Food in Provence (and elsewhere)

Priority disembarkation was a charm. I was the second vehicle and first car off the ferry at about 6:50 and the only delay leaving the port was the French immigration officers who’d never seen my diplomatic permit—they even asked if they could take a picture so they’d have an example! I was on my way by 7am along empty roads. I stopped for a coffee and croissant around 10:30 and the roads were still so empty by 11:30 that I was worried I’d fall asleep the drive was so boring. Soon after, though, I hit the A11 motorway to Paris and had to think about driving rather than just hold a steering wheel so all was fine. I stopped for a late lunch just after Clermont-Ferrand and looked set to arrive in Valréas around 17:30—my early start and travelling on Sunday helping to speed things up. Things were still looking good despite the busy traffic on the A47 and the A7 between Lyon and Vienne, but then we hit Valence. I expected the traffic jams where we normally join the A7 when coming from Geneva and then by the service station just after, but there were a whole series more before the turn off to Valréas (one of which I bypassed much of by going through an aire!). Still, back home and drinking Jura crémant in the pool by 7pm was pretty good going!

Dinner was a Valréas/Ballymaloe composite that I’d’ve been happy to serve Rory even if the ingredients weren’t on our larder list for the exam. A salad of Ballymaloe cucumber and Valréas tomatoes, for example…

Plus locally sourced ham, a Mère Richard Saint Marcellin, farmhouse Comté and my Ballymaloe sourdough. Plus the Provence Rosé I’d included as the wine suggestion on my exam menu.

Home Sweet Home indeed. But it’s amazing how much darker it is in the evening here, even allowing for the time difference. We’re a lot further south. The temperature, of course, is also different: 39°C when I arrived although it’s a good deal cooler now.

Some loose ends

• Diesel was €1.78/l in Ladysbridge on Saturday so I feel my lunch in Youghal to be justified—or at least justifiable!
• … and €1.99/l on the motorway in France but that was because I ended up at a Total filling station. I wondered why it was so busy but realised later when I saw that elsewhere the price was €2.15/l; Total have been capping their offering at €1.99, something I’d forgotten whilst in Ireland.
• The ferry alarm call was a little before 5, but gentle music. The harsh PA announcements didn’t start until gone 5:30, fortunately.

Finally, thanks to my regular readers, especially Chris Hall. It’ll be back to irregular posts from tomorrow.