Uzes and Pont du Gard

I had to get an earlier start today because I scheduled a culinary lesson with James at 4:30p. After breakfast, I said goodbye to my dinner companions and new-found friends from Northern Ireland, Jim and Hazel. Such a sweet couple, they were gracious enough to invite me to eat dinner with them while we all stayed at Les Carmes. Unfortunately, they were heading up north to another B&B in Provence to explore more of that region for the next week. I wrote them a short note and included my business card/contact info so that we can keep in touch via email, and they gave me a miniature New Testament bible as a keepsake. Our dinners have been averaging about three hours each night, so we’ve gotten to know a lot about each other. During one of our many conversations, we talked extensively about the civil unrest between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics in the country they call home. It was very interesting to hear about it from people who have lived there their entire lives. Although the threat of terrorism is far less than it used to be in Northern Ireland, it was still amazing to hear how religious backgrounds shape who people are taught to associate with still to this day. Jim and Hazel are Protestants, and even though I was raised Roman Catholic, I talked to them about how challenging it is to keep God at the center of my life (with so many life distractions). Being very religious people, Jim and Hazel were gentle reminders of the presence of God in my life.
I headed out at 10am towards the village of Uzes, west of Les Carmes past Avignon. I am surprising myself more and more each day that I am able to 1) find my way to these little villages, but more importantly, 2) find my way back to Les Carmes. It took me over 1.5 hours to arrive at Uzes. During these past few days, I’ve learned to park well before the entrance of the village to avoid the traffic gridlock that wastes time more than anything else. I parallel parked on the sidewalk behind a line of other cars, and walked up to the town. Every Saturday morning, Uzes has a market within the center of the village. Various booths at the market sell cured meats, cheeses, fresh seafood, clothes, jewelry, linens, among other things. The merchants line multiple streets within Uzes and because it draws so many locals and tourists alike, it took forever just to get from one end of the market to the other. After I had enough of the market’s crowds, I stopped in and took pictures of a couple of the churches and the castle as well. For lunch (because I was short on time), I bought a vegetarian quiche and ate it while I walked through town.
After buying some homemade canned tapenades at the market, I found my car and headed back towards Avignon, but stopped at Pont Du Gard. This multi-tiered bridge is the most distinctive landmark in the region of Gard within Provence. There’s not much else to see besides the bridge, once at the main parking area. But I did notice that many locals brought picnic meals, towels, and umbrellas so they could hang out in the water down below the bridge. I saw kayakers as well, enjoying the beautiful day under the Pont Du Gard. I walked on, under, and over the bridge to get multiple shots of the scenic monument, and then headed back to Les Carmes. I gave myself a lot of leeway just in case I got lost, but I ended up finding the main road with an hour to spare. I decided to drive into L’Isle Sur la Sorgue and walk the streets for a bit before my culinary lesson back at Les Carmes. Still hungry and not wanting to wait until 8p for my next meal, I bought another small quiche as a snack, took more pictures of the impressive and picturesque water wheels throughout the village, then headed back to Les Carmes to sit poolside and update my blog.
I met James in the kitchen at our scheduled time and he planned to teach me how to make the goat cheese soufflé, the bread pudding dessert, and the seared tuna entrée that he will be serving us tonight. He made everything look much easier than it actually is, and it was cool to see firsthand how he whips up the incredibly tasty creations we eat every night for dinner. Apparently, his godfather is a very famous 2-star Michelin rated chef in France. When James was 16, he studied under him for over a year, then assisted a different Michelin rated chef for another two years, only to return back to his godfather’s restaurant kitchen. James is now the executive chef at Les Carmes and is responsible for the incredible meals that they prepare and serve every day. I know I wouldn’t find any restaurant in any of the nearby villages that serve as high quality of food for the price.
Unlike all the previous nights, the number of guests who signed up for dinner was much smaller than usual. Since there were only three of us for dinner tonight, the couple from Belgium Bert & Leive asked me to join them. They have a 6-year old son Willam and a 4-year old daughter Margot. Both Bert & Leive are lawyers in Belgium and they speak their native Dutch, French and English. Not surprisingly, I have met many Europeans who speak multiple languages during this trip. For them it’s extremely beneficial given the ease of traveling from one EU country to another. The entire dinner meal was delicious once again. I enjoyed watching and learning from James, because the culinary lesson gave me a glimmer of hope that an amateur like me might be able to pull off some of James’s culinary delights.

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