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OPPOSITE PAGE: The rocky coost
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first time in the South of France was
I landed at the airport in Nice on a gorgeous
sunny day-one of the more than 300 you'll find on
the C6te dAzur each year. As I made my way from the
magical.
airport to my destination of Antibes Juan-les-Pins, the
words Victor Hugo wrote about the small town seemed
accurate. "Everything here is radiant, everything is in
bloom, everything sings," he wrote. "The sun, women,
love are all at home here. My eyes and my soul are still
dazzled."
Hotel Juana-an Art Deco Gern
As I walked through the front doors of my hotel,
the Art Deco gem, Hotel Juana, my eyes were still dazzled. The newly remodeled 1930s hotel wraps you in
elegance the moment you walk in the lobby. I checked
in and made my way to the fourth floor in the vintage
1930 "Stigler" elevator with the aid of one of the best
young concierges I've met anywhere.
The rooms were beautiful with an understated sophistication. The best part, however, was when I pulled
back my drapes. My breath caught as I viewed an expanse of blue water melding with blue sky. The Mediterranean was only a few short blocks away, its waters
reflecting the midday sun. Below I watched guests
sunbathing around the white marble pool while others
sat casually on the patio under the umbrellas of La
Terrasse-Club, the hotel's trendy restaurant. I mapped
out a path in my mind from the front entrance of the
hotel, through the park across the street and on to the
little shops lining the waterfront.
After a casual stroll through a few shops, I made
my way about a half block from the hotel to Les P6cheurs, a gourmet restaurant decorated in a luxurious
yacht-style d6cor. A wide terrace offered breathtaking views of the sea. The meal was elegant; from the
Baccart crystal water glasses to the luscious truffles,
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THE WORLD
making everything-even my whipped
potatoes-seem decadent.
I awoke the next morning to break-
fast in my room. A lovely young girl
with a wide smile entered the room with
a breakfast tray and I could smell the
aroma of fresh bread. The little pastries
were everything I'd hoped for and more.
The simple butter croissants were anything but run-of-the-mill, but the chocoIate-filled pastries were my favorite.
After just enough breakfast to satisme-and
make me anticipate the next
fy
few mornings at Hotel Juana-I met a
wonderful tour guide, Peter, who works
for the tourist bureau, and we ambled
through the old town of Antibes JuanIes-Pins. Antibes was a Roman town,
with sections of the original ramparts
still evident. Like most European towns,
Antibes includes a large pedestrian area
where you can walk the old cobblestone
streets without the worry of automobiles
running you down. Our first stop was at
the March6 Provengal. The bustling market is held every Tuesday through Sunday
morning from September through May
and daily during the summer months.
I walked the aisles, my mouth already watering over the displays of
French cheeses. There were tables filled
with spices. Even for someone who loves
"i
gourmet cooking, I found exotic spices I've
never before seen. There were some of the
biggest heirloom tomatoes anywhere and
the
JII', o
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tradition and intrigue.
Banned for nearly a century, blamed for Picasso's
madness and said to have caused Van Gogh to slice
off his ear, absinthe has long been shrouded in mystery and mystique. Once a part of turn-of-the-century
France's Bohemian scene, drinking absinthe is all
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2007
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fresh-from-the-garden vegetables
Iooked tempting. The crowning glory for
me was the bread. The fresh-baked scent
filled my senses. I could almost taste
their soft interior. I decided I'd be satisfied to spend
the rest of my trip sitting on the beach with warm baguette and a wedge of goat cheese.
But I was glad I didn't. Juan-les-Pins held so many
more treasures for me. Our next stop was at the Absinthe Bar La Balade, just a few short steps from the
market. It was fascinating and even at 10 a.m., I decided I had to try the bitter green liquid steeped in
li
about ritual, and elicits images of musicians, artists
and writers in small Parisian caf6s. Today, there is
an absinthe revival throughout Europe and you can
sample it using the same ritual popular over a century
ago.
I made my way down narrow winding stairs to
the underground bar, its rock walls holding antique
absinthe bottles and the various tools created for the
proper drinking ritual. The proprietor and Peter (my
guide) were more than eager to show me the proper
way to drink the anise-flavored spirit. The owner went
to one of the tall glass urns at the bar and filled it
with four parts ice-cold water and one part absinthe.
He carefully placed the silver slotted absinthe spoon
over the lip of a reservoir glass and topped it with a
t
museum 28 paintings, 54
drawings and 79 ceramics.
The museum was renamed
after the great artist in
1949 and continues to be
one
ofthe best collections of
Picasso's work.
It was getting ti me
for lunch-the
flavors of
Provence make it hard to ig-
nore the fantastic cuisineand Peter knew the perfect
place. We made our way to
the Commune Libre du Safranier, which translates to
the Free Commune of Le
Safranier. This little section of the old town works
to retain traditions and to
ensure that the flavor of
the neighborhood remains
untouched. We found an
outside table at La Taverne
de Safranier. The small res-
taurant looked like what we
might call a dive in the US,
but the waiter served food
OPPOSITE PAGE:The
Commune Libre du Sofronier works to Preserve
troditions in the quiet
neighborhood. ABOVE:
The woters of the Medi-
terroneon offer o quiet
you'd only find at gourmet
restaurants in the States.
The first course was a
massive plate of fresh seafood. The owner excitedly
told me that he'd picked uP
the fish fresh that morning
from the fishermen in the
market. It included several
types of fish, Iangoustines,
mussels and squid cooked
Aniibes.
in various ways. They followed that with a luscious
sugar cube. He opened the valve so a small amount of liq- Sea Bass cooked inside a ftaky pastry. We ended our
uid poured out over the sugar and down into the reservoir. meal with a selection of fresh fruit and little tarts.
I was stuffed and wanted to walk off the meal. PeConsidering it was mid-morning and that I'm not a
and
supsip
ter once again had the perfect place. Just out of town,
connoisseur of hard liquor, I managed a small
pressed a cough. The owner and Peter both laughed as they the coastline juts out into the Mediterranean. The thin
downed their drinks. I just hoped Peter could continue to spit of land and its rocky coast is Cap dAntibes. The
road winds from old town through the more modern
guide me after a glass of the potent drink.
We wandered back outside and spent the next couple Juan-les-Pins with its high-rise waterfront apartments
of hours at the Picasso Museum. ChAteau Grimaldi houses and a variety of hotels and comes out in a quiet neighthe wonderful little museum. The Grimaldi family lived in borhood that is home to the rich and famous.
respite from everydoY
life. LEFT: An exotic orroy
of spices tickled my nose
ot the morket in centrol
1608. It has been a museum since 1928. In
1946, Picasso set up a studio in part ofthe castle and spent
several months there. Over the next few years, he gave the
the castle
until
One unforgettable sight is H6tel du Cap - 6den-Roc,
opened in 1870. This is likely one of the most luxurious
hotels in the world. It has housed such greats as Ernest
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WORLD
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Resources
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Holel Belles Rives
33, Boulevord Edouord Boudoin
z
-ia
06.l60 Juon-les-Pins
www. bellesrives.com
Hotel du Cop-Eden-Roc
Boulevord JF Kennedy
06601 Antibes
?
www.edenroc-hotel.fr
Holel Juqnq
Lo Pindde-Avenue Gollice
06160 Juon-les-Pins
www. hotel-juono.com
[q Boslide Sqinl Anloine
48, Avenue Henri Dunont
06130 Grqsse
www.jocques-chibois.com
[o Toverne du Sofronier
'1,
Ploce du Sofronier
05600 Antibes Juqn-les-Pins
[e Cesor Reslouronl
Keller Ploge
Lo Goroupe 0 Cop D'Antibes
Juon-les-Pins
Les P6cheurs
l0 Bd. Morechol Juin
Cop d'Antibes
06160 Juon-les-Pins
www. lespecheurs-juon.com
les Vieux Murs
25,Prom. Amirol de Grosse on the Romports
06600 Aniibes
www.lesvieuxmurs.com
Molinord Perfumes
60 BD Victor-Hug
06130 Grosse
www.molinord.com
26 | View October/November2OOT
Hemingway, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Rita Hayworth,
Marlene Dietrich and Charles de Gaulle.
Farther along the route is H6tel Belles Rives, the former home
of F. Scott Fitzgerald. This unique hotel has preserved nearly all
the original furniture and decorations.
Finally, we arrived at our destination and I could take that
walk. We ambled down the small Tirepoil path at the end of the
Garoupe beaches along the eastern half of the Cap dAntibes. It was
breathtaking with the water pounding against the rocky coast.
After a brisk walk and through a couple of rugged areas, we
ended up at Eilenroc Gardens. The city now maintains these gardens surrounding the Eilenroc Mansion. A wealthy Dutchman
completed the villa in 1867. The architects who created the paris
and Monte Carlo Opera Houses designed this opulent Italianstyle villa. Over the years, it has changed hands several times.
One owner added a lush garden and it has been the backdrop for
numerous movies. Today, you can wander the gardens during daylight hours. There are guided tours of the villa every Wednesday
from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 5 p.m.
I had just enough time after the walk to rush back to the hotel
and change for dinner. More food. The flavors of Provence were
going to garner me at least 20 pounds on the trip. Dinner was another exceptional feast. We dined at Les Vieux Murs overlooking
the water. The deep red tones of the restaurant and the old stone
walls are the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening.
The tapanade, a Provenqal specialty of finely chopped olives,
capers and olive oil, was mouth watering on more of that hot
French bread. The residents of the South of France do everything
at a slower pace than most of the rest of the world and dinner is
no exception. Over the next three hours, we tasted more food than
I've ever tasted at a single sitting. The menu included a small asparagus soup with parmesan, cream and grilled bread, followed by
red mullet, veal with potatoes and artichoke, langoustine in a leek
I
HotelJuono, on Art Deco gem in
Juon-les-Pins, is o luxury hotel with impeccoble service. Enjoy o swim in lhe gorgeous white morble pool
I
OPPOSITE PAGE:
and places of the region. This time
ABOVE LEFT: The showroom ot Molinord Perfume
Foctory lets you purchose frogronces creoted In the
Perfume Copitol of the World. ABOVE RIGHT: Mouthwotering cheeses dominote the oisles of food o1 the
to Cap dAntibes and down onto Keller Plage (Keller
Beach). The restaurant Le Cesar sits right on the beach,
the sand reaching to the edges ofthe patio.
The bright yellow and white beach umbrellas and
lounges against the white sand and blue water backdrop
mesmerized me. I sampled another amazing array of
food and sipped a glass of wine. It was one perfect day
Morch6 Provenqol in old town Antibes.
sauce, roasted duck and beefbraised in
truffle-infused
whipped potatoes.
As if dinner weren't enough, the waiter brought
out bowls of whipped chocolate with vanilla ice cream.
I was preparing to leave when he once again appeared
at the table, this time pushing a cart of cheese' You
haven't experienced French dining without experiencing the cheese cart. The young man explained the various cheeses and I picked several to taste. I waddled
back to the hotel and literally fell into bed.
My next day was a bit more relaxing after the
whirlwind of the first day. Following my obligatory
chocolate croissant, I set out for Port Gallice to meet a
dashing French sailor who took me out on his sailboat.
We spent the morning sailing on the sea between the
coast and the Lerins Islands. There, a massive castle
made famous in the movie The Man in the Iron Mask,
overlooks the bay. The wind in my hair, the water sparkling along side, and white sails dotting the horizon,
I decided right then I had found that place on earth
where I was meant to be.
Once again, when we arrived back at Port Gallice,
it was time to find food. I decided that everything I'd
heard about Provence was true and my trip was as
much a culinary adventure as one exploring the people
made my way back
I'll never forget.
I spent the rest
of the day exploring Juan-les-Pins
and surrounding areas. I drove up to Grasse, a picturesque village known as the world's Perfume Capital' The
fields studded with lavender and wild flowers, the gorgeous rose gardens and acres ofolive trees made the drive
an experience in its own right. But the day wasn't complete without a visit to the Molinard Perfume Factory. It
was fascinating to learn about blending the fragrances. I
was even able to create my own perfume. The factory offers tours Monday through Friday and on the weekends
you can take a 90-minute class along with a 20-minute
orientation tour to create your own fragrance.
I completed the evening-and my trip to Juan-les-
Pins-with a dinner at La Bastide Saint-Antoine in
Grasse. There, inside a typical French chAteau with
breathtaking views over the olive groves to the coast,
Chef Jacques Chibois created an exquisite trufflethemed dinner. The mushroom soup was beyond compare, created with morels and truffles.
The next morning as I watched the sun turn the
water brilliant colors, I realized why so many artists
sought out this place. It was inspiring, nature's canvas
filled with sights and sounds and fragrances like nothing I d found anywhere else. Victor Hugo was right. My
eyes and my soul were still dazzled. @
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