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Francophiles: Bring me your finest meats and cheeses (pertaining to southern France)

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  • #1

    Francophiles: Bring me your finest meats and cheeses (pertaining to southern France)

    I've never set foot in the south of France but next Saturday I'll land in Nice and will be between there and Montpellier w/ a car for eight days. Have a bit of business to conduct but largely speaking will be fancy free and keen to roam.

    Definitely marked in:
    - Montpellier where a friend lives
    - Marseille for at least a stopover
    - Manosque - where another friend, an old mission companion, works for an NGO

    Probables:
    - Arles, just cuz its history is excellent and it seems old and quaint - anyone spent time? Am thinking of spending a night or two
    - Aix-en-Provence - don't know much, hear it's pretty rad

    Possibles:
    - Avignon - obviously significant history, seems like it's worth a stop
    - Monaco - dunno, seems kind of like a hell of excess but a couple of people have said just go and have brunch and hang for a morning

    Thoughts? Favorite spots? Little known treasures?
    Ute-ī sunt fīmī differtī

    It can't all be wedding cake.
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  • #2
    Sorry. Never been there. Maybe try out a nude beach or two?
    "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

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    • #3
      Montpelier is stunning. It's kind of a funky little beach town. I can't remember much about the town except for chilling on the beach and walking around areas that seriously looked like they were lifted out of a San Diego waterfront. Sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear. The branch there has the only freestanding church building I attended in Europe with some seriously kind people.

      There's a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_of_N%C3%AEmes"]Arena of Nîmes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] in a town about an hour from Montpelier called Nimes. Not sure if you're kind of thing, but it was worth going to see IMO. It was used as a bullring and is enormous. There's lots of other old/ancient buildings in the area. It's been almost 10 years so I'm a little fuzzy on the details.

      Only drove through Aix and Marseille, so I'm of no help there.

      I've spent a fair amount of time in Grenoble, though it sounds like you're not going that far east during your trip. It's a pretty town nestled in the Alps. Not as much to do in terms of sightseeing, so if you're not headed that direction perhaps not worthy of your attention. There's a day hike up to the bastille that's gorgeous and the town has various museums (The Grenoble Art Museum has an impressive collection and the Musee Dauphinois is built on a rad baroque chapel).

      Anyway, have an awesome trip.
      Last edited by Mrs. Funk; 10-18-2012, 02:18 PM.
      "You know, I was looking at your shirt and your scarf and I was thinking that if you had leaned over, I could have seen everything." ~Trial Ad Judge

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      • #4
        If you're going to be anywhere near Nimes or Avignon, I strongly recommend a quick side trip to the Pont Du Gard, a Roman aqueduct that is an truly amazing engineering feat. If you can go there early, the cool morning mists add a certain magic to the experience.

        Each time we return to Europe I enjoy seeking out the ubiquitous Roman ruins, including Hadrian's wall. I'm always deeply impressed by how advanced the Romans (building upon the Greeks, of course) were relative to the world at large.

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        • #5
          - Montpellier where a friend lives - Great college town. Enjoy.
          - Marseille - Not that great of a city, but it is France's 2nd largest. The view from the church up on the top the hill is amazing and worth the drive up there.
          Never been to it but the Chateau d'if is where the Coputn of Monte Cristo was suppossed to be imprissioned.
          Palais Longchamps is cool.
          Vieux port.
          This summer, the wife and I were there and we drove up the University, called Luminy or something like that, and hiked, about 45 minutes to the Calanque de Sugiton and took a dip in the Mediterranean. Amazing. Best part of Marsilles.


          Manosque -never been

          Probables:
          - Arles, Spent a day there this summer, way cool. Loved it, though for me I would say 1 night may be enough. Still a very cool place. The Van Gogh garden and the Roman Arena were the highlights for me.
          - Aix-en-Provence - another great college town. Eat some callisons for me. Cours Mirabeau is the main walking drag.

          Possibles:
          - Avignon - Definitely worth it. Palais de Papes is worth the trip alone. Great city.
          - Monaco - may be worth a trip for a 1/2 day. Beautiful, but really small. The Casino is kind of cool as is the palace.There drive there is almost better than being there, but I am still glad I have been.

          My recommendations:
          Pont du Gard - inbetween Avignon and Nimes. Not to be missed. World Heritage site.

          Nimes - very cool roman town. Bigger than Arles and the Roman stuff is better here, but it is less quaint. The arena, maison carree, the temple of Diana. This is the birthplace of jeans, at least denim.

          Frejus - one of my favorite towns on the Cote d'azur, mainly because I served there. THis would be a stop in as you are driving, but my mom said this was one of her favorite villages when she visited 15 years ago.

          I am sure I will think of some more later.

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          • #6
            Isn't the Casino Royale of 007 fame in Monaco? I'd definitely go stroll through and see that stuff.
            "I'm anti, can't no government handle a commando / Your man don't want it, Trump's a bitch! I'll make his whole brand go under,"

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Commando View Post
              Isn't the Casino Royale of 007 fame in Monaco? I'd definitely go stroll through and see that stuff.


              Montenegro

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              • #8
                Originally posted by TripletDaddy View Post


                Montenegro

                Pay DDD no mind, commando, as he has no sense of history. Ian Fleming used the design and layout of the Monte Carlo Casino for the casino in Casino Royale, and it's been used in multiple Bond films, including Goldeneye.

                This also gives me yet another opportunity to boast that I walked out of the casino on Mother's Day Night 2001 (the Sabbath, no less!), with the missus on my arm, some $350 richer than when I entered. The crowds that gather around the ropes (you have to pay to get in) to watch the glitterati come and go did not seem overly impressed, even though I stood by a Lamborghini Diablo, fumbling for my nonexistent key.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View Post
                  Pay DDD no mind, commando, as he has no sense of history. Ian Fleming used the design and layout of the Monte Carlo Casino for the casino in Casino Royale, and it's been used in multiple Bond films, including Goldeneye.

                  This also gives me yet another opportunity to boast that I walked out of the casino on Mother's Day Night 2001 (the Sabbath, no less!), with the missus on my arm, some $350 richer than when I entered. The crowds that gather around the ropes (you have to pay to get in) to watch the glitterati come and go did not seem overly impressed, even though I stood by a Lamborghini Diablo, fumbling for my nonexistent key.
                  When you couldn't find the key, did you loudly mumble how you would have to take the other lambo and then wander off?
                  "Seriously, is there a bigger high on the whole face of the earth than eating a salad?"--SeattleUte
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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View Post
                    Pay DDD no mind, commando, as he has no sense of history. Ian Fleming used the design and layout of the Monte Carlo Casino for the casino in Casino Royale, and it's been used in multiple Bond films, including Goldeneye.
                    yowza! Tex must be doing your research and posting, at least in the 007 category.

                    He didnt use the design and layout of the casino, specifically. He was inspired by the architecture of one portion of the overall building.

                    Further. The Monte Carlo casino looks absolutely nothing like the casino from Casino Royale movie set depicted in the film.

                    Film


                    Monte Carlo casino


                    Commando, enjoy strolling through the lush gardens and fountains of the Monte Carlo casino, just as James Bond did in Casino Royale!
                    Fitter. Happier. More Productive.
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                    • #11
                      I've spent a lot of time in Nice...we have an office in LeGaude. Cannes is cool. So is Monaco. Didn't make it to St. Tropez, but heard it was eye-opening.

                      We always stayed at the Radisson on the Avenida de Anglais. The local hotels are crap. The Radisson is great because it's in walking distance to the plaza where all the restaurants are.
                      "The mind is not a boomerang. If you throw it too far it will not come back." ~ Tom McGuane

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                      • #12
                        I only passed through Marseille but I think it's worth skipping considering all the other great places to see. I thought Antibes was really cool and Eze is a nice town with great views. I also thought Nice was nicer than Cannes, just make sure you get some mussels and fries wherever you go.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by filsdepac View Post
                          I only passed through Marseille but I think it's worth skipping considering all the other great places to see. I thought Antibes was really cool and Eze is a nice town with great views. I also thought Nice was nicer than Cannes, just make sure you get some mussels and fries wherever you go.
                          I loved the mussels. The fries are good but are always served with mayonnaise, and that's just wrong. And if you decide to suspend the WoW while in France, I would suggest St. Emilion.
                          "The mind is not a boomerang. If you throw it too far it will not come back." ~ Tom McGuane

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Non Sequitur View Post
                            I loved the mussels. The fries are good but are always served with mayonnaise, and that's just wrong. And if you decide to suspend the WoW while in France, I would suggest St. Emilion.
                            I've had lunch with Oxcoug before and he had a non alcoholic rose. I think he's due for a bordeaux.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by filsdepac View Post
                              I've had lunch with Oxcoug before and he had a non alcoholic rose.
                              That's like kissing Jenna Jameson on the cheek.
                              "The mind is not a boomerang. If you throw it too far it will not come back." ~ Tom McGuane

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