds, flavours and wonderful companionship.  See you on Day 4 of the Tour.