As I wait to go shopping for the last meal that I'll be preparing in Mollans, I'm gathering my thoughts about this village of 900 which has been my home for 8 days.
Small as it may be, it has two bakeries, two bars ( in France, bars are places for all and not just for alcoholic drinks; they are gathering places for a coffee, a citron presse, maybe a snack. Some sell newspapers and magazines, etc), at least three restaurants, a lavender factory, a hotel, a butcher shop that attracts customers from all over the region, a wine shop, some wineries, a small supermarket, an organic market, artisan studios, and, I'm sure more that I don't remember or know about..
During the French Revolution, the only church built in France was the one here in Mollans...it is still functioning.
The village's many fountains give clean fresh water. This a popular village with cyclists and a special stop for them to fill up their water bottles. Saturday morning at the big fountain pictured above, there were so many cyclists that I could barely walk by.
Every few years, the Tour de France travels through the nearby Mt. Ventoux area.
When I walk by the lavender factory, I am engulfed in fragrance.
In recognition of this being the lavender region, most houses have lavender shutters, lavender doors, lavender fences,...
So, the rest of this blog will be pictures of Mollans. When you get to the pizzeria, of course I'll have a few food photos. I went there two nights in a row. One night with a few of my classmates and last night, despite the copious Sunday lunch, by myself for. A chicken Caesar salad and a glass of wine.
While I usually do not go on organized tours, the Maison Mollans tour with Hallie and Mary has been a wonderful way to see a region new to me through an insider's eyes and learn to prepare and enjoy the cuisine of the region.
I'm sad to leave...but, Paris beckons me for a few more days.
Small as it may be, it has two bakeries, two bars ( in France, bars are places for all and not just for alcoholic drinks; they are gathering places for a coffee, a citron presse, maybe a snack. Some sell newspapers and magazines, etc), at least three restaurants, a lavender factory, a hotel, a butcher shop that attracts customers from all over the region, a wine shop, some wineries, a small supermarket, an organic market, artisan studios, and, I'm sure more that I don't remember or know about..
During the French Revolution, the only church built in France was the one here in Mollans...it is still functioning.
The village's many fountains give clean fresh water. This a popular village with cyclists and a special stop for them to fill up their water bottles. Saturday morning at the big fountain pictured above, there were so many cyclists that I could barely walk by.
Every few years, the Tour de France travels through the nearby Mt. Ventoux area.
When I walk by the lavender factory, I am engulfed in fragrance.
In recognition of this being the lavender region, most houses have lavender shutters, lavender doors, lavender fences,...
So, the rest of this blog will be pictures of Mollans. When you get to the pizzeria, of course I'll have a few food photos. I went there two nights in a row. One night with a few of my classmates and last night, despite the copious Sunday lunch, by myself for. A chicken Caesar salad and a glass of wine.
While I usually do not go on organized tours, the Maison Mollans tour with Hallie and Mary has been a wonderful way to see a region new to me through an insider's eyes and learn to prepare and enjoy the cuisine of the region.
I'm sad to leave...but, Paris beckons me for a few more days.
And, finally, the pizzeria...
The night I went with Jane, Rosie, and Nancy, we ordered salads to start and shared their Provençal pizza which was topped with artichokes, bell pepper, onions, and Nyons olives.
The night I went with Jane, Rosie, and Nancy, we ordered salads to start and shared their Provençal pizza which was topped with artichokes, bell pepper, onions, and Nyons olives.
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