Back Roads and Undiscovered Provence – A Travel Series by Diane Covington

Join veteran travel writer Diane Covington as she travel the backroads of Provence in this new travelogue series exclusive to The Traveler.

I’ve traveled to France for over 25 years and even lived in France in 2000 for almost a year. I have a passion for the culture and the language that is both mysterious and fulfilling. I’m always looking for new places to explore or new ways to explore old places.

So when I heard about the properties that I’m going to share with you here, I just had to go and check them out. The idea of undiscovered Provence down back roads, well, it was too good. And it turned out to be even better than I could have imagined. But then, I’m prejudiced. But even so, these fall into the category of the rare and the magical, so stay tuned.

We arrived in late September, 2008, on the Fall Equinox, at the Terre Blanche Four Seasons Resort (www.fourseasons.com/provence/) in the hills behind Cannes, France. After landing in Nice, it was a short drive along winding roads up into the hills, leaving behind the crowds of the coast.

The Terre Blanche feels like a little piece of Provencal heaven. When we arrived, tired from all our traveling, the staff met us with towels that smelled of rosemary and thyme. There is an utter quiet and peace to the place, a chance to go back in time and to feel what France has to offer, ‘l’art de vivre’, the art of living at a slower pace and of really enjoying each moment.

The property is set up like a small village, with individual suites looking across the valley to the perched village of Fayence. Each suite has a sitting room and courtyard, spacious bedroom and bath, with comfortable beds, fine linens and cozy comforters. French doors open out to the terrace from the living room and bedroom. A massage at the spa, then a soak in the heated pool and jacuzzi, helped with jet lag. The landscaping is designed with aromatic plants–lavender, rosemary, and thyme, among others, and their scents filled the fresh air as we walked back to our cottage.

At Terre Blanche, you can play golf at one of two 18 hole courses, swim, visit the nearby villages or just kick back and relax at the pool or on your private terrace. There are five restaurants to choose from, and the Faventia, the main restaurant, has one MIchelin star. Executive Chef Philippe Jourdin creates fresh, contemporary Mediterranean menus, complemented by both local and international wines. Our three course dinner at Faventia included a first course of Zucchini flowers stuffed with Provencal flavors and a baby leaves salad. Our second course was rolled fillet of sole with mashed zucchini, olives bitter juice, tomato petals and rocket leaves. And for dessert, we enjoyed light cream of vanilla and fresh raspberries, rose ice cream and a soft biscuit in a crispy shell of Provencal almonds.

The presentation of each course was elegant and beautiful and we had to admire the plate before beginning to savor the creations. With the first course, we took the suggestion of the chef and enjoyed a Chassagne Montrachet Domaine Borgeot, 1995, a crisp white wine. And for the second course, Aloxe Corton Domaine Rapet, 2004, a full red wine. The restaurant lived up to its one Michelin Star, with both the food and the service and our dinner became a special part of the Terre Blanche memories. I recommend staying at least two days, to really slow down and savor the experience of this special resort and the area.

——-
For more information about this area of ‘Undiscovered Provence’, check out these websites:
www.tourismevar.com
www.var-prestige.com