Tag Archives europe

So the very last post of French wines week, it has been a great ride. To close off the week I would like to introduce you to a couple hotspots in Avignon which are worthwhile your visit. Avignon is a medium large city in the south of France and has great cafes, restaurants and shopping. France has a much bigger restaurant culture than us since it is apparently also not very common to hang around in the bar all night. I had dinner in one of the most delicious restaurants, L’Essentiel.

As I told you yesterday, my trip to the south of France was all about wine. They say that a wine grower doesn’t grow grapes, he grows wine. So what’s so special about growing wine you ask? When visiting the area it becomes very clear that wine making really is a labor of love. It takes a big investment of money and especially time. For example, it takes a farmer several years before he can even make living out of it’s new plants, they have to wait approximately 4 years for the vines to be strong enough. In some winemaking cooperatives (where farmers join forces to produce the wine) they even have to wait until the wine that is delivered gets sold to the end customer. They often say that one plants its vineyards not for himself but for his grandchildren.

Details are what separate luxury from the rest. While visiting the Amsterdam Bed & Breakfast Stout & Co. this is what was most eye-catching for us. Every corner you turn, window you look through or magazine you pick up, you find ingenious little details which come together in a perfect concept. In the bedroom for example you will find these little accessories referencing the West-Flemish heritage of one of the owners or the way the name “Stout” refers to the past of the building as a former brewery. It’s very exciting for the senses and made me feel like a very lucky blogger.