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Languedoc-Roussillon.eu.com/Pezenas |
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PEZENAS The entire old town, is protected by the state historic monument department, one of the first in France to be so protected. Pezenas is rich with period mansions known as "hôtels particuliers" Famous for their stone sculpture and ornate doorways. Often you can pass through impressive doors to admire the inner courtyards – a magnificent renaissance staircase in Hôtel de Lacoste, a balcony in Hôtel Carion de Nizas, striking arches and columns of Hôtel d’Alfonse, familiar to the 17th century playwright Molière who presented the first performance of "Le Médecin Volant" in 1655 to the court of the Prince de Conti.
Wealth and fame were brought to Pézenas by the reputation of five annual trade fairs organised as early as the XIIIth century. During the time of the fairs the people of Pézenas would let the ground floor of their houses to travelling merchants and craftsmen, who would set up their workshops, and move their families up a floor from where they could observe and enjoy the fun and activity below. Today these workshops are again used by craftsmen. Today, the Shrove Tuesday carnival brings theatre and festival to the town and is the moment when the "Poulain", an enormous wooden structure, with two figures, Estienne and Estienou seated on top, a bit like a large pantomime horse. The "Poulain", is carried by a team of rugby players and brings the whole town into the streets to dance to a medieval melody played by pipers leading the procession.
The tourist office organises excellent guided tours of the old quarter, on a regular basis during the summer and on demand out of season.
Molière and Pézenas, a tale of love and remembrance In 1647, at the age of 25, young Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, or Molière, began travelling the Languedoc with his Illustre Théâtre troupe. He began writing his first plays in Lyon and Béziers: Molière went on to become troupe manager and gave up acting. 1650 was a turning point in their lives; the Languedoc General Estates (the Languedoc Governmet) were held in Pézenas and the Illustre Théâtre was summoned to entertain them. In 1653, an important event for the Languedoc was that Armand de Bourbon, Prince of Conti, settled at the Grange des Prés in Pézenas. This licentious prince held sumptuous court. He asked his secretary to find players to entertain him and invited Molière to come and perform in Pézenas, and Moliere appeared twice more, in 1653 and 1655.
Guided tours of
Pézenas: high season
Door and Ironwork Museum (free of charge). An unusual museum in the heart of the old town near the chateau. Since it opened in 1993, the association for the wood trade has displayed, as a result of wide ranging cultural research, a collection of doors (15th to 20th c.) from Pézenas and the area; ironwork, door knockers, and implements.
LOCAL FOOD Pezenas - Petit pates de Pezenas. A kind of mince pie shaped like a cotton-reel Many of these gastronomic treats come with a history, and one particularly intriguing and unusual food comes from the town of Pézenas. These are small, round pies about an inch and a half across and two inches high, The story is that in 1766, an English nobleman called Lord Clive, Governor of India came to Pézenas for his health, bringing with him an Indian cook, because he didn’t trust the French cuisine. This cook prepared some curried sweet meat pies for picnics on the river. When Lord Clive left, he passed on the secret recipe to the grateful citizens of Pézenas, who have been making the pies and selling them to tourists ever since. Served warm at the start of a meal, with a glass of white wine - dry (like Picpoul de Pinet) or sweet (like St-Jean-de-Minervois Muscat or Rancio). Sold in all pastry shops in town. Bessan - Ricard Pastis A closely guarded secret since 1932, the formula created by Paul Ricard has never changed. But in Bessan, the technologies for distillation and extraction of the aromas are unique and open to the public along with the bottling lines. Lézignan la Cèbe mild onions Mild onions - Lézignan onions go back a long way. They have been grown in Lezignan since the 17th c. The capital of the mild onion ("cèbe"), between Paulhan and Pézenas. Nézignan l'Evêque fig An experimental orchard has over 80 varieties of this noble fig, which loves Mediterranean heat and dryness. Its digestive, laxative, mineral and anti-inflammatory properties have been known since Antiquity. Cooked or raw, after a meal or with a meat dish, the flavoursome fresh fig melts in the mouth. Pinet - Picpoul White Wine The dry white wine of Pinet is exported throughout the world, and a meal with fish is not complete without a glass of Picpoul de Pinet. Between the garrigue and the Thau basin, surrounded by vineyards, Pinet is a typical Languedoc wine-producing village. "Picpoul de Pinet", a fruity dry white AOC wine, has made the village world-famous. Pinet has other attractions including the Vallongue wood, where you can see a cross section of the Via Domitia, showing how it was built, and a view over the Etang de Thau. In the church at Pinet there is an animated crib that is a very unusual feature that is well worth the detour.
Florensac.
Pomerols
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Petit pates de Pezenas
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