Villefranche sur mer - Fall 2025 -1

Dear Friends,

It has been a long time since I have written.  We were in fact in Villefranche for January and February 2025 and had a great time, but I didn't write.  We are now back for a three week stay in October.  Much is different.  For a variety of reasons we are not in our regular apartment which feels odd.  The new apartment has some very nice qualities.  The view is spectacular.

The building is located just across the street from the old town so everything is very convenient.  There are lots of windows and sliding glass doors so it is very light and airy.  It also has an elevator which is great because it is on the 5th floor.  The apartment is made from two smaller apartments so it is a little strange, and it is very minimalist.  The kitchen has an induction stove top but no oven other than a sort of grill in a tiny microwave that is placed very high.  There are lots of plates and utensils but the pots and pans are sorely lacking and they are all non stick.  There is, in fact, no sauce pan.  There are no kitchen garbage cans or placemats and only one small kitchen towel and a couple of napkins.  Except for the lack of an oven all the problems could be easily and inexpensively solved.  We bought some napkins, placemats and towels that will work well for us at home.  We are somehow managing to survive and make some decent meals.

Steak, artichoke, baked potato and provençal veggies

chicken breast, roasted potatoes and asparagus

pork chop, mushroom dijon sauce, zucchini onion and tomato sauté, baked potato

chicken breast, rice, peppers and onions, provençal veggies

Of course we have not eaten all our dinners at home.  As usual we had dinner at Le Serre on the first night.  It was so great to be back again.

For my birthday dinner, we went a little more upscale to Le Bistro de L'étoile.  It was a perfect evening to sit on their great terrace and soak in the ambiance.

The food was also delicious.

filet de loup (sea bass)

tuna

île flottante

I also went for my annual birthday swim in the Mediterranean.  It was beautiful and refreshing, and the beach was quite crowded.  You have to take my word for it that I am the one waving from the sea.

Of course Jane was there to record the swim and watch out for me.

I have played pétanque.  The group is smaller in the fall, but the competition is intense.  Needless to say, I won.  Just look at that form.

So we are happily ensconced in our own little paradise while the world crumbles around us.  Neither  France nor the United States has a budget as required by law, but in France the government is still open although the prime minister who resigned last week was reappointed one day later.  Government stability is lacking here but at least they are still a democracy.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

 

Villefranche-sur-mer 2022 - 4 La Vie Quotidienne (the daily life)

Dear Friends,

I often forget to write about all the normal daily things that make life in Villefranche so wonderful.  So here are a few such things.

Jane and I take french lessons all year round from Aude, a woman who lives in Villefranche.  When we are not in Villefranche, we have our lessons via Skype.  If all goes as planned in a week, we have a two hour lesson with Aude and just us, we also have a one hour lesson with Joan who lives in Wyoming but was born in Minnesota and Aude, and we have another one hour lesson with Katrina who lives in Rhode Island and whom we have never met in person and Aude.  When we are in Villefranche our lesson schedule varies as Aude is in high demand.  In January we are having three 2.5 hour lessons a week with just us and Aude and then on Fridays, we have a 4.5 hour lesson with Aude and Joan.  

Last Friday we met at the Brassiere Le Sourcouf.  Here are Jane, Aude and Joan arriving. 

Of course, we quickly settled into our lesson.  Well actually first we had to order coffee and croissants.  We can only speak french during our lessons so we did place the order in french.

You probably noticed how beautiful the croissants are.  Well let me tell you they are fantastic!! When I commented on how good they were to our friend, Jean Paul, who lives in Villefranche and who was a chef, he said they are made from brioche dough.  I then started to research the difference.  Here is a little of what I learned.

Brioche Dough vs Croissant Dough

Except for a difference in the liquid component, the ingredients in brioche dough and croissant dough are basically the same – milk, butter, salt, yeast, flour and sugar. 

The difference yields a tender crumb with brioche while producing a flaky crumb for croissants.

For brioche, the liquid in the dough largely comes from eggs with a small amount of milk. This has the effect of producing a more cake-like texture when baking is complete.

In contrast to eggs as the liquid component, croissants have nearly twice the amount of butter and use milk as the only liquid. In conjunction with the way the dough is layered, a croissant will have a much crispier exterior. 

After reading the above, you can see why both croissants and brioche are wonderful.  Jean Paul was right the croissants at Le Surcouf were moister and not quite as flaky as a normal croissant, but they are fabulous.   

Villefranche has long been a fishing village.  Unfortunately there are only a couple of fishing families left down from over 40 at the peak.  However, we still get to see the fishermen go out every morning and evening and spread their nets.  We walk past this boat almost every day sitting at the quay.

It has seen better days and needs some TLC, but it is a true working boat.  We are the lucky recipients of the hard work of these fishermen.  Virtually all restaurants in town serve some kind of fresh fish all the time.  Here is a filet de loup (sea bass) thanks to the Villefranche fishermen.

 

I am on the French Riviera so I should not be surprised that from time to time, I run into movie stars.  The other day I was lucky enough to have lunch with Audrey Hepburn who naturally was incognito.

I should also note that the pétanque season has started, and I have not yet lost a game.  In this photo you can see my perfect form.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

Villefranche-sur-mer 2019 - 11 Odds and Ends

Dear Friends,

We arrived home from Villefranche on Sunday and are trying valiantly to adjust.  In addition to the normal jet lag and cultural change, this year we are faced with a dramatic weather change.  While we were in Villefranche, Minneapolis was having an extremely cold and snowy winter, setting all kinds of records.  When we left Villefranche it was a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze and about 60 degrees.  We we arrived in Minneapolis -

Here is Jane in circle in front of the entrance to our apartment building.  She looks much happier than she was.

In our last week in Villefranche, there were several things that I did not get a chance to write about so here are the odds and ends.

Flying Fire Fighters

Almost every winter we get a chance to see so fire fighting planes practice scooping up water from the bay to drop on fires.  This year there were actually a couple of days when they swooped overhead to pick up water because there were actual fires.  It was quite a sight.  From our apartment we could not actually see the plane as it scooped up the water, but we got some photos of the planes swooping in just over the roof tops.

In the photo below the plane is just about to scoop up water.  They don't stop or actually land they just scoop it up as they fly along.

Walk around Cap Martin

Jane and it decided we would try another walk from the book that gave us the walk above La Turbie.  This time the book told the truth.  The walk around Cap Martin was beautiful, without huge up and downs and with a smooth path.  It is also easily accessible.  We took the train to the stop at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, just east of Monaco.  Despite some construction, the path was easy to find.

Here is a picture looking back at Monaco with Cap Ferrat in the background.

There were some spots where the cliffs fell rapidly to the sea from the path.  In the photo below, if you look closely you can see some paths as well as a small platform to swim from when the seas are calm.

There were some places that were not good for those with a fear of heights.  The ramp is about 3 feet wide and attached to a huge retaining wall.

The walk concludes when you reach Carnoles a neighborhood of Menton right on the water.  Even in the winter, there are restaurants available for a nice lunch.  We had lunch at a very nice restaurant called Le Fellini.  The menu of the day included the "salad bar", choice of three main courses, a drink and a coffee for 16 euros.  It was a great deal.  The salad bar was not like any American salad bar I have ever seen.

The picture is not very good, but it included roasted zucchini, roasted egg plant, roasted carrots, cabbage, green beans, red and yellow peppers, a tuna salad with peas, carrots and mayo, small pieces of pizza and a few other things.  Jane had the roasted chicken and I had the sword fish.  The drink turned out to be 1.5 glasses of wine each.  Anyway a great way to finish off a great walk.  We then got back on the train at the stop after the one where we had gotten off and had a short ride back to Villefranche.

Le Serre

There is a restaurant right in the middle of the old town that we just love.  It is very casual with a menu of pizzas as well as other regular items such as pastas, beef brioche, fish and salads. Each day there is a menu of the day featuring starters, main courses and desserts.  The full menu is only 18 euros, an incredible deal.

The best thing about it is the owner/chef Sylvie and her staff.  They are great at their jobs, but even more important they make you feel very welcome and make your entire experience wonderful.  

Pétanque

As you could have guessed from prior posts, I enjoy playing pétanque while in Villefranche.  Here I am with my teammates (one from Canada and one from Ireland) from the last match that I played before returning to Minneapolis.

The organizer of the pétanque matches is a John Paul, a resident of Villefranche (in the winter) and Maine (in the summer).  He is a wonderful person who welcomes all to play regardless of skill level.  His only reward is seeing everybody have a great time.  Jane and I had lunch with him before we left to which he wore the Minnesota t-shirt that we got him for his birthday.

One of the rules that John Paul has taught us is that if you lose a game 13 - 0, you have to run naked through the streets.  We are not sure that all of his rules are actually official pétanque rules.  When pétanque makes its Olympics debut in 2024, we will see what the actual rules are.  Anyway at lunch there was a rather unique statue which John Paul explained was a statue of Fanny.  If you win a pétanque match 13 - 0,  you get to touch Fanny's fanny.  You can see from the coloring of Fanny's fanny that lots of people must have won shutouts.

And so ends our latest stay in Villefranche.  We were sad to leave and even sadder to return to the cold and snow of Minnesota, but we know that we will return in September.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

Villefranche-sur-mer 2019 - 9 Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Pétanque, Saint-Jeannet

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, the women in the group of people we know here in Villefranche organized a lunch for themselves.  They ate lunch for three hours at La Corderie, a great restaurant at the Darse of Villefranche.  The Darse is the working marina in Villefranche.

Not to be out done, the men organized a pétanque game in Saint-Paul-de-Vence followed by lunch and sightseeing in Saint-Jeannet.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a wonderful medieval city perched on a hilltop as they all seem to be.  It is well known for all the artists that hung out there.  Just before you reach the gates to the old city, you pass a hotel/restaurant called La Colombe d'Or.  It is quite famous.  The same family has owned it for years.  In the era of Matisse, many artists ate and drank there and since many could not pay their bills, they would give the owners paintings.  As a result, the restaurant has an incredible collection of art which is nearly matched by the amazing view.  While many people say that the food is not worth the price, there are many who say that the entire experience is.  I have never been to La Columbe d'Or. But La Colombe d'Or has nothing to do with this post.

Across the small street from La Colombe d'Or is the Café de la Place and surrounding the café is an area where one can play pétanque.  In fact many famous people and many great pétanque players have played there.  In our group none of us is famous nor a particularly good pétanque player.  Nevertheless we persisted.

Many of the tourists thinking we must be special to play there took our pictures.  Of course we also had the usual discussions about whose boule was closer to the cochonnet.

After a heated game of pétanque, we drove to Saint-Jeannet where we had lunch at a local café.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day, and as you can see from the next picture the view was also spectacular.  This was our view from our table.

We then went up the hill to the old town which was very quaint.

One of our group has a home in the old town which was very nice, but the most amazing thing about it was the rooftop porch.  Here is one of the views.

After relaxing with some champagne on the rooftop porch, we drove back to Villefranche.  What a wonderful day we had.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal

Villefranche-sur-mer 2019 - 7 Boules et Léger

Dear Friends,

Thanks to Jane, who bought the boules for me, and some friends here in Villefranche, who drove us on this adventure, I am now the proud owner of my own set of boules for pétanque.  They are not just any old boules.  They are Obut boules.

To the uninitiated, the information on this box may not demonstrate what great boules I got.  They are semi-hard, stainless steel, 76 mm in diameter and weigh 710 grams.  They fit my hand perfectly as you can see.  Notice how the line of the edge of my thumb just lines up with the tips of all my fingers.

One might think that you can just go to a boule store and pick any old one off the shelf, but no.  It is important to get the diameter and the weight just right for your weight and hand size as well as your style of play.  Notice the table I am standing next to with all the boules on it.  I needed to try many before getting just the right one.

You also must select just the right design.  Here are the boules that I purchased.  They are sold in groups of three as that is the number that you need when you play a match.

I have strategically placed the boules so that you get a view from three angles.  The one in the middle is the name of the manufacturer, Obut, the best there is.  The one on the right shows the model "match" and the one on the left shows the serial number of my particular set of boules.  In a group you need to be able to tell which boules are yours.  Of course mine will now always be the closest ones to the cochonnet, nevertheless, I will remember that I am serial number A135.  It is a little hard to see but notice the lines of varying lengths on either side of match and Obut.  It is a great design, and I am certain it will give me just the right grip to achieve the perfect spin.

I should note again that Jane gave me these boules, and here we are leaving the store.

After securing my future as a pétanque player, we headed for Biot, a medieval town located on a hilltop above Antibes.  We went there to see the Fernand Léger museum.  

I did not know very much about Léger except for his large colorful murals like the ones on the outside of the museum.

I was surprised to learn about the incredible scope of his work.  He was born in 1881 and died in 1955.  He started as an impressionist.  Unfortunately around 1905 he became disenchanted with his work and destroyed virtually all of them.  This one is entitled "Le jardin de ma mère" was one of my favorites in the museum.

He felt that art should be for everybody and was a strong proponent of what we now call public art.  He wanted art set outside where all could enjoy it.

One small piece that I really liked was a painting and plaster sculpture done with Mary Callery.

There was a special exhibit of works by Stéphane Couturier, a photographer who was born in 1957 just two years after Léger had died.  Léger's influence on Couturier was obvious.  In the photo below, the work in the middle is Léger and the ones on each side are Couturier's.

We left the museum having enjoyed it and learnt a lot.

Of course no adventure is complete without a good meal.  One of the great things about going around the countryside in France is the extraordinary number of great restaurants that you find.  Our friends had done some research and decided we should try this one.

It is a very casual but inviting place that seemed to serve a clientele ranging from working people, to locals to tourists.  The food was great.  Here is the rabbit with risotto and mushrooms.  The sauce was very tasty and quite rich, but a wonderful hearty meal.

Here is the pork in thyme sauce with potatoes, a wonderful hearty meal.

As a connoisseur of profiterole, I could not resist trying their version of this wonderful dessert.  In this case, they coated the pastry shell in mousse au chocolat.  It was wonderful but probably had a few calories hidden in the whipped cream.

All in all we had a wonderful adventure, and now I am ready to become a pétanque star.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal