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Cheese Tour of Southern France – Photo Log – October 2019

Last week, Richard took to the road in France on a cheese tour.  He saw some wonderful things while touring the food halls and fromageries in the south to pick up tips and inspiration.  Here’s his account of the journey.

So, here we are. Autumn in the Alps and amongst the great cheeses of Haut Savoie. Comte, Gruyere, Tomme, and Reblochon reign supreme here.

 

Autumn in the Alps

 

Our trip actually started on the previous Saturday with a nourishing  Soupe de Paysenne and crusty bread at  Brasserie Josephine in Chamonix town centre followed by a run to Geneva to get a feel of the city and its food, and we ended up in the most fantastic covered market on Boulevard Helvetique with a wealth of offerings.

Brasserie Josephine in Chamonix
Brasserie Josephine in Chamonix

 

Monday

Monday morning, and after a disorganised start we finally made it over the pass and down onto the floodplains that surround Sallanches. We were late but in no hurry. It is lunchtime in France. Tools down. Go find somewhere to eat. So we ended up in the sunshine in the town’s square.  I chose mushroom ravioli.

 

Cheese counter with dog looking on
Dogs like cheese too!

 

Cheese on display
An enticing cheese display

 

On the Autoroute

And so the journey really sets out and we are on the Autoroute heading back past Geneva and on down to the foodie city of Lyon, on the Rhone and when we arrive we are not disappointed – beautifully laid out and with a ‘mini-Paris’ feel about it – and the more we explore, the more it feels like Paris – Place de la Republique, Place de la Concorde and so on.  So did some research and discovered that Haussmann did indeed design both cities.

 

Ville de Lyon
Ville de Lyon at night

 

After a circuit of the city in the morning uncovering les affineurs de Lyon we then leap-frogged our way south again, through Valence and then to the beautiful Orange with a history dating as far back as the 11th century.

 

Lavender and Provence signage
It’s smelling of Provence to me!

 

We reluctantly left the sunny square of Orange a little later than planned and drove down to a B&B on the outskirts of the sleepy market town of St.Remy de Provence.

Map of Route de Jean Moulin
Route de Jean Moulin

 

Sunset with wine glasses
A welcome sight at the end of the day!

 

Early start and off to St.Remy de Provence market – a feast for the senses!

display of fresh fruit
What a beautiful display!

 

olive stall
Is it that bad giving away samples?!

 

nougat display
I have never seen such a range of nougats in my life!

 

cows in a field
Now I feel at home!

 

olive trees
Or maybe not amongst the olive trees!

 

Avignon Bridge
Sur Le Pont D’Avignon

 

The cheese tour continued with the long haul to Bordeaux, with its beautiful architecture and pedestrianised streets.

Beautiful Bordeaux

 

Shelf display of cheese
I really admire the chic style of this!

 

elegant cheese counter
And just another fantastic display!

 

Then to Poitiers, a city that began to grow after the Roman conquest in the first century BC and boasts the ruins of a vast Roman amphitheater.

Poitiers
Poitiers

 

Poitiers
Walking around the town felt like being on the set of a period drama.

 

And so our French mission had ended and it was time to jump on the boat back to the ‘cats and dogs’ in England. It was an education all around and a wonderful time.

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