It was 2 a.m. in France.
Just two weeks earlier Id been with her in Aix.
On February 29 Leap Year Day we went to Paris.
A view from the top of Montpellierâs Arc de Triomphe.Credit:Anaïs Boileau
Ste.-Chapelle, the Musee dOrsay, cafes, the Metro: all packed.
Jespere vous revoir bientot.
(c’mon donate or recycle whatever you’re able to.
From left: The 11-acre botanical garden in the city of Montpellier holds more than 2,600 species; the studio of painter Paul Cézanneânow a museumâin Aix-en-Provence, France.Anaïs Boileau
Thank you for everything.
I hope to see you again soon.)
Then came long months of isolation at home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Coste family breaks for lunch at their vineyard, Domaine Montrose, in Tourbes.Anaïs Boileau
Masking, testing, disinfecting groceries.
Their son Geoffrey works at the vineyard.
Or used to have, before COVID.
From left: Place Richelme Market, in Aix-en-Provence; the cloister of Aix Cathedral, completed in the 16th century.Anaïs Boileau
From this distance, sipping this wine, it was easier to imagine France in the present tense.
Hallie was about to graduate with her degree in French.
As a graduation gift, I decided to take her back to France.
Domaine Montrose dates back to 1701.Anaïs Boileau
A chance to see friends and say proper goodbyes.
Jon and Amy connected us with Geoffrey, and we arranged a side trip to visit him in Montpellier.
I cant believe were actually here, Hallie kept saying.
It did feel miraculous, and somehow ephemeral, as if we were on borrowed time.
We landed in Paris on May 24 and caught a connecting flight.
It was a clear morning the Seine below us shimmered gold in the rising sun.
By the time we descended intoMarseille, sky and sea were an ecstatic blue, nearly indistinguishable.
We took the bus into Aix, the windows cracked to admit the breeze.
The plane trees, skeletal last February, were lush with green.
I never got to see it like this, Hallie said.
Wed rented the flat where I had stayed last time, a spacious one-bedroom beside Aixs historic Place dAlbertas.
Patrick and Mireille, the owners, met us on the street.
Both didla bise,kissing our masked cheeks.
On a ete vaccinees, Hallie said quickly.
We are vaccinated too, Patrick said.
Inside, Patrick told us about the lockdowns, theattestation de deplacementdocuments required to leave their home.
Mireille said we were the first guests to stay in their flat since the last time Id been there.
So you see, it is almost as if no time has passed, she said.
That evening we had dinner with Emma, one of Hallies former classmates.
Emma is British, from London, and exactly my age.
Back at the flat, we flung the balcony doors open.
I cant believe were actually here, Hallie kept saying.
It did feel miraculous, and somehow ephemeral, as if we were on borrowed time.
The following day we rode the train 312 hours west to Montpellier.
I ripped a scrap from my journal and wrote Vive la France.
It wasnt really a wish.
The Promenades focal point is a large statue of King Louis XIV on horseback.
Le Roi Soleil, the Sun King a nickname Louis apparently gave himself.
The ruler who would enlighten the minds of his subjects and become the center around which they would orbit.
From the esplanade at the back of the park, the panoramic views of Montpellier were stunning.
There we found aPhillyrea latifoliatree whose knotty trunk was pocked with cavities.
Inside each one was a bit of folded paper.
The tree has become known asla boite aux lettres des amoureux the lovers mailbox.
More Trip Ideas:20 Best Places to Visit in the South of France
Vines are like people, Geoffrey said.
They have a lifespan.
We were in Geoffreys car, driving into the Languedoc countryside.
A young vine takes about three years to start producing.
For a while its robust.
As it begins to age, it produces less.
But the older grapes have a richer, more concentrated flavor.
Its an exciting time to be producing in this region, he continued.
Since the late twentieth century, Languedoc has been experiencing a renaissance.
Whats the industrial way?
Lots of additives, Geoffrey said.
Blending without paying attention to the terroir.
Domaine Montrose was founded in 1701 and has been owned and operated by the same family ever since.
Bernard Coste and his children Olivier and Jeanne are the current owners.
Grapes from this third jot down are rare in France.
But a wines terroir encompasses more than soil, Geoffrey explained.
It also includes things like sun exposure, the slope of the land, and weather patterns.
We were greeted by Lascar, the familys dog, a gentle giant.
He licked Hallies hand and went back to lie in the shady courtyard.
I noticed a sundial painted onto the north-facing wall.
Above it were the Latin words DUCERE SOLE EO (Let the sun guide him).
It was a busy market day.
After harvesting, which is done at night, the grapes are placed into a pneumatic press.
This method allowing gravity to do the work minimizes damage to the grapes.
Michel explained that he uses a variety of yeasts to produce variations in flavor.
When there is no more sugar for the yeast to eat, Le Goaec said, fermentation is complete.
It wasnt a language barrier as much as a conceptual one.
Blending is an acquired skill, sensory, impossible to learn without years of trial and error.
It was where how-to ended and savoir-faire began.
Theres a certain mystique surrounding wine making, Geoffrey said later.
We were standing at the top of the Valros Tower next to the Montrose property.
VOUS ETES AU SOMMET DUN ILOT VOLCANIQUE!
(You are at the top of a volcanic island!)
The site held a necropolis from the seventh to 10th centuries and a fortress in the 13th century.
The views of the surrounding countryside were breathtaking.
A directional sign pointed out the various appellations, or wine-making regions: AOP Minervois; AOP Corbieres.
In one spot someone had drawn an arrow in Sharpie: CANADA.
Despite that mystique, Geoffrey continued, at the end of the day its all aboutthis.
He spread his arms wide to indicate the vines.
Subject to the elements.
At its roots, wine making is a humble vocation.
Back at the house, lunch was waiting.
We later met Oliviers wife, Valentine, and their three children.
Vos enfants sont si mignons.
Your children are so cute.
Ah, mes petits-enfants!
We drank a rose called the Prestige, a blend of Grenache and Rolle grapes.
It had hints of mandarin and spice.
The main course wasbourride de baudroie: stewed monkfish and vegetables mixed with homemade mayonnaise and served over rice.
Partly aged in oak barrels, the 1701 is considered one of the best roses in the world.
It sells in large volumes to countries with colder climates: the U.K., Norway, Germany.
During the cheese course, Olivier rose from his chair.
We believe wine should be accessible to everyone, not just connoisseurs, he said in English.
Rose is an easy wine to drink.
Its approachable, full of warmth, family, and friendship."
When you drink our wines, youre drinking the south of France and our lifestyle here, he said.
I thought of the sundial Id spotted earlier: let the sun guide him.
And I couldnt help thinking of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.
The visionaries of past and future, in the south of France, 150 miles apart.
Back in the center of Aix, it was a busy market day.
Alas, the studio was still closed because of COVID.
Hallie and I entered the coolness of the nave.
The cantor sang a hymn while the children hundreds of them, it seemed processed in.
The priest explained that the profession was metaphorical, that they were claiming their place within the Catholic Church.
But sitting inside that packed cathedral, I couldnt help hearing the phrase a little differently.
Their daughter Juliette would also join us.
Theyre a little bit formal, Hallie had told me.
Youll have to speak in French.
Xavier doesnt speak English.
Plus its their job to see to it I get practice.
The house was a short walk from the historic city center.
Marie-Paule was hospitable and friendly and hugged us both.
Xavier is an amateur photographer; their daughter Juliette attends a nearby university.
We sat beneath an awning beside their swimming pool.
Cest de Chypre, she said.
I heard sheep, so we took turns guessing.
Non, Xavier said.
Je comprends, I said.
Marie-Paule and Xavier looked at one another and laughed.
On veut dire le pays, Marie-Paule said.
(We mean the country.)
The cheese Halloumi was from Cyprus.Chypre.
(They loved it, they said, but is it always so dirty?)
And then it was time for the long-awaited goodbye.
Thank you so much for everything you did for me last year, Hallie said.
I could tell she was emotional.
Marie-Paule gave her a brisk hug.
You will be back, she said, as if it were an established fact.
Perhaps,I thought.Me voici.
In that moment, in Aix, it was enough.
Let the owner surprise you with his pairing suggestions.
Mahe:Seasonal food beautifully prepared in a cheerful dining room near the Lez River.
