Blue Sky Living

How to protest French style

The UK press is predicting a summer of protests as a result of the economic downturn. Almost inevitably there will be pictures of the police in riot gear being threatened by the marchers.

Effective protest doesn't have to be like this. In Aix en Provence this weekend the university students staged a demonstration over funding cuts. They could have staged a sit-in at the local government offices or marched through the city with banners and loudspeakers. Instead they did something much more dramatic - a mass piece of street theatre. When a whistle blew 100 students froze on the spot, some of them were kissing, others eating, others crossing the road, what ever the activity they held their precise pose for about 5 minutes. Traffic stopped, people walked around the students, some small children even poked them to see if they could be induced to move.

Nothing. Then the whistle blew again and life resumed. Everybody nearby collected a piece of paper which detailed the student's greivances.

Valentine Rosés

Treat your lover to an enormous bottle of pink wine! Here are my recommendations:

Firstly try L’Exlcusif de la Dorgonne, made by Parmentier family at Chateau Dorgonne just outside La Tour D’Aigues. The wine is a well balanced mixture of Grenache and Cinsault with wonderful summer aromas of strawberries and bonbon anglais. Alternatively I love Chateau Pontet Bagatelle near Lambesc. The winemaker Garry Stephens is dedicated to his rosés and produces a fantastic Syrah Grenache mix. The light colour is perfect for long summer lunches and when first opened the wine gives off delicate aromas of exotic fruits. Finally I recommend Made in Provence pink from Domaine St Lucie, Puyloubier. If you can take your eyes from the bottle there are subtle aromas of blackberry, pear and apple.

Chateau Dorgonne, Route du Mirabeau, 84240, La Tour D’Aigues. Tel: 04 90 07 50 18

Magnum Rosé, Prix: 30 €

Chateau Pontet Bagatelle,Route de Pelissanne, 13410, Lambesc. Tel: 04 42 92 70 50

Magnum Rosé

Domaine Sainte Lucie, Avenue Paul Cezanne, 13114 Puyloubier. Tel: 06 81 43 94 62

Magnum Rosé, Prix: €49,95

Le Moulin de Lourmarin

Right now I am in the middle of writing the next edition of BSL and I have been debating what restaurant to critique. Top of the list in these straightened times was Lou Pebre D’Ail in Lauris. It’s known for providing the most fantastic value for money - three courses and wine for 12 euros. Everyone says that it’s great and it must be because the couple of times we’ve tried to go its been fully booked.

Last night though we had some friends over from England who were staying in the Moulin de Lourmarin. Due to the rain they were unwilling to venture out and so we ended up eating in the empty hotel dining room. The Moulin was the old gastronomic temple of Michelin starred Edouard Loubet who has now moved to Bonnieux. It's now being run by the Pellegri family with a new chef - Philippe Brun. Poor old Philippe was probably looking forward to another night off when the call came in that he had a booking and so for opening up their dining room in February when other more illustrious hotels (such as the Bastide du Gordes) keep theirs shut, I thought I would do a review.

You’ll have to wait for the magazine for the full version. There were some definite highlights such as the John Dory topped with fried foie gras and some lowlights such as the last minute substitution of chopped peaches for the fig confit that was supposed to accompany the foie gras starter. As you might have already gathered there was also a lot of foie gras. Overall it was a good experience.