A BIG Birthday...

Birthdays don't normally bother me.  In fact, I can't remember a birthday or age that's given me the slightest concern.  Until THIS one, that is.  July 1st was one of those milestone birthdays that carries a lot of weight.  At least it seems like it to me.

But, David came to the rescue!  He and his bicycle buddies had discovered a nice little auberge just outside of Viviers (a village about 2 hours drive south  of Lyon - by car, that is).  And, he made reservations for my birthday weekend before he and the guys pedalled on.

So off we went on the 29th.  The weather was great, and the drive was quite pleasant.  The scene was set for a lovely weekend.

The auberge definnitely lived up to all the wonderful things David said about it.  Blue pots with colorful plants graced the entrance along with large, charming trees.

Entrance to the Auberge.

Here's the tree-lined driveway leading to our room.

Our room was actually a separate cottage by the pool.  We had our own little patio with a great view of the pool and spacious grounds.  Quite the setting!

Our patio and door to our room.

View of side yard from our room.

David by the side of the pool.  Next time we'll bring swimsuits!

Our hostess was fun, entertaining and informative.  We enjoyed our many conversations with her.  She also took very good care of us at breakfast and dinner.  We had our own table reserved in the dining area outside under an arbor.  And, the food was fantastic!  Breakfasts included  assortments of freshly-made breads and rolls with home-made preserves.  Dinner was excellent!  Our  evening meals were preceeded by more delicious breads, including an olive bread that I just couldn't resist, and various toppings and pâtés.  We ordered a la carte since out appetites aren't up to the full meals (although they were VERY tempting!).  Desserts were wonderful, too.  In short, the food and the wines were amazing.

So, if you are in the area and would like to be pampered and enjoy a quiet retreat, I highly recommend Le Relais Du Vivarais.  It makes even a BIG birthday fun.

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We did some sightseeing during the days we were there - there will be another posting on that.