Happy Bastille Day

Happy Bastille Day!

The 14th of July is the equivalent of the US 4th of July, it's France's National day.  It commemorates the peasant storming of the Bastille prison in Paris in 1789 which marked the beginning of the end of the French monarchy's rule.

These days it's celebrated with a huge military procession down the famous Champs Elysées, lots of fireworks, lots of parties and lots and lots of wine!

Essential summer reading: Kathryn Ireland's exquisite new book, Summers in France.

You must check out this gorgeous book, just published.

It's about Kathryn Irelands incredible country house in France, which she has lovingly restored, this is the location for our Picnics in Provence tours to the South West, mentioned in the book.

To give you an idea of how special it is, Barbara Streisand rented it for her family holiday the week after our last Picnics tour. If it's good enough for Babs...!

The book is full of wonderful entertaining tips, gorgeous photos and great recipes but most of all overflowing with Ms Ireland's inimitable style and panache.  It's a treat.

http://www.1stdibs.com/introspective/required_reading/summers_in_france_by_kathryn_m._ireland/

Lunch in Provence..................

Our cooking class in Provence. The chef closes the restaurant so we have the whole place to ourselves. Coffee at 9am. Rosé is poured at 9.30 am as the chef thinks it makes for a very happy class! we have a fabulous time preparing dishes and cooking til 1pm then a 5 hour lunch in the courtyard under the spreading plane trees with matched wines from the private cellar....

A simple affair....breakfast on the terrace with views over the valley at Kathryn Ireland's house while horses canter up the paddock......the start of just another lovely day in the glorious South West of France.

This is one of the amazing dishes prepared by our private chef for our seafood banquet under the stars in the tranquilly idyllic South West of France.. It included over 160 freshly hand shucked oysters - for just 8 of us.

Did you know... that in this day in 1885 the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York on board the French ship Isere - a gift from France to the USA. Did you also know.... that there are 2 other original Statues of Liberty, both in Paris

Sometimes you learn something new every day!