Provincial Pool

When we were in Aix-en-Provence, we were able to stay at a hotel with a pool. This is usually hard to find in France unless you are staying in the countryside as most hotels are in taller city buildings that are centuries old. We were looking forward to spending a few relaxing afternoons taking a dip and having some refreshments. However, we quickly learned that the French eat at a table and swim by a pool. We stayed in a brand new hotel (Villa St. Ange) and whenever we’d head out to the pool, we noticed that all the restaurant staff would stand close by in the restaurant courtyard, but never come to take our order. Multiple times we headed over to them to ask if we could order some food, and they would seem very surprised but eager to accommodate. After the second time this happened, they would circle the pool, offering a menu to the other American guests, walking past the French ones. We quickly caught on that it’s not the norm for them to deliver food to the pool, but they were so kind to us and gladly obliged.

When we were in France, we decided we would try as many new things as possible. We decided on the Cheese Plate and Foie Gras with jam. As we were eating the Foie Gras, I looked up how it was made and it was so sad to read about the process so we decided that while we enjoyed trying something new, we wouldn’t order Foie Gras again. The cheese was delicious and we were happy to sip on Orangina and Tea as we rested by the pool.