| In this issue... |
| Ochre & Apricots |
| Chestnut Festival |
| Van Gogh |
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| French Phrase of the Day |
Quel est votre costume d'Halloween?
What is your Halloween costume? |
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| Flickr Photo of the Day |
 Sun setting on Murs
by geoced |
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Ochre & Apricots of Roussillon
 Situated in the Luberon area of Provence, at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse, you will find the province of Roussillon.
The villages of Roussillon offer spectacular panoramic views across the valley to the Grand Luberon, the slopes of Mont Ventoux, and the plateau of the Vaucluse. There are said to be over 15 shades of ochre daubed across the province of Roussillon, drawn from the palette of the old ochre quarry in the region. The ochre this land is made of is a natural pigment that was used in paints. Roussillon's ochre quarry was one of the most significant ochre deposits in the world.
Similar in color to the ochre quarries are the Roussillon Apricots, for which Roussillon is renowned. So much so that there is even an apricot named after the area - the 'Rouge du Roussillon'. They are grown in orchards in the mountain valley of the Vaucluse.
The fruits of the 'Rouge du Roussillon' apricot tree are ready to pick mid July to mid August. They are large and vermillion red to orange in color and they tend to be very sweet if they are picked when ripe. The 'Rouge du Roussillon' apricots are eaten fresh, made into the liqueur Eau de Noyaux (prepared from bitter apricot kernels), turned into jams and conserves, and used in a myriad of desserts.
One such dessert is the Apricot Clafoutis. The Clafoutis takes its name from the Occitan clafotis, which means "to fill up". Want to take your stab at creating this sweet treat? Here's a recipe to get you started: Apricot Clafoutis
Chestnut Festival
La Fête de la Chataigne
 During the last 3 weekends of October, the towns of Collobrières, la Garde-Freinet, les Mayons, Pignans and Gonfaron in the Maures Mountains organize a "Fête de la Chataigne" or Chestnut Festival. This is a region on the French Riviera, west of St. Tropez, which still harvests sweet chestnut trees. The trees are harvested during the months of October and November. The Festival is an opportunity to taste the chestnut in many of its creative preparations. They are boiled, roasted, candied into marrons glaçés, simmered in sauces, crushed into flours, macerated into liquors, and pasted into jams. If you’re visiting the French Riviera in the Fall don’t miss the chance of exploring these delights.
Van Gogh in Provence
 In the 19th and 20th centuries, many of the most famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists in the world came to Provence. They were drawn by the climate and the clarity of the light. Vincent Van Gogh was one of them! Van Gogh lived in Provence from 1889 to 1890. Though it was only two years, his fame and notoriety as an artist is largely a result of what he painted while he was in Provence.
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