As someone who loves food and cooking, spending a few weeks in southern France during the Christmas holiday was a wonderful experience. While Robert worked on various boat projects to prepare Juno for our eventual Atlantic crossing, I focused on setting up our new home and ensuring that we had delicious meals.
We enjoyed our stay at Port d’Hyères marina, as it was easy to drive to nearby hypermarkets. Using Google Translate, I had a blast exploring and finding tasty local treats, especially cheese and cured meats, which were so much cheaper than in the US!
To a foreigner who speaks no French, it’s evident that Christmas embodies a celebration of gastronomic indulgence for the French. I was captivated by the shelves in the stores, filled with candies, chocolates, and foie gras. The vibrant energy in the shops and the determination of French customers to create a lavish feast were infectious. One cannot help but marvel: how do the French achieve such slender figures amid these delights?
I returned to one of the hypermarkets just two days after Christmas and noticed a significant change. Entire sections of the grocery store that had previously been dedicated to candies, chocolates, and foie gras were completely removed! In their place, I found new shelves stocked with cleaning products, towels, and bedding. I was really impressed by the speed and cold efficiency of the store operators. The message was clear: holiday treats are only for special occasions! There would be no more indulgence after Christmas.
Below are some treats we enjoyed during Christmas in France on board Juno
I discovered an excellent gluten-free baking flour – Chestnut flour. Since Robert is gluten sensitive, we avoid French pastry shops. I cried a little inside each time we drove by one. Nonetheless, I managed to bake some delicious Chestnut and Apple mini cakes to spice up our Christmas with some local flair
