French Gastronomy and the Riviera (September 2018)

Making an itinery for a French holiday can be a bit overwhelming with so many things France has to offer…..fashion, art, food.....and the French do it in style! 

We zeroed down on Lyon and the Cote d’ Azur.

Lyon has earned its title as the gastronomic capital not without reason. We made the College hotel ( conceptualised to resemble a hostel, it is luxurious with all amenities complete with a foosball table unlike a typical hostel as one would picturise) our base. Walking along the narrow alleys of Lyon, numerous restaurants make their presence several of them Michelin starred. We had a reservation at the Au 14 Fevrier ( translated ‘ on 14 February’). A nine course meal serving Modern ( Japanese twist) French cuisine with chef Tsuyoshi Arai paying attention to every detail ensured we began our culinary journey in Lyon on the right note.

 Next we set out to explore the Wine growing Northern Rhone region. Acres and acres of vineyards ready for harvest on a crisp day with knowledgeable guide Vincent Pontiet made it perfect. We visited the processing factory, tasted some elegant Viognier for the whites & Syrah for the reds differentiating the full bodied from the mellow! 

The bylanes of Lyon are reminiscent of a quintessential European chic neighbourhood lined by restaurants much like the streets of Trastevere in Rome. Gastronomy apart, Lyon offers a fine blend of the old world charm and modern architecture developed alongside the rivers Rhone and Saone. Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere is perched on the hilly district of Fourviere which also has the metallic tower of Fourviere, its dazzling lights offer a visual treat in the evening as one strolls along the several pedestrian bridges on the river Saone.

 Other landmarks include the Bartholdi Fountain (Bartholdi famous for building the Statue of Liberty).

An ode to Lyon is incomplete without the mention of the traditional family run Lyonese Bouchons. We were recommended the Le Bouchon des Filles in a quaint cobbled stoned street and the ambience and the food was just outstanding.

Bidding adieu to Lyon we headed down south to the Southeastern Mediterranean coastline, the famed French Riviera with Nice as our base. A leisurely walk along the Promenade de Anglais (a beautiful collage of the nicoise history tells us all about it) is a must….casinos, restaurants, art galleries, people pursuing their fitness goals on one side and the lazy , serene sea on the other inviting everyone to experience its vast pebbled beaches!!

Next day we headed to Antibes. On a sunny day, a short train journey lead us to the place where Picasso spent a few precious days of his life and carved and painted some of his masterpieces.

Numerous other art galleries line the harbour making it more picturesque.

Having treated ourselves to some art exhibits, we gobbled down some fresh seafood lining a charming alley watching at leisure the day pass by!!

We then headed to Cannes. While Antibes has maintained its character of a fishing village, Cannes is a’ la mode. The famous red carpet stairs of Palais des Festivals et des Congres lured us for a photo op to feel glorified in our momentary stardom. High street fashion boutiques line the Cannes city centre. 

Having walked till we dropped, we called it a day.

Next morning Alice and her boat were waiting to indulge us in the Mediterranean sea.

Again a crisp morning, charming Alice took us on a dolphin safari. As we went deeper leaving the Nice coastline behind us, the ripples and the heady fragrance of sea water completely consumed us. Wine, sweets, olives and savouries added to the luxurious feel. As we ventured deeper, the dolphins kept us company with their excitement matching ours!!

Evening comprised of a meal at the place Massena savouring the famed escargots.

Next day we visited Villefranche-sur-mer. Initial dampening of our spirits due to the unusual public transport strike meant we could not see the beautiful Eze village. However, we chanced upon a virgin beach, allowing us moments of quiet, soaking our feet with seagulls keeping us company. A dip into the Mediterranean is something one must never miss. A quick lunch of anchovies with caramelised onions pizza, we romanced the riveira in the beautiful evening. Evening meal was Nicoise street specialty…. socca, salad and some wine sitting on the benches of the Lou Pilha Leva watching the city life pass by. As the shops closed their shutters for the day, we closed our eyes revelling the French experience having touched all our senses in the right measure.

Au revoir and merci France for such delightful memories!!!

Our Arctic Experience in the Finnish Lapland March 2018

To check the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) off our bucketlist, we headed to the Finnish Lapland via the Villa Escape. For us, the whole experience in the Arctic region was as unhackneyed as the Revontulet itself!
Our focal destination was Rovaniemi  at the Napapiiri Arctic Circle, latitude 660 33’  07”.
Preceding Rovaniemi, we spent time at the stylish Finnish Capital, Helsinki or “rocking HEL” as they call it followed by a day at the Estonian capital- Tallinn.
The Nordic lifestyle is discernably simple with disciplined respect for nature. Their high standard of living with systems in place make a holiday even in harsh weather conditions, pleasurable.
At Helsinki, we stayed at the Scandic Grand Marina, a refurbished warehouse by the harbourside.

After a hearty breakfast complete with Nordic specialities like pickled herring and pirukad ( baked stuffed patty ), we head out for a long walk along the harbour. Well the harbour was actually all ice! The Baltic sea was frozen. Amidst this frozen bed, there was a patch of fenced area exuding steam which we realised was one among the several public saunas in Finland! It was a favourite Finnish activity in winters: Sauna followed by an ice pool dip which then came on our wishlist!

From the harbour, we went along the Esplanade Park and then to the medieval part of the city marked by buildings with architectural influence of Russian and Swedish invasions from the early 19th century.

Along the walk, there were a number of small design stores which make up the Design District of Helsinki. One can get lucky to chat with the designers themselves some of who draw their inspiration from the vibrant colours of our India!!

And then we chanced upon the Old Market Hall, the Vanha Kauppahalli. 

It is marked by stalls selling stuff exquisitely Finnish- from smoked Salmon, marinated Baltic dwarf herring ( Raeim), sardines to dried berries, berry powders, jerky ( snack of sliced cured,dried meat) and fresh veggies.

One can buy eatables and enjoy a meal specially of  warm salmon soup overlooking the frozen harbour.

The next day we travelled to Tallinn,the capital of Estonia; infact the elder sister of Helsinki which shares a similar past. It is a 2 hour ferry ride away. We booked the Vikingline which was  pretty luxurious with multiple avenues to eat, shop, play games, enjoy music and a deck to just soak in the breeze.

This cruise was like an ice breaking expedition from Helsinki to Tallinn.  

Our day trip to Tallinn entailed walking around the narrow cobbled alleys of the Old Town with a meal in one of the several restaurants serving Estonian cuisines in the Town Hall Square.  

Estonian cuisine essentially comprises of peasant like meals- unpretentious but wholesome and delicious with oven roasted potatoes, blood sausages ( Verivorst) sauerkraut etc.

We then head to our focal destination: Rovaniemi by an overnight ( 11 hour) comfortable train journey through the VR services.

Rovaniemi happens to be within the Arctic Circle which harbours geomagnetic activity forming the Aurora Borealis. 

Additionally, Rovaniemi has a jaunty neighbourhood, the Santa Claus village which houses our beloved Santa!  An oppurtunity to shake hands with him makes even -8 degree celsius feel warm! We also posted Santa greetings to our loved ones and soaked in Fairytale like visuals of Santa’s village including a leisure reindeer ride which completed the fairytale of podgy Santa on a Reindeer sleigh! Ho Ho Ho. 

Rovaniemi has fancy accomodation options like the igloo properties we stayed at: the Arctic Snow Hotel Glass Igloo and Hotel Santa’s Glass Igloo with not just breathtaking views but also modern, contemporary interiors and amenities including a private sauna!

The Finns sure know how to make the most of the Winter with unique  snow activities. The frozen riverbed of Kemijoki is an ideal setting for snowmobiling which makes for quite an exhilarating experience.

As speedy as the snowmobile, but probably a more traditional method of transportation, meandering through the wilderness of pine trees, husky ride is as exhilarating with the ‘ always on the go’ Alaskan huskies!

Our wishlist was completed by doing the activity to ‘ sweat it out’ the Finnish way! A group activity of taking sauna in several public saunas is considered a de stresser followed by an ice pool dip to get the ultimate high. Reluctant first timers like us initially took hesitant steps ultimately refusing to give up on the activity at the Salmilampi lake near Karhunpesa ( Bears Den).

‘Revontulet’ which in Finnish literally means ‘ Fox fires’. Most of us know the science behind the Northern Lights formation: the geomagnetic activity seen around the magnetic poles of the Earth created by charged particles from the Sun, the KP index etc. but what intrigued us more was the forklore surrounding the Revontulet. Finnish forefathers believed that these lights were caused by the fox who ran so quickly through the snow  that its tail sent flying sparks in the sky causing the lights.

To enjoy the ultimate experience , we went to 3 sites Sierijarvi, Poropirtti and Norvajarvi ( jarvi: frozen lake).  

The colder and clearer ( cloudless) the night, the higher the chance of visualising this celestial beauty of dancing lights we were told. The photos do no justice to the experience of a bunch of enthusiastic travellers gazing the sky on a starry  night amidst a frozen lake at -20 degree celsius!

Ample of patience to brace the fierce temperature paid off and we were blessed 

with this celestial beauty not once but on 2 consecutive nights. 

(PC: Alithea)

(PC: Mamta)

The breathtakingly beautiful scenes of the Finnish Lapland, friendly people, excellent arrangements by our tour operator ‘ The Villa Escape’ executed to perfection by Alithea and a wonderful bunch of co travellers etched this week in our memory forever!