Second choice was a lovely green and yellow outdoor café and it was a most excellent choice. We all ordered different prix fix menus and kir royals. You must drink Cassis while in Cassis, although it is actually produced somewhere in the Beaujolais region I think.
My first course was a hot goat cheese and fig salad, and it was divine. The cheese was not too sharp, the figs were succulent, and the honey dressing was just right.
Then I had a lamb kebab with herbs de provance, which came with the ubiquitous potato gratin, and a decliously thyme-y ratatouille. And it was grilled. I did not know how much I missed grilled food until I bit into the first bite of the lam kebab. Everything is France is braised (and of course incredibly tender and delicious) but the crusty smoking skin of the lamb was much needed for my palate.
After lunch, we sauntered over to the beach, and laid down for a long afternoon nap. It was warm, the sea was absolutely spectacularly blue, and we were all very happy.
Then we took a stroll around town and went shopping. We found the most adorable candy store and our eyes grew huge as saucers as we tried to control our shopping urges. Spoiler alert: I may or may not have purchased some Christmas gifts here. I bought myself raspberry pate de fruit since it has turned into a bizarre personal quest to produce pate de fruit I like.
After shopping we decided to café, sit before dinner. Everyone in every town in France is always drinking this really intense green drink. We assumed it was either absinthe or the veverine drink that is produced locally. So we ask, what is this strange drink. The waiter tells us it is mint syrup. I decide I should give this a try. Well, I was a bit afraid that once I drank it, it might turn out to be absinthe and I would explode or turn into one of the crazies I’ve read about who drank that horrid drink. As it turns out, it is not even alcoholic. It is just mint syrup on tepid water. Ew! It is like watered down Listerine, meant for sipping at a café. What is with the French?
Then, we could not ever get our waiters attention, even after moving inside and each of us making eye contact with him like a hundred times. We couldn’t order a second drink, or get our bill, or anything. We thought about simply walking out, but the town is rather small and I think fishermen could be vindictive. Finally, we walked up to the bar and just asked for a bill and the waiter overheard and acted so surprised at us asking for a bill we hardly knew what to do. We paid, left, and said good riddance to cafes.
The next day we went on a cruise of 8 calanques, which took me quite a while to figure out even what they were, I just knew it was what everyone did in Cassis. This cruise fulfilled all of my wildest Mediterranean dreams. Azure water, crystal clear to the bottom surrounded the ship as we turned down successive inlets to explore white cliff-lined walls covered in twisted trees. Any open rock shelf housed sunbathers and swimming jumping off the cliff in to the waters bellow. Yachts and dingys floated idly by, gazing up at the clear blue sky. It was warm, windy, and perfect.
Not even one of these pictures does it justice, but I know how beautiful it is. On some of the taller cliffs, rock climbers slowly make their ascent to the top, making rock climbing in Colorado look quite boring compared to hanging over the Mediterranean ocean. It was what I’ve always wanted the coast to be, full of hidden outcroppings, unique paths to stroll on, and idyllic boats. Cassis was lovely.
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