If you’ve been glued to the Tour de France this week, as we have, then you’ve seen them: those sweeping aerial photos of the villes and villages they pass through. I’m forever exclaiming, where is THAT? I want to go THERE! I will never cease to be amazed by the fact that in France, a country smaller than Texas, there are so many beautiful terrains, buildings, villages. Snow-capped mountains pass into deep gorges that slide into rolling hills which flow past charming villages that nestle into lavender fields which fade into olive groves that fall into azure seas. How can one small country possibly have so much beauty?
And so we continue on our quest to see our own adopted country, a lifetime quest to be sure. This past week we traveled northward a couple of hours to the Nivernais, where we found the village of Apremont-sur-Allier, and, in the center of this town on the banks of a tributary of the Loire, their parc floral. Of all the villages in France with the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” designation, this is clearly one of the best.
OK, they cheated a little. The family that has owned for 290 years the château which towers over Apremont also owns the whole VILLAGE. They lease all the houses to others, and have their own team of gardeners do the landscaping. And it is mostly the gardens which make this medieval village so stunning, along with the quirky architecture of each adorable little house: tiny towers, narrow stairways to nowhere, many-paned windows framed by vines and roses.
The Parc Floral is one of the prettiest gardens I’ve visited, and I’ve seen a lot of them. Although I haven’t been to the major English ones, and the inspiration for this garden seems more English than French. We wandered through allées dripping with wisteria and paused on bridges arching over the lake. We marveled at the pointy beech topiaries, and petted the resident cats, especially one who was obviously practiced at posing and being admired (“Elle est une star," said the cat-parents, who were sipping wine on their porch--'she’s a star').
Apremont is a town that is probably not on your tourist radar. If you’re ever driving down the road from Paris to Beaune, or perhaps visiting Autun, be sure to take a little detour to see it. You will begin to understand that in a lifetime you could never see ALL of this gorgeous country! (and many thanks to our friends Betty and Bertil, who recently visited Apremont and convinced us we HAD to go!).
Now, for lunch in the garden:
RECIPE: Beautiful Bulgur Salads
Everyone’s trying to cook with more whole grains these days. It’s good for health, and weight loss too. And for flavor! I’m currently obsessed with bulgur, which is very common in France. It’s similar to quinoa or couscous, but has a nuttier flavor. I like it in salads.
With bulgur you can make the traditional tabbouleh, which I did this week (see photo). No need to measure really, you just throw it all in, but here is a guide:
For a side salad for 4, I used ½ cup bulgur, cooked according to package directions, and cooled I chopped half a large cucumber and 2 tomatoes, several white onions (scallion bulbs), and 3 cloves of garlic, plus lots of chopped parsley and mint. I stirred in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Voila! the perfect summer salad.
But don’t stop there! To make a bulgur salad you need olive oil and something acidic: lemon, lime or orange juice, or white wine vinegar for example. Then you can add whatever pleases you. Toasted nuts and cheeses are nice additions with veggies, or even chopped fish or chicken, if you want your salad to play a starring role. Take your pick of the fresh herbs in your potager.
My Australian friend Mariella has Italian origins and she’s a fabulous cook. At their fête for Bastille day she made a bulgur salad I loved, with these wonderful flavors and additions: chick peas, fresh parsley and coriander, chopped bell pepper, cumin, dry coriander, toasted sesame seeds , a spoon of turmeric, white balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
Here are some other possible combos:
- apricots, pecans, Italian parsley, snipped chives
- lemon juice and zest, dill, toasted walnuts, smoked salmon
- feta cheese, red peppers, basil, green onions
- pine nuts, orange zest, sliced yellow squash, shallots
- tomatos, arugula, yellow peppers
Our Reader's Blogs: If you're an architecture buff, you'll want to go to Stephen Alderdice's new site, Blogwork. He talks about French cadoles, discusses the new trend toward remodeling, muses on the nature of shop windows, and much more. And while we're visiting the Nivernais, do stop by Delia's blog--she lives nearby in the Morvan! Go to Mon Coeur est dans la Campagne.
I happen to have another hot tip on a Burgundy house for sale this week, pictured left. This one is really special. It's in a small, perched village near Cluny, renovated to a high standard, with spectacular views of the Guye valley. Anyone interested should contact me at [email protected].
