A weekend en Provence

I returned to Paris on Sunday after a fantastic three-day trip to the Provence region in the south of France.  After a three hour train ride (most of which I spent sound asleep), we arrived in Aix-en-Provence, an amazingly quaint city originally founded by the Romans.  One of the only French cities not to be invaded and/or destroyed by the Germans during WWII, Aix is completely different from the urban lifestyle of Paris.  It was like a breathe of fresh air- everything moves slower there, from the language to the people themselves.  We spent much of the first day wandering around the streets of the city, embracing the relaxed lifestyle by getting lost in little shops and fountain adorned squares that seemed to go on forever.   One of the highlights of the trip was lunch our first day in Aix.  I had a life changing aioli dish, served with fresh cod, mussels, and vegetables.  Provence (and Aix itself) is famous for it's aioli, an olive oil and garlic sauce that pairs fantastically with almost anything.  And let's be honest, no Trani can pass up a freshly made garlic sauce.

Saturday morning and afternoon was spent at the local market, where you can literally buy anything and everything.  I picked up the staples, a bag of herbes de provence and a sachet of Provencial lavender, and spend the rest of the day sampling cheeses and meats and admiring the clothes, fabrics, and random goods for sale.  Saturday evening our group took a bus to the colorful port town of Cassis, which is quite possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.  The town feels like something out of a romantic old movie, and the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean Sea and smooth, pebbled beach only adds to the allure of it all.

After returning to Aix-en-Provence for Saturday night, we departed for the city of Marseille on Sunday morning.  Although Marseille shares the same Mediterranean feel as Aix and Cassis, it is actually France's second largest city behind Paris.  We were lucky enough to receive a tour of the majority of the city, as well as enjoy gorgeous panoramic views from the Notre Dame de la Garde church, which is situated on top of a cliff overlooking the city.  We ate lunch along the beach--seafood is a must have in the large port city, so it was only natural for me to order des pâtes aux fruits de mer (literally translated as pasta with fruits of the sea).  I have yet to eat something here that I was not absolutely in love with, so I'd say I'm doing pretty well so far :)

Fast forward "home" à Paris.  We brought the amazing weather with us, just in time for the last three days of Paris Fashion Week! Some friends and I scoped out the Chloé and Valentino shows at les Tuileries (near le Louvre) and saw fashion icons and celebs like Diane von Furstenberg and Kanye West!  Hearing the runway music pumping and seeing photographers rush by to snap a photo of the skinnest model with the highest heels was so exciting!  Just as exciting was the fact that one of my best friends from home, Claire, is visiting Paris for JMU's spring break and came to the Tuileries with me!

On Monday, I also visited one of Paris' oldest patisseries (pastry shops) called La Maison Stohrer. They are voted best chocolate eclairs in the city, and although it probably wasn't the best precursor to a fashion show, I devoured mine in less than 5 minutes.  The story behind the patisserie is also really interesting--It was opened in 1730 by the head pastry chef to king Louis XV, Nicholas Stohrer.  Stohrer invented the famous baba au rhum cake at this bakery, and the Queen of England is also a frequent visitor!

It's been a week of food and fashion, and although the two may not go together, I am one happy Parisian :)

 My enormous aioli dish. Rest assured, I licked the plate clean.

 Flower market at a local square in Aix-en-Provence

 Me standing by the port in Cassis!

Beautiful view of Marseille from le Notre Dame de la Garde

 API friends and I in front of the Valentino tent at Fashion Week!

 Finally took some photos of my dorm room

 I've started a postcard wall- My goal is to collect a postcard from every place I visit/monument I see!

Cultural fact: French drivers don't believe in traffic laws. Try taking a bus up a winding mountain at 60+mph where there are no guard rails, and you will understand what I mean.


Amazing quote I saw in a shop window in Aix:
"A journey of a thousand places always begins with one first step." Lao Tsu