Picture the scene….. a warm autumn day with scudding white clouds in the sky, a posse of food lovers, cheeses of all shapes and sizes, glasses of wine, tempting terrines, crisp, pink apples, vineyards, châteaux and candlelight…….such was my trip to France at the end of last October.

I was one of two writers who were invited to attend a special Pink Lady press trip in the Avignon area in Provence; along with the Pink Lady PR team from the UK and France, we were all treated to wine and cheese dégustations, a trip to the local market to buy the ingredients for a morning in a cookery school, special tasting menus, fine dining, a trip to the Pink Lady apple orchards as well as picnics galore.

The emphasis was on Pink Lady Apples – where they are grown and the 2014 harvest, which we were invited to attend; however, we also had the opportunity to cook with the apples, enjoy the apples in a special tasting menu and pair the apples with local cheese, wine and other artisan produce.

Our accommodation was in the charming Cloître Saint-Louis – the hotel is located in a beautiful 16th century building in the centre of Avignon. Originally a Jesuit seminary, the Cloitre Saint Louis has also been a military hospital and a hospice over the years. This Avignon hotel went through a complete restoration and opened in 1990, and we had a very comfortable two nights in one of the newly refurbished wings.

I would like to take you all on a virtual “photo diary” trip around this part of Provence; so, for day one, let’s visit one of the most fascinating cheese shops I have ever been too…..Fromagerie du Comtat – Maison Vigier, which is run by the amazing Claudine Vigier.

Claudine is an expert on all things cheese, and is maître fromagière of the shop which is situated in Carpentras. Claudine was named the best cheese specialist  in France in 2009 and her enthusiasm and verve for cheese if irrepressible. Her shop is adorned with an impressive range and  collection of milk cans and billy cans, collected throughout her childhood from her grandparents dairy farm, it seems that milk is very much in her blood. Claudine was waiting for us with a welcome platter of local cheeses to taste, as well as a bottle of chilled Muscat…..

As well as stocking a staggering array of cheeses from all over France, she also “affinages” (ages) the cheeses in a special “cave” beneath the shop (which you can see her standing on in the photo above), in addition to offering a fine range of wines and charcuterie for sale. Claudine’s passion is undoubtedly for all types of cheese, but, she is a particular champion of local producers, no matter how small they may be, and we were fortunate enough to taste some wonderful local specialities including a cheese she devised herself, la Fourme des Dentelles de Montmirail, which is a blue cheese injected with Muscat De Beaumes De Venise.

Our next port of call was Château Unang, just half an hour away from Carpentras in Malemort-de-Comtat; the château is owned by winemaker James King and his wife Joanna, originally from Scotland, they bought the château as a ruin in 2003 and have completely restored it, as well as the vineyards, and are now proud to produce Ventoux wine, which is finally starting to receive some of the respect it now merits.

We were accompanied by Claudine, who often visits the château for gourmet cheese and wine pairings…….we all walked through the vineyards up a gentle incline to the château which sits on top of a small hill……the scenery was stunning, with flaming orange and red leaves, dramatic cloud formations and a harsh, bright light that is so Provence.

James was there to meet us and tell us about the château and his wines. Interestingly, the white wines (made in 2012) are certified organic and the reds made in 2013 will also be organic, completing their conversion to totally organic wines over three years. James told us that it’s his aim to keep the yields low and make the vines work to produce the best grapes possible. (They have Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan in red grapes, and  Rousanne, Clairette and Grenache blanc in the white grapes in their vineyards).

After being shown around the château we sat around a large table on the terrace overlooking the vineyards in the valley, shielded by The Giant of Provence, Mount Ventoux, which apparently keeps the “Mistral” at bay and other freak weather conditions, James uncorked some of his wines for us to try. As dusk crept over the valley, we chatted to some artisan producers and growers of saffron, whilst sipping on Jame’s wines (that were paired with a selection of cheeses from Claudine’s shop) and some Pink Lady apples of course – a magical nocturnal picnic ensued, with echoes of the region being whispered in the gentle breeze.

We all bade out farewells, and after a busy afternoon we were all pleased to check into our hotel, Cloître Saint-Louis, in the centre of Avignon for a few hours rest and relaxation before the evening’s Gourmet Pink Lady Tasting Menu. My room was large, with a loggia, desk, sofa, coffee table, king size bed, ample cupboards, separate WC, bath and shower. Wi-Fi was free and was high-speed and the reception area and interior of the hotel downstairs were finished in exposed stone with a fabulous vaulted dining room.

 

 

Karen is a blogger with a passion for travel and food and can be found at Lavender and Lovage.