Our visit to the Vaucluse began with a quick, relaxing 2 hour 40 minute TGV ride from Paris’ Gare de Lyon to Avignon where an automatic transmission Fiat was waiting-my chance to chauffeur M for a change. So far alles gut.
Our visit to the Vaucluse began with a quick, relaxing 2 hour 40 minute TGV ride from Paris’ Gare de Lyon to Avignon where an automatic transmission Fiat was waiting-my chance to chauffeur M for a change. So far alles gut.
But I have a relationship with mechanical objects that recalls Jacques Tati or Woody Allen, who has problems with objects that he can neither reason with nor kiss. Automatic in France is not the simple up and down movement of your standard GM car but rather a gearbox that resembles a standard transmission-you apply the brake to engage the gears and while driving in forward gears it automatically downshifts as required. With the assistance of a friendly Avis employee we were on our way–to the exit gate.
GPS is great for most people but I can’t help feeling that it is hostile to guys from Brooklyn because it sent me on a route that delivered us to the magnificent Crillon Le Brave at 8PM-1 hour and 15 minutes later that the predicted arrival time.
Perched atop a hill with a view of the 1,900 meter tall Mont Ventoux, it is splendide. The origins of the village of Crillon date back to Roman times when it was known as Crillonium. The village’s modern history dates to the 14th-century when a leading Avignon family acquired the feudal rights to the village. A long line of dukes ruled Crillon throughout the period leading up to the Revolution but it drew its full name from the most legendary of its dukes. Le Brave Crillon (1541-1615) whose statue can be found in the village. He was one of Henri IV’s fiercest generals during the wars of religion that swept through France in the late 16th century. The same Crillon family also gave its name to the famous Hôtel Crillon on Paris’s Place de la Concorde.
We were now ready for subject that I do understand: food and wine.
Our table had a panoramic view of the valley below and our server promptly delivered two flutes of a non-vintage Bilecart-Salmon rosé to whet our appetites for Chef Jérome Blanchet’s amuse-bouches that included a velvety mousse of foie gras.
For starters I selected a carpaccio de bar au piment d’espelette croustillants de petit gris à la provencale et caviar français- sea bass carpaccio with crispy, small snails and caviar. M had the foie gras de canard with black figs that I poached to accompany a 2102 muscat de Beaume de Venise from Domaine de Bernardins, one of the many local wines that our sommelier paired with our culinary choices.
As her main course M chose a grilled Saint-Pierre with saffron celery and mussels. For moi, a lusty, pan-fried supreme de canette with apricots–délicieux.
A 2004 Chateau de la Gardine Chateauneuf du Pape was an excellent choice
From a lavish cheese cart we continued our habit of eating and drinking locally with several local goat cheeses-you won’t see many cows in the area, followed by a delicate souffle au malibu coco et sorbet ananas rhum served with a 2102 La ColliereRasteau.
It was now 12:30 and we had an early day in front of us but our sommelier wasn’t through with me. With the taste of rum from the soufflé lingering in my mouth he poured me a vintage, dark Guatemalan rum that knocked me on my kiester-but oh so good.
So back to our room to sleep perchance to dream.
Crillon Le Brave • Place de l’église • Crillon Le Brave
Tel: 04 90 85 61 61 • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
as featured in Travels in France with Terrance