Frenchlife - day one

Farmlife Citylife has moved temporarily to France.

We have settled very comfortably into our home exchange in the small village of  Blauzac near Uzes, Nimes and Avignon in the Languedoc Roussillon.

We are first time home exchangers - and have swapped homes with M&R who we hear are enjoying Sydney life.

A corner of our lovely Blauzac terrace

View of the church from our terrace

We both love France and always feel the same sense of coming back to our third home whenever we are here. 

This time because we were so busy before we left the farm - we hadn't really planned anything.

However, knowing the area as we do - we knew that the days would be easily filled - seeing new places, revisiting others and we hoped getting a more in depth French experience by staying in one place for 2 weeks. 

And while I try to make this blog not all about what we eat - when in France, it can't help but be front and centre - as that is what we seem to do a lot of.  

 I will slot in some other photos as well!

Last Sunday we headed to L'Ilse sur la Sorgue (known as the Venice of Provence) for the Sunday market - knowing we needed to stock up on food and also because they have a great brocante market and many antique and decorator stores. A great place to wander around and be awed by the variety and range of french antiques - and know we can't purchase and take back home.

The medieval town is located on small canals 

It was as busy as we expected and as always we said we must come back some time to see the town without all the stalls and the crowds. We picked up a few supplies for later - olives, goat cheese and mushrooms - and then as we planned to eat there we beat the rush and found a little restaurant on the canal that didn't look too touristy and settled in for lunch as the clock struck midday.

The restaurant L'aparte

What a find - French food with an Italian twist  - very fresh and generous at  2 courses for 19 euros.

M had an enormous slab of foie gras terrine (surprise, surprise) on spice bread with some pickled cherries

M's pleasure in his choice is obvious

Followed by durade - a light white fish with a salsa verde, slivers of zucchini and pearl barley.

I had roasted figs with small pieces of coppa and a parmesan wafer

 Followed by the freshest sliced ox heart tomato, roasted eggplant and burata - the outer shell of the burata  is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream - which spurted onto the warm eggplant as I cut into it. I drizzled pesto oil and salt on as I ate.

Simplicite!

All washed down with a chilled rose

Back home as the sun set on our first full day in France we sat on the terrace nibbling on some olives, goat cheese and sauteed girolles

(known as chanterelles in the US and which we forage for in July on the farm) 

Parfait!