• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Julie Shipman Photography in Baja, Cabo, Los Barriles, Mexico and Park City, Utah – Park City Photographer

Julie Shipman Photography in Baja, Cabo, Los Barriles, Mexico and Park City, Utah - Park City Photographer

Action Sports Photographer, Portrait Photography, Travel Photography, Senior Portraits, Family Portraits, Salt Lake City & Park City, Utah

  • Portfolio
    • active lifestyle & sport
    • commercial & editorial
    • travel & culture
    • Portraits
      • Baja
      • Utah
  • art
    • Shop
  • Stock
    • Search Stock
  • About
    • Meet Julie
    • Testimonials
  • Contact

France

The Best Rhone Wine Tour in Provence!

July 10, 2017 by Julie Shipman

Let’s be clear. I am not a Wine Writer. I am not a Wine Blogger. I am a Wine Drinker.   I claim no sophisticated palette, nor ‘nose.’ But, I love wine. I love food. I love clever & curious people. I love beautiful scenery. And, I love to travel. If you too, love these things, this is a perfect way to spend a day or two in Provence.La Madelene Rhone Wine Holidays offer a perfect wine tour. I enjoyed their “Selected Domaines” Tour. This includes an overnight stay at La Madelene, or The Big House. In their words: “La Madelène is a beautiful renovated 12th c. priory located in the foothills of Mt.Ventoux in Provence. Founded by Benedictine monks, the house sits on a sandstone outcrop surrounded by mature trees with views over vines, fruit orchards and mountains. We have 5 bedrooms sleeping up to 11 people.”

We started with drinks on the patio overlooking the pool, followed by a lovely meal of several courses — each paired with the perfect wine. Our hostess, Jude, prepared a wonderful dinner while her husband,Philip, taught us about the Rhone region.Philip gave us a detailed lesson on the region: its history, soil and vineyards.

Fun Fact 1: Below, Philip shows us a round stone known as galets roulés. They are mostly quartzite, remnants from the glaciers and smoothed over by the Rhone River. These stones retain heat and release it at night, hastening ripening. They also help hold moisture in the soil.

We started the morning with a perfect Provencal breakfast of warm croissants, homemade local jams, fruit, cured meats/cheeses and fresh brewed coffee. Then we loaded up in a comfy Mercedes van and headed out. Our first stop was in the hills above Roaix at Domaine Escaravailles, founded by Jean-Louis Ferran in 1953. The wine maker’s daughter, Madeline Ferran, was our lovely and knowledgable host.

Fun Fact 2: “Escaravay” is the local word for beetle. The inhabitants of this village used this nickname to describe the black-robed monks who were the owners of the farm in the 17th century. Next, we drove west to the well-known appellation Chateauneuf du Pape, where we visited one of the largest and oldest wineries in the area — Chateau La Nerthe. This stunning large estate is home to the appellation’s finest Chateau. We enjoyed a private tour of their remarkable cellars which date back to the 16th century. Most Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are blends dominated by Grenache. Only one of every 16 bottles produced in the region is white wine.

Fun Fact 3: They made Thomas Jefferson’s favorite wine and he had it sent to the US in large wooden crates!The following photos illustrate their historic cellars.  Apparently, this is the perfect mold. It demonstrates the correct temperature and humidity levels of the cellar. Below you can see the private cellars of many famous chefs, sommeliers and wine collectors. I photographed two but there are hundreds.

Fun Fact 4: Sherry-Lehman is known as the leading wine retailer in NYC with a swanky Park Avenue address. Mr. Aaron’s family opened the store in 1934.

Fun Fact 5: Alain Ducasse is a renowned chef. He is the first chef to ever own restaurants with 3 Michelin Stars (the highest) in three different cities. He is also 1 of 2 chefs to hold a total of 21 Michelin Stars!   

Next, time for lunch at Verger des Papes in the village of Chateauneuf du Pape. When the Pope had his residence in Avignon in the 14th century, his ‘summer home’ was in this village (see photo below); apparently the putrid stink in the streets of Avignon was too much for him in the hot months!

After lunch, we visited an artisanal producer: Chateau Mont Thabor. The charming owner Daniel Stehelin works his tiny plot (about 9 acres) on his own. His chateau is a 17th c. building with a rather long and sordid past.

Fun fact 6: Don Pernety, founder of the Illuminés  de Avignon, stayed there on his journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary substance, capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold! ~ I don’t think he found it…  The Chateau then became a post house for carriages on the road between Paris and Marseille. In 1881, the Swiss family Stehelin bought the small estate to develop into a vineyard … as it remains so today.A bit tipsy by this point, we ended our glorious day at Domaine Saint Amant, the highest vineyard site (500 meters in elevation) in the whole of the Rhone Valley. It also produces the most highly regarded Viognier (photo below) in the region and their cru wines regularly win top awards. The Jacques Wallut Family still runs it using traditional small scale cultivation by hand. Owner and wine maker Camille Nosworthy was our host. As we drove away this stunning view greeted us — a perfect end to an incredible day. 

Check out this website for the wine tour   www.rhonewineholidays.com
The website for La Madelene is http://www.bighouseinprovence.com
I traveled with Chasing Atlas who puts together custom tours of Provence with an optional stop-over here. I highly recommend them. They create custom culinary and adventure tours of the region. La Madelene is also located just below one of cycling most famous peaks, Mont Ventoux.  Why not combine a great cycling adventure with the best wine tasting? Sounds perfect to me. For more info, contact me or:
http://www.chasingatlas.com

 

Filed Under: adventures, Bike Tours, Clear Blue Sky, Colors, France, France, Inspiration, Mountains, photography, Scenery, travel, travel photography, Uncategorized Tagged With: beetle, Champagne, chasing atlas travel, chateauneuf du pape, Cheers, croatian food, French wine, La Madelene, Provence, rhone wine holiday, rhone wines, The Big House, travel, travel photographer, vineyard, wine cellars, wine tours

Fresh Paris Produce Market in the Winter!

February 28, 2014 by Julie Shipman

The fresh produce markets in Paris are as lively in the winter months as the summer.  I was surprised by the incredibly stunning array of fresh veggies all seasonally appropriate. I wish we had more of this in the US, although certain communities are getting there! Our spread-out cities make it more difficult to walk to the market and buy dinner…

paris-0174 copy

Multi-colored radishes!

paris-9249

paris-9242 copy

Blue potatos

Scallops

Colorful Carrots

Radish

I also love the huge assortment of stinky cheese to flavor your fresh baked baguette.

Fromage

Baguette

We are so sterilized in the US.  How would we feel about this in the Meat department at Safeway?  Well, it’s what we eat every day!

Chicken?

…only we are much more comfortable seeing it this way.

Rotisserie Chicken.

And, imagine drinking Champagne from chocolate flutes out of a chocolate bottle!

Chocolate delights.

After the visit to the market, have a little treat and watch the world go by…

paris-9297

 

Filed Under: adventures, Colors, France, France, Fresh Veggies, Market, Paris, travel, Winter

Paris in Winter

February 23, 2014 by Julie Shipman

Blogging!  Yeah, it’s been awhile and I’m getting back at it.  I am fortunate to have taken some great trips lately and lots of good stuff ahead for the Spring and Summer.

In January, I went to Paris with Chasing Atlas — a new custom travel company started by a woman who isn’t new to high-end experiences in Europe, Jill Jemison.  Her sights are set high for creating memorable excursions for individuals, groups and families who want to see the world their way, which usually means all sorts of interesting things.  Fortunately, she is taking me along to help record these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.  This jaunt to Paris was R&D, to prepare to launch Chasing Atlas into the world.  The photos I will post are mostly my ‘ADD’ escapes as my eye wanders to what I find fascinating and fun.

For the photos Jill likes, check out HER website!  She will be launching it soon.

The Family Transportation
The Family Transportation

Wow, 2 kid mobile.  Mom drives and sticks Dad on front with the bungee cord!

Fresh Roasted Chestnuts Here!
Fresh Roasted Chestnuts Here!

Drive to work.  Start roasting.  Sell some warmth.  Drive home.

lampshades?
Lampshades?

Fashion week in Paris!  Textile companies from around the world were displaying their fabrics all around the streets on jumbo lamp shades.  Colorful.  Brilliant.

Remember Vaurnets?
Remember Vaurnets?

Back in the ’80s, Vaurnets were the sunglasses of choice among my group at East High School.  I thought they died!  So glad they are still around.

Ready to go?  Time to move on.
Ready to go? Time to move on.

This pup looked rather bored as he rested his head on the cafe table.  Dogs abound in Parisien eateries.

Parisian Girl keeping up with Mama while she shops!
Parisian Girl keeping up with Mama while she shops!
Hot Lips warm up January.
Hot Lips warm up January.
Seat with a View
Seat with a View
Champs-Élysées on a cold rainy night.  Still hopping!
Champs-Élysées on a cold rainy night. Still hopping!

Many shoppers still out on a cold, rainy evening finding sales!  The mid-weeks of January are famous for items in Paris being about 50-70% off.   FYI, great deals.

Champs-Élysées, looking up at the Arc de Triomphe,
Champs-Élysées, looking westward (or up) at the Arc de Triomphe,

The Arc de Triomphe  honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.  The names of all French victories and the Generals are inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Its iconic shape makes it almost as recognizable as the Eiffel Tower, as a symbol of Paris.  It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gualle.

The Grande Roue
The Grande Roue

At the eastern end of the Champs-Elysees, is the Big Wheel, or the Grande Roue.   It was built for the millennium celebrations and was supposed to stay at the Place de la Concorde for only one year. The owner, however, refused a judge’s order to have the wheel taken down, and the wheel was dismantled only in 2002.  It traveled around the world and came back to Paris in 2007.  It now illuminates the Place de la Concorde and Tuileries for the end of the year festivities every year.

Thanks for joining me for my random eye and musings…  more to come.

Filed Under: adventures, Champs Elysees, France, Paris, travel, Vacation, Winter

Primary Sidebar

801.913.1624 All images © Julie Shipman Photography
Park City Photographer - Baja Photographer

logo
  • Portfolio
    • active lifestyle & sport
    • commercial & editorial
    • travel & culture
    • Portraits
      • Baja
      • Utah
  • art
    • Shop
  • Stock
    • Search Stock
  • About
    • Meet Julie
    • Testimonials
  • Contact