A VERY CIVILIZED HIKE

At 9:15 this morning I was meeting Susan to go with her hiking friends for a marche a pied.  The morning began with le petite dejuner with M Francis Jullien and his other guests.  Over cafe, croissants,  confiture et fruits, the discussion turned to baking.  As a young person, Francis had lived with his aunt and uncle in Cavaillon and worked with them in their bakery.  He was describing the work of the boulanger, how the different breads were made what sorts of flour were used---intriguing stuff for me. He had also worked as a patissier, and had pictures of some incredible cakes he had made, decorated with pate choux decorations.  I got so involved, I almost forgot about my hike and had to be reminded at 9:10 to get moving.

I got myself quickly out the door and down to the grocer's where I met Susan for the drive through Apt and south to the hameau of Severgues.  The wind was blowing like mad and Susan says it seems like a combo of the mistral and the tremontane, because the sky was full of clouds and the mistral always brings absolutely clear skies.  Our hike started through woods and in shade, so whatever the wind was, it was quite chill.  There were 18 in the group, mostly Brits, one Canadian and one French couple.  More of an intro to the ex-pat community than French immersion, but yet another new experience for me.

We walked out of Severgues for a couple km then back, on a track through wild herbs, ---mint, thyme, and summer savory.  The smell was like walking through a sachet. Back at the cars, we took a turn up the hill to walk to our lunch target, the chevre farm.
                                     

                                                                                             




The early part of the hike, through the herb garden.










                                                               

             
                 The petite eglise of the hameau,                

                with a schedule of masses that
                looks like there is a traveling
                priest who makes his way here
                about once a month.






                                                                       


After about a kilometre of going uphill, we saw  the lunch destination, Le Castelas, a most unusual inn, restaurant and farm in the Luberon hills.

        Although there were sturdy tables for  sitting outside, the wind made this an inside kind of day.   We sat down to a table with  water and vin rose. Imediately, platters of paper thin slices of jambon---that looked and tasted like the salt cured "country ham" of the South, or maybe prosciutto---appeared. Next came lovely baguettes, roasted pimentos and an aubergine tapenade.  I made a complete pig of myself, thinking what a nice lunch this was.  Those platters were taken away, presumably for the cheese course.  But then a platter with pasta and pork roast appeared, of which I could only take a few bites.  That disappeared, and my expected cheese course did come in, with peaches, pears and grapes. There were several soft fromages chevre, a hard cheese I didn't know, and a small cup of thick lavendar honey.  The hard cheese with honey was heaven.

                                                               
Over coffee, the dogs began to get restless, so we moved out for the walk back down the hill.

Looking back at le Caselas from the road.










A lovely day, lovely people (and dogs) and a lovely walk.