The Trail's Our Thing

We went early to the Apt market so we were guaranteed a parking spot and had breakfast at our favorite café, Le Louvre. Kelly spent an hour and a half shopping with me, then an hour with Charley. She had birthday money to spend and was especially happy with her purchase of 24 carefully-selected bangle bracelets in an array of colors. Yesterday she bought a bright sundress in Bonnieux.

Shopping for bracelets at the Apt market

At 12:30 we met at Le Louvre for a post-market lunch. Le Louvre has a kind of air-conditioning for its outdoor tables—a cooling mist that sprays out from the canvas awning. We had a prime spot, right under the mist.

It was almost 3:00 pm when we got home and very, very hot. Kelly decided to watch a movie in the cool family room upstairs. She and Charley both fell asleep watching Shrek 2. They just had time for a quick swim before we headed up to Bonnieux for the special birthday celebration at Le Terrail.

Le Terrail is “our” spot in Bonnieux—a simple café with reasonable prices, a menu that appeals to all three of us, one of the best views in the Luberon, and a staff who have become friends. The head waiter Michel is really a special person in our lives. When we visited in the spring we brought him a bottle of Jack Daniels from our home state of Tennessee. Last week we gave him a t-shirt with Tennessee in orange letters.

I stopped up at Le Terrail earlier in the week to make arrangements for tonight’s celebration. It was just the three of us, but I asked Michel to get a special cake and invited him to share it with us.

We arrived at the café at 7:30 pm. We greeted Michel with our now familiar kiss-kiss-kiss, and he led us to the best table on the terrace, looking out across the broad expanse of the Calavon Valley and directly across to the chateau at the top of the neighboring village of Lacoste. Our table was decorated with balloons marked with special messages: “Bon Anniversaire Kelly” and “Bisous Kelly”. (“Bisous” means kisses.)

View of Lacoste from our table at Le Terrail

Michel treated us to an aperitif (Kelly had a “sirop”), and we had a relaxed and enjoyable meal. At dessert time, suddenly music blared from the café: a disco version of Happy Birthday. Kelly broke out in a huge smile. Michel—also with a huge smile—walked through the tables carrying a luscious-looking cake with two tall lit candles… a “one” and a “three.” As Kelly blew out the candles and Michel gave her three kisses, everyone on the terrace applauded. Kelly loved it.

The cake was wonderful, made at the new patisserie/boulangerie at the entrance to the village… praline, chocolate (almost a mousse), and strawberries. It was decorated with the message “Bon Anniversaire Kelly.” Kelly had two pieces. Michel cut a piece for himself and despite the very demanding evening, stopped by from time to time to chat with us and take a bite.

While we were enjoying our cake, I noticed two men arriving for dinner, one an older, somewhat distinguished man with glasses and a muted green high-collared jacket. He wasn’t particularly well-dressed, but somehow I just knew this was Pierre Cardin, one of the most famous fashion designers in the world. We made eye contact and exchanged “bon-soirs” as they took the table just behind us. The sun was beginning to sink between the clouds to the west, the sky a brilliant pink, lights twinkling in the various villages across the valley. The ruins of the chateau on the top of Lacoste were illuminated and especially beautiful in the evening sky.

Parts of this chateau date back to the 12th century, and it was once the home of the notorious Marquis de Sade. Today it is the home of Pierre Cardin, the diner at the next table. He purchased the crumpling castle sometime in the 1990’s and has undertaken an extensive renovation. Its one of the most distinctive landmarks in the Luberon, now more extensively illuminated at night than our last visit here in March. There are rumors that Cardin bought the castle for only one euro. I’m sure he’s spent millions fixing it up.

Lacoste and its castle from our driveway

Just turned 84, Cardin appeared much younger. He is still extremely engaged in a broad range of design, business and cultural activities. His website says he is “one of the five best known Frenchmen in the world since 1960”. He is certainly one of the most famous residents of the Luberon.

One of Cardin’s current activities is a very prominent summer music festival held in an outdoor theatre created in the ruins of an old quarry atop Lacoste. People apparently come from all over France to attend the various events. I looked at the program before our trip—thinking we might go to a performance—and decided that at 35 to 145 euros each, the tickets were too expensive for the Wood family.

I was surprised to see Pierre Cardin at Le Terrail, a special place for us but hardly a noted spot for fine dining in Provence. I suspect he came to get away from the festival crowd, but most likely he was there for a nighttime view of his fairytale chateau.

I didn’t say anything to Charley about our neighboring diner, trying to be discreet. Plus I wasn’t 100% sure it was Pierre Cardin… maybe just 98%. Two minutes after the two men sat down, Natalie stopped at their table to greet them, and Michel was there a minute later. “No, I’m not the owner,” I heard him tell Pierre Cardin in French. I tried not to eavesdrop.

But a bit later, I needed to say something. When I was sure Cardin and his friend were talking and Kelly wasn’t paying attention, I finally whispered to Charley. “That’s Pierre Cardin behind us. Don’t turn around!”

After coffee, Charley went inside to pay the bill. He came back to report—to our surprise—that the cake was a gift from Patrick, the owner of Le Terrail. Charley also confirmed with Michel that it was indeed Pierre Cardin at the next table. I was very impressed that Michel continued to stop by our table to check in with us and eat some of his cake. Kelly took a piece home, but we left the rest of the cake to share with Natalie, Patrick and the other staff members. Michel and Natalie both came over to offer kisses and handshakes, say goodbye, and wish Kelly a happy birthday. She went inside to thank Patrick for the cake.

As we got up to leave, I had to move my chair to squeeze out behind Pierre Cardin.

“Excusez-moi, monsieur,” I said. “C’est l’anniversaire de notre fille. Elle a treize ans.” I know my French was quite bad, not helped by my nervousness about talking to such a famous person. And then I decided to say more.

“Vous avez un très magnifique château,” I said, fumbling with my words.

“You have been there?” he asked in English.

Our family of three clustered around his table.

“We have only walked around the castle,” I replied, glad to be conversing in English. “It is very beautiful.”

“Do you live here?” he said. He had observed our interactions with Michel and Natalie, not those of a typical tourist family.

“We lived here last year,” we said, “between Bonnieux and Lacoste. Now we are taking care of the house of friends for five weeks.”

He asked if we worked for the Art School in Lacoste, and then asked if we were going to the Festival. We regretfully said no, and he told us a bit about some of the performances. A ballerina was performing the next night. I decided not to ask if we could take his photograph… it just didn’t feel right.

Then this famous Frenchman turned to Kelly.

“I wish you a very memorable birthday, mademoiselle,” he said.

She beamed her beautiful smile with the braces that will come off in less than a month. “Merci beaucoup, monsieur” she said politely, with that near-perfect French accent we’re so proud of.

Definitely a memorable birthday!