Adieu Aix

Sunday, May 19, Aix--We leave this morning for Languedoc and a six day barge trip on the Canal du Midi, a Louis XIV construction that goes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean--we are not doing it all! 

Aix is a lovely place to relax, spend some time walking and enjoying a small city, exploring art and architecture and eating well.   Yesterday we had a lovely afternoon wandering the streets, eating baguettes and fruit smoothies, resting, reading, avoiding the rain when it came, and then our last meal at Les Vieilles Canailles where Frederic and the others took excellent care of us.   We felt we had to include a picture of the Paris-Brest, the dessert mentioned earlier--a confection of pastry, like a donut, filled with whipped cream and hazelnuts.  MMMMmmmmm.  

The rest of the dinner was equally as interesting and tasty.   Ben had a reprise of the stuffed zucchini flowers with the Brousse cheese filling, while John had cervelles d'agneau (lamb brains) to start.  The mains were new--Ben had an excellent duck confection of quickly roasted duck breast filled with chopped duck tartare and foie gras, an exquisite meal, while John enjoyed a veal shoulder on a bed of rutabaga puré.  The wine, oh, the wine--a burgundy from Beaune, Hautes Côtes de Beaune Vignes Baudet 2015.  

Aix after a rain glistens, just as we did after this excellent meal.   Au revoir.

A sky for Cezanne