South of France Summering

A couple of months ago, a handful of friends and I journeyed to the South of France for a week to a beautifully isolated country house just outside the village of Coulx. We had taken the exact same trip last year and loved it so much we had to repeat it.

We were leaving behind whichever was the latest UK heatwave at that point this summer, so we had expected warmth upon arrival. We had not expected constant temperatures above 40 degrees on all but one day and nights that didn’t drop below 35. With no AC, it’s safe to say that set the tone for the week.

When you’re over two hours away from any city you tend to follow the local pastimes of a Marché Gourmand. Farmers, producers, and vendors from the surrounding area set up stalls in a village square or under strings of lights on a hilltop, to sell freshly prepared dishes; grilled duck, confit, charcuterie, cheeses, seasonal vegetables, and plenty of regional wines. You buy from several stalls, then settle at long communal tables with everyone else. They’re often accompanied or followed by music into the evening. We did the same trip last year and these markets are always a personal favourite highlight of mine. The food comes straight from the people who raised or grew it, your sat amongst the locals often with a view in front of you, and I can attempt my annual butchering of the French language by attempting to order, poorly…

On one particular day we spent an afternoon at the Latour-Marliac, a fairly historic water lily nursery site dating back 1875. The plants here inspired Claude Monet in creating his famous garden at Giverny. This was then followed by a couple of hours in Pujols, a beautifully preserved hilltop town of stone houses with stunning panoramic views and great gelato. It was a great way to feel we had satisfied the cultural side of the trip.

After an incredible week of long lunches, warm evenings, and plenty de vin we returned rested yet sunburnt, me in particular.