On the French Riviera

It is sunny, windy and the Mediterranean Sea is as blue as it can only be at the French Riviera.

Henry and I are taking a car ride along the coastline road passing beach restaurants with parasols, tables, and “chaises longues” and offering various services. We enjoy the beach and cliffs and watching the many people taking pleasure in a day by the Sea.

I can’t help but laugh that nobody even bothers to look when a great looking, almost naked woman stands up to apply sun lotion on her uncovered breasts. The men around her on the beach don’t even blink – only the passers-by like me and Henry and other tourists look and enjoy the view as part of the Riviera and the fresh sea air.

We take our time - actually we have to - because the traffic goes slow as people want to park to go to the water, lie in the sun, get tanned and because parking places are scarce. French police is not particular during the summer as there otherwise would be nowhere to place the many tourist cars. With only one lane each way you have plenty of time to enjoy the full show.

We decide to stop at Juan le Pins where Henry caught sight of a parking spot inside the boundaries of a small harbor. As an extra there were plenty of parasol covered restaurants on the sidewalk looking down over the harbor.

After a long walk and looking at many menus we decided on La Sirene presenting a Mediterranean menu. Starting out with a bottle of Badoit – for me non sparkling and for Henry with some fizz - and a bottle of French local Vin Rose’ we took our time to order our overdue lunch.

Like any decent French Restaurant the waiter brought baguette bread before the meal and with the wine. I can tell you we enjoyed it fully. Henry decided on the “tartare” and I chose an “Avocado Salade avec Arugula and parmesan cheese” apparently the most popular salad on the menu.

Henry’s “tartare” was made the French way: the fresh scraped or chopped beef is mixed with olive oil and French mustard a mix that changes the color of the meat and makes it very soft. Typically French, La Sirene normally serves the tartare with capers and relish to add aftertaste and with a side of French fried potatoes. In this case also a small side of salad. The raw meat was presented at the table before it was mixed and Henry was very happy with his dish. The French fries were crisp, soft and not too fatty.

My dish turned out to be a rather large salad with tasty Arugula leaves, just right ripe Avocado cut in larger long pieces on top of the Arugula leaves, mixed with fresh cut Parmesan cheese and a sweet and enticing peeled fruit tasting like pears cut in smaller pieces. The dressing was extra virgin olive oil and balsamic Vinaigrette. Plenty of everything and the taste like a dream. Do I have to say I emptied my plate!

All being so delicate we could not resist dessert and chose to share a recommended chocolate delight cake. Topped with part of a glass of Poire Williams it became so soft and beautiful that it really was a delight.

It was all so great that we had to finish this meal properly with an Espresso for Henry and a Cappuccino for me. And I finished the last of Henrys Poire Williams.

After a tourist drive and a long harbor walk a wonderful late lunch at La Sirene at Juan le Pins is something I can recommend!