Nouveau wine

Thanksgiving might be an important November holiday in the US, but here in France the release of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau at the end of the month is the anticipated event.  It's a huge celebration here - at least in places where wine is sold (markets and grocery stores).  In my opinion it's just an excuse for a party.  It certainly cannot be because of its taste.  The wine is bottled and on the market just weeks after being harvested, so there is not much flavor or complexity to it.  But the release marks the start of the holiday season, so it's associated with a fun and festive atmosphere.  Just like how Thanksgiving in the US headlines the Christmas season, decorations start appearing in earnest throughout the Paris just as the new wine arrives on the scene. The holiday lights start popping up on trees and lamp posts.  Christmas trees and poinsettias are available for purchase.  In fact, the market was extra festive last Saturday.  There was even a special little game to celebrate the Beaujolais. With each purchase at the market, we had a chance to win a bottle of wine.  Chances were good because I think everyone who received the scratch off ticket won a free bottle. I wasn't that excited about the Beaujolais Nouveau, but I was not going to refuse the bottle of wine that Thomas won. Nothing improves the taste of the Beaujolais Nouveau than getting it for free.

King's Garden

In side the king's garden, with Saint Louis 

Cathedral in the back.

Last Tuesday was a holiday in France.  Deciding to take advantage of the day off, we headed to La Potager Du Roi (the king's garden) in Versailles.  We've been to Versailles so many times, it's surprising that it took us this long   Located next to Versailles Palace, the garden and surrounding buildings take you back centuries, and you can easily imagine Louis the XIV's gardener and servants walking the rows of fruit trees and vegetable patches.

Back in the 17th century, the 9 hectare garden provided the produce for Louis the XIV and his court.  Now it's the home of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage (The National School of Landscape Architecture).