France

France

Getting ready for les Fêtes d’Orthez

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Preparations are underway for les Fêtes d’Orthez, which start this Thursday and run through Sunday.  At La Maison de l’Horloge, a restaurant we appreciate for its dignified ambiance and accomplished food, looks like they are getting in 30 kegs of beer, 9 cases of Get27 (a mint flavored liquor) and 6 cases of Clan Campbell […]

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Slide 1

Preparations are underway for les Fêtes d’Orthez, which start this Thursday and run through Sunday.  At La Maison de l’Horloge, a restaurant we appreciate for its dignified ambiance and accomplished food, looks like they are getting in 30 kegs of beer, 9 cases of Get27 (a mint flavored liquor) and 6 cases of Clan Campbell

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France

A southern view into Spain

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The mountain valleys of the French Pyrenees  are a paradise for hikers.  There are routes for just about every level of hiking expertise that offer splendid views of the mountains, and often interaction with the wandering herds of cows and sheep that pass the summer in the high pastures.  The Vallée d’Ossau, just south of

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Slide 1

The mountain valleys of the French Pyrenees  are a paradise for hikers.  There are routes for just about every level of hiking expertise that offer splendid views of the mountains, and often interaction with the wandering herds of cows and sheep that pass the summer in the high pastures.  The Vallée d’Ossau, just south of

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France

Sare, France

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A beautiful fall day in the lovely little village of Sare.  Located in the heart of the French Basque Countries, perched on a hill overlooking rolling green countryside and facing the Pyrenees, Sare is considered on the of most beautiful and most typical of Basque villages.  On a crisp day in November, the town is

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Slide 1

A beautiful fall day in the lovely little village of Sare.  Located in the heart of the French Basque Countries, perched on a hill overlooking rolling green countryside and facing the Pyrenees, Sare is considered on the of most beautiful and most typical of Basque villages.  On a crisp day in November, the town is

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Moving to France

Closing down our Seattle life.

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Following our dream of an extended stay in France has been a long, long road, but finally we are so close that we can feel it!  Since the sale of Le Pichet in September of 2022, my time has been filled with getting us ready to move to our house in Orthez.  You can imagine

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Slide 1

Following our dream of an extended stay in France has been a long, long road, but finally we are so close that we can feel it!  Since the sale of Le Pichet in September of 2022, my time has been filled with getting us ready to move to our house in Orthez.  You can imagine

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Moving to France

Getting the Visa

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Of the long list of things to accomplish before we can move to France, getting approved for  a Long-Stay Visa is one of the most important.  We took the first step in that process earlier this month when we made an appointment with the French Visa office in San Francisco. We had already filled out

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Slide 1

Of the long list of things to accomplish before we can move to France, getting approved for  a Long-Stay Visa is one of the most important.  We took the first step in that process earlier this month when we made an appointment with the French Visa office in San Francisco. We had already filled out

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France

Half Way

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I like this photo from a hike we took in December 2017 for two reasons;  firstly because it shows the halfway point (almost) on the Chemin de Saint-Jacques between Vézelay in Burgundy and Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Secondarily because it gives the false impression that we actually hiked that entire way. The spot, just

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Slide 1

I like this photo from a hike we took in December 2017 for two reasons;  firstly because it shows the halfway point (almost) on the Chemin de Saint-Jacques between Vézelay in Burgundy and Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Secondarily because it gives the false impression that we actually hiked that entire way. The spot, just

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France

Sunday Dinner in Orthez

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A rainy Sunday in Orthez with plenty of time to prepare and enjoy a leisurely diner de dimanche.  Sunday dinner in France, especially in the countryside, is a late lunch that serves as the main meal of the day.   The PM meal will usually be something simple, like soup and salad or an omelette.

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Slide 1

A rainy Sunday in Orthez with plenty of time to prepare and enjoy a leisurely diner de dimanche.  Sunday dinner in France, especially in the countryside, is a late lunch that serves as the main meal of the day.   The PM meal will usually be something simple, like soup and salad or an omelette.

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France

Does French Cooking Still Matter?

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If you have any hesitation in answering the above question with a resounding “YES!”, please check out this article by Paris based food writer Alexander Lobrano.   Alex brings the old time religion, seriously thumping the bible of French culinary excellence. And I couldn’t agree with him more.

Does French Cooking Still Matter? Read More »

If you have any hesitation in answering the above question with a resounding “YES!”, please check out this article by Paris based food writer Alexander Lobrano.   Alex brings the old time religion, seriously thumping the bible of French culinary excellence. And I couldn’t agree with him more.

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France

Grapes redux

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In the interest of fairness and honesty, here is an update on a post from last week about making grape jam.  In that post, I mentioned (a bit snidely, I am afraid) that the older woman at the Saturday farmer’s market in Orthez, from whom I purchased grapes for jam making, promised a bulk discount

Grapes redux Read More »

In the interest of fairness and honesty, here is an update on a post from last week about making grape jam.  In that post, I mentioned (a bit snidely, I am afraid) that the older woman at the Saturday farmer’s market in Orthez, from whom I purchased grapes for jam making, promised a bulk discount

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