WATERFRONT LINES: The Tortoise and the Hare

Got back from my trip nearly 3 weeks ago, properly charmed and energized. Whirlwind only begins to describe the 2.5-week trip in the Rhone River valley. It was a "Tortoise and the Hare" kind of trip, feeding my addiction to contradictions and unlikely combinations: Working frantically like the Hare in the deep, leisurely Provence countryside in south east France (my room is dubbed The Rabbit Room). Then, taking it easy like the Tortoise, checking out cool urban spaces and trends in two frantic cities, Paris and New York. Slipped in meetings, field trips, and partying in Lyon in between all of that. Many surreal moments, e.g. "I can't believe I'm shopping for lunch for 25 people on Malaucène market day in the middle of Provence!!!"

Arrived June 3rd in Paris and barely caught my TGV down to Lyon, to join a meeting of European government agencies and researchers sharing experiences with river restoration, as they are now mandated by the EU Water Framework Directive enacted in 2000. (Ten years later, we are finding ways of classifying and measuring the health and physical conditions of European waterways.) Field trip to the Yzéron followed by a visit to a rather touristy Oingt village in the Lyon hinterland, and wine tasting at Domaine du Sornel in the village of Letra

The Yzéron (ih-ZEH-ron') river, tolerated by a couple of ducks despite its ugly banks, apparently concretized with "leftover" materials from a nearby river infrastructure project.

Cute lil' restaurant/hostel
Village of Oingt

Breathtaking view from the foot of the church
Village of Oingt

Wine tasting numéro un
Domaine du Sornel, Village of Letra, 1+ hour south Lyon

Frog legs for dinner, fried with garlic and herbs (actually it was just appetizer!) with the Forecaster group of European river restoration managers
Village of Letra, south of Lyon

The next day, we drove down to Institut Beaumont, the site of a week-long course on river restoration taught by Profs. Matt Kondolf of UC Berkeley and Hervé Piégay of CNRS Lyon plus other wonderful guest speakers. The course took place at a restored farm house in a village, or hameau, on the northern face of Mont Ventoux in the valley of the Toulerenc, a tributary to the Rhone. The closest municipality, or mairie, is Beaumont-du-Ventoux, the nearest town is Malaucène, bike capital of the northern Provence and the Mont Ventoux circuit. This cherry growing region (terroire de cerises) is roughly equidistant to the east and between Montelimar and Avignon on the A7 freeway. See map below and zoom in for a closer look. Photos follow the map.

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Entrance to hameau Les Alazards, a village of about 15-20 houses, with cherry orchards and against the dramatic background of Mont Ventoux.

Bienvenue à l'Institut Beaumont, the restored farm house with wildly climbing rose bushes. We're just before the village fontaine and lavoir.

The gorgeous kitchen in the farmhouse, where sparks fly and the magic happens!

Ta-da! Chef Robin whipped up a marvelous salade niçoise aux anchois.

Lasagne au saumon two ways, filet and smoked, the night of the Ventoux winds. Hands-down the best meal, courtesy of our French chefs Mélanie and Vincent. Hint: The secret was the bechamel sauce.