Daily Archives: August 27, 2013
Villefranche-sur-Mer ~ Bouillabaisse anyone ?
Why would you go to France … for the culture? the beauty? the outdoor activities? the entertainment? the shopping? the food? Yes, all of the above. As for us, while we strive to plan our touring around the cultural sights, somehow our taste buds take priority these days and they steer our course. So not too surprisingly, our first destination once we settled into our home base of Nice was a trip specifically planned to partake of the bouillabaisse at La Mere Germaine. This elegant restaurant, situated on the water’s edge in Villefranche-sur-Mer which is located just east of Nice, is reputed to be one of the top restaurants on the Cote d’Azur for bouillabaisse and it did not disappoint. The chef prepared special side salads (not on the menu) for us as entrées, which were followed by the main event … the bouillabaisse. The broth was divine, the Mediterranean fish fresh, tender and perfectly prepared, and the rouille, a garlicky red pepper sauce which you spread on garlic-rubbed croûtes or simply stir into your bouillabaisse broth, was the perfect complement. For dessert we shared an exquisite chocolate soufflé made to order by the restaurant’s in-house patissier. Accompanied by a well-chilled bottle of Provencal rosé, the meal was enhanced by top-notch service from our waiter, French music in the background, and a commanding seaside view over both the water full of impressive yachts and the steep hillside dotted with elegant homes.
Settlements in Villefranche date back to prehistoric times, but the village is particularly known for its medieval streets. So after lunch, we took a challenging walk up and down the city streets and stopped to look at Rue Obscure (Dark Street), a passage way under the harbor front houses that dates back to 1260. Did we walk off the multitude of calories that we ingested at lunch? Doubtful, but fueled by the bouillabaisse, we had a fascinating time trying.
Villefranche-sur-Mer ~ Idyllic and upscale
The main events of our day:
*Day trip to the delightful town of Villefranche-sur-Mer
*Taking the train to and from Villefranche
*Having a bouillabaisse lunch at La Mere Germaine
The highlights:
*Definitely the meal at La Mere Germaine was outstanding. It was not simply that the bouillabaisse itself was superb, but the rest of the meal (including an out of this world chocolate souffle prepared by the house chef patissier), the ambiance, the service, the views make one want to relish the experience for as long as possible.
*The scenic views at Villefranche are extraordinary, both from the harbor and from the charming small hilly walkways of the old town. The town is built on a hillside at the mouth of a relatively small but deep water bay and overlooks the neighboring coastline of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Cap Ferrat.
*This place is upscale. Seeing the mega yachts pull into harbor, or the Ferraris arrive at La Mere Germaine, or watching the house which Madonna rented last week for her vacation here right in front of you on the other side of the water, or knowing that what was Bill Gates’ villa, the most expensive house in the world, is just up the hill behind you, does make an impression, which the chihuahua on the chair at the lunch table (see photo above) only reinforces.
Traveling Tips:
*Use the SNCF/TER iphone app, which will give you in an instant all the upcoming train departures to your desired destination as well as real time traffic and delay updates; this will help avoid having to wait at the train station, which has no seating area, since platform numbers are not announced until twenty minutes before departure and noone is allowed into the track areas until then.
*There is a wonderful walkway between the Villefranche train station and the old town and harbor, offering splendid views and an easy commute.
*Don’t go to Villefranche on a Tuesday or a Friday; that is when the cruise ships come in and lay anchor in the bay, and, more importantly, absorb all the resources of the town. For example, no boat rides out of Villefranche on those days because they are all committed to the cruise ships.
