View from the Back
Ramblings of a retiree in France
French Fancies: Pierre Gimmonet & Fils
Often I’ll try a champagne from a house with an unfamiliar name and “bingo,” I find something totally delicious.
Champagne Pierre Gimonnet et Fils is a distinguished champagne house with a legacy dating back centuries. Situated in the heart of the Champagne region in Cuis, France, this family-owned vineyard is renowned for its exceptional Blanc de Blancs champagnes. The Gimonnet family has meticulously cultivated their vineyards, focusing on Chardonnay grapes grown in exceptional chalk terroir to produce champagnes that are celebrated for their elegance and finesse.
They make wines only from their estate vineyards, with a philosophy centred on sustainable practices that respect the soil and preserve the biodiversity of the environment.
How it all began
The Gimonnets have been in the village of Cuis since middle of 17th century, but it is only around 1750 that their history became inseparable from that of the Champagne vineyard, originally delivering their harvests to the Champagne trade.
Between the world wars, landowner Pierre Gimonnet (1898-1991) made wine to survive because grape prices were not profitable enough. Pierre became a grower, Champagne producer and an original member of the Club Trésors de Champagne. The domaine has 28 hectares based in the Côte des Blancs with Premier cru sites in Cuis and Mareuil-sur Aÿ, and Grand crus in Cramant, Chouilly, Oger, Vertus, and Aÿ; the fields are planted to 98% chardonnay and 2% pinot noir.
When his son Michel Gimonnet (1929-2008) joined the family business in 1955, he pioneered plot vinification in small stainless-steel vats and initiated the Pierre Gimonnet & Fils style, a reflection of the Côte des Blancs: complex and balanced with chiseled elegance and inimitable mineral freshness.
Today, the House is still family-owned and managed by Olivier and Didier Gimonnet, two of the four children of Michel Gimonnet and Françoise Gimonnet Larmandier. Their precise knowledge of each plot, know-how transmitted by previous generations, and concern for perfection have been the secret of the consistency of the House’s wines for decades.
Pierre’s grandsons Olivier and Didier, joined by Pierre-Guillaume and Arnaud (the fourth generation), are continuing the House’s commitment to more sustainable viticulture, respecting the environment and preserving biodiversity. The house highlights Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs region with the creation of monoterroir cuvées. The entire range, including the “Spécial Club” monocrus, is of the highest quality.
As Didier Gimonnet (pictured below) explained:
At Gimonnet we are atypical for many reasons. The first is because we are producing mostly Blanc de Blancs Champagne. It’s 98% of our production.
Bollinger is the biggest owner of terroir in Cuis with 30 hectares though Gimonnet is the largest grower here. There are just five presses in Cuis, which is not a lot for a village. Historically it’s a village where winegrowers are also farmers. Gimonnet has 170 hectares of wheat and barley, as well as its vineyards.
Seventy percent of the vines in Gimonnet’s holdings are over 30 years old, some 40% are more than 40 years old, and they’ve 100+ year old vines in the lieux-dits of Le Fond du Bateau, planted in 1911, and Buisson planted in 1913, both in Cramant.
It’s always been Didier’s philosophy to blend the grand cru fruit into his premier cru wines, raising the quality, and keeping the price more accessible to all.
The aim of the House is to extract maximum expression from the grapes and terroir. With 16 hectares in Premier Cru vineyards and 12 hectares in Grand Cru vineyards nestling in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, they are ideally placed to cultivate some of the region’s finest Chardonnay.
Grapes are hand-harvested and the juice from each terroir is placed into separate tanks to produce still base wines. After juice settling, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation, and malolactic fermentation, the wines are aged in stainless steel tanks for 6-8 months.
In Champagne at least 15% of each harvest must be reserved for upcoming blends. The cuvée itself can contain no more than 30% reserve wine. Since 1982 Pierre Gimonnet et Fils has held all of its reserve wines in bottles (on fine lees) and not in tanks or casks. They are the only winemakers in Champagne to do so. This method results in less oxidation (more freshness) and more autolysis (mature flavours).
The next step in producing the Cuis 1er Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs is blending the base wines with at least five reserve wines so as to reproduce Gimonnet’s signature flavour year after year. Although this champagne is referred to as non-vintage, the term multi-vintage is more accurate. For example, the wine bottled in 2020 included wines produced from eight vintages. The resulting cuvée is then cold stabilised and filtered on clay to create a clear wine known as vin clair.
To create the bubbles, a mix of yeast, yeast nutrients, and sugar (“liqueur de tirage”) is added to the vin clair to start a second alcoholic fermentation. Fermentation increases the alcohol and produces the carbon dioxide responsible for the bubbles.
Total production at Gimonnet is 250 000 bottles, of which 180 000 are exported.
Passionate and attentive to their terroirs and their environment, the Gimonnet family produces delicate, mineral cuvées, representative of an exceptional terroir and a know-how handed down and improved from generation to generation.
All images courtesy of Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
The Musette: Carrot Cake Bars
This recipe is very easy to make. It requires two steps: blending up the carrot cake “dough” and blending the cashew frosting.
Ingredients (makes 8 slices)
Carrot Layer:
- 12 soft Medjool dates, pitted
- 190g (1½ cups) chopped carrots
- 80g (1 cup) shredded coconut
- 125g (1 cup) chopped, toasted walnuts
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Cashew Frosting Layer:
- 195g (11/2 cups) raw cashews*
- 120ml (1/2 cup) full-fat coconut milk
- 60ml (1/4) cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- extra walnuts to decorate
Method
1. Line a 20cm (8 inch) square pan with greaseproof (parchment) paper. If your dates are not soft, soak them in a small bowl of warm water for 5–10 minutes. Pat dry before using.
2. Make the carrot layer, add the dates, carrots, coconut, walnuts, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture sticks together when pinched.
3. Make the cashew frosting layer in a high-speed blender. Combine the cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Press the carrot mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Spread the cashew mixture evenly on top.
5. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight. Slice into bars. If too firm, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
* If not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight before blending. You may need to blend longer to achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
Friday’s Tall Tales #144
Whenever I photograph a door or gate I wonder about its provenance, who and what has happened across said door or gate, and what lies beyond.
I thought I might pick one from my sextet of Thursday’s Doors and tell you a bit more about it or……maybe even weave a story about it.
Urbieta Street is a central, busy area known for its proximity to shops and local amenities. It’s next door to a Chinese Bazar.
The eight storey building was constructed in 1905 and is now home to a number of rental apartments. These include: Urbieta Centro, a highly-rated spacious apartment for short-term rentals, featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a balcony with city views; and, Urbieta by Basque Homes, a modern 60 sq m holiday apartment located on the fourth floor of the building.I’m assuming the other apartments in the building are long-term rentals.
Flora and Fauna Friday #144
This post is my weekly homage to my parents who both took pleasure in having a beautiful garden. In particular, they loved sitting and watching the wild life enjoy their garden.
Thursday doors #325
I’m still featuring Spanish, Italian and French doors from my trips last year. These are largely from the Basque Country.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments’ on Dan’s site, anytime between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American Eastern Time).
The Chateau formerly owned by Americans
There are some bargains to be had when it comes to French chateaux. This is a case in point.
The “Château de Tournon” is a 16th century estate in the town of Montauroux, France, which recently sold at auction for €2.3345 million, with a starting bid of €1 million.
This is a private, 16th century Provençal estate located about 35 km northwest of Cannes.
The château dates back to the 16th century and has 12 rooms, including six bedrooms, 528 sq m (5,700 sq ft) of living space set in nearly 6,000 sq m (1 1/2 acres) of landscaped grounds.
Formerly owned by a couple of young American entrepreneurs who’d hoped the château would sell for around €4 million. Their decision to opt for an auction sale reflects a distinctly Anglo-Saxon approach: a swift, transparent and secure method, unlike the negative perception auctions often carry in France.
Acquired just two years ago, the property was intended to become their family residence, but a professional opportunity abroad prompted them to sell. While the structural and technical work (electricity, plumbing, etc.) has already been completed, the interior remains to be customised, with renovation costs estimated between €600,000 and €1 million.
The estate features a natural wine cellar, a spa annex and a swimming pool. The current status is that it is a “blank canvas” structurally prepared for renovation with a design concept by a renowned architect.
Château de Tournon is poised for the next chapter in its history and is awaiting transformation into a timeless masterpiece. An acclaimed architect’s vision, which may not necessarily be that of the buyer’s, includes six ensuite bedrooms, while preserving existing amenities.
The estate agents claimed that completion was achievable in under four months. Anyone who’s ever fully renovated a property will know that this is a big fat fib. I would suggest that it’ll cost twice as much as anticipated and take at least 12 months.
Though I concede this unique opportunity presents the buyer with unlimited potential to create a delightful residence in the heart of the French Riviera’s countryside.
These are two of the images from the pre-approved renovations and I have to say, if you strip out the furniture, it’s fairly easy on the eye and, for once, I have no beef with the kitchen.
I have to also concede that the grounds are delightful. The formal French gardens, lush vegetation, and complete privacy serve to enhance the property. The flat terrain is ideal for entertaining, relaxation, and enjoying the quintessential Provencal lifestyle amid rolling hills and fragrant garrigue landscape.
The selling agents confirmed that the interest shown in Château de Tournon highlighted the global demand for rare, character-rich properties.
Château de Tournon offered a rare opportunity to own a piece of history that has been shaped into a contemporary masterpiece in one of France’s most enchanting regions.
All images courtesy of HR Photographe.
Where’s the bag?
Our most recent trip to Paris ended up with what might be called a meme. Let me explain. On day one, which we spent entirely in the Marais, we bought some gifts for my OH’s upcoming trip to Dubai and a blue leather belt for him. My beloved decided to take charge of the bag containing our purchases, only fair since I was carrying all his stuff in my bag (glasses, mobile, wallet, passport).
After a very successful and enjoyable day we decided to stroll back to the hotel. As we were walking along, my OH was lagging behind, I turned and suddenly noticed he was “bagless.” We quickly retraced our steps to the bar where we’d stopped for coffee and there it was, where my beloved had left it – phew!
I was taking no chances on day two. I kept a firm grip on the rather smart La Samaritaine bag with our purchases which I relinquished only at the cloakroom of the 5* hotel where we were lunching.
Post-lunch we collected our coats but no one could locate my shopping bag. I was advised not to worry they would check out their cc tv and ring me later to confirm they’d located the bag. And, that’s exactly what they did. Someone had either taken it or been handed it in error, but had kindly returned it.
Day three, as we wandered through the men’s department of Le Bon Marché my beloved spotted a Lululemon sale t-shirt in his size – sold. He insisted on keeping the bag, so I let him.
On the way back to the hotel that evening, he popped into the print shop nearby to get a couple of colour photocopies. When we reached our bedroom, he asked me for the Lululemon bag. I confirmed that it had never been in my hot little hands. He rushed back to the printer’s but was too late, it was now shut.
The print shop opened too late for us to check the following morning and we were unable to get a response from them on the phone. Our day four purchases, all books, never left my possession. We popped into the print shop on our way back to the hotel and, lo and behold, there was his bag – safe and sound!
Wisely, we didn’t buy anything thereafter, which was probably just as well given our track record earlier in the week, though, to be fair, lady luck had shone on us.
Musical Monday: Soundtracks #8
I’ve reported on a whole variety of songs: ones by artists I’ve seen live, covers, duets and those deemed iconic. I’m now turning my attention to what might be called “Soundtracks” those featured in films, television shows and advertisements.
I’m picking another classic today, the soundtrack to the 1987 film Dirty Dancing which is still one of the best selling albums of all time. The tracks were written by Franke Previte, John Denicola and Stacy Widelitz largely because they were friends of the star of the film, Patrick Swayze.
Each track was specially linked to a moment in the film because its screenwriter, Eleanor Bergstein, conceived it that way.
The soundtrack was released before the film and it basically tanked because there was nothing to support it. Then movie came out and it became a sleeper hit and everything exploded.
The theme song (I’ve had) The Time of My Life was recorded by American singers Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. I read somewhere it’s the third most popular song played at UK funerals.
As always, don’t forget to let me know your thoughts.
The Numbers Game 33, Monday 16 March, 2026
Today’s lucky number yielded 127 photos from which I’ve selected 6 at random.
The challenge is kindly hosted by Life Lessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
To play along, go to your WP Media file and type that number (237) into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find including that number and post a link to your blog in Judy’s Numbers Game blog of the day – easy!
French Fancies: Maison Verlet
Maison Verlet, founded in 1880, is the oldest artisanal roasting house in Paris still in operation. It roasts and sells single origin coffee beans, house blends and fine teas, with a salon for on-the-spot drinking upstairs.The historic address, a stone’s throw from the Palais Royal and the Louvre, embodies a French art of coffee and tea: demanding, refined, and deeply rooted in the capital’s history.
How it all began
Coffee was introduced in France in mid-17th century at the court of Louis XIV. Coffee, like tea and chocolate, were then called “Exotic hot liquors”. Coffee was served by the first “cafetiers” in a few rare places in Paris in the 1670s, in the street or from small stalls.
In 1880, the date of its creation, Verlet was one of the rare Parisian stalls to offer quality coffee, “home-roasted”, on the pavement in front of the shop. Every morning, a metal drum mounted at high temperature was turned by hand crank to uniformly “burn” the light green grains from the Americas, West Indies and Africa, until perfectly roasted. The colour of the roasted beans was called “Monk’s robe”, typical of French roasting, in which Verlet specialises. The smell of roasting coffee scented the neighbourhood. The exceptional quality of the products soon caused a stir, and coffee became a habit enjoyed by noblemen and intellectuals alike.
In 1921, the shop on rue Saint-Honoré was bequeathed to the young Auguste Woehrlé by his god-mother. A much-travelled, former merchant seaman, the young man imported coffee, tea and spices for his godmother’s shop, moved to Paris to take over her establishment.
Passionate about its products, he created special mixes of coffees, named “High Seas” and “Grand Pavois” in memory of his travels. He installed an elegant coffee lounge upstairs where customers came for lunch and to enjoy his coffees, as well as teas, infusions and pastries.
Closed during the Occupation, Verlet reopened post WWII and reconnected with its quest for quality products. The young Pierre worked alongside his father, then succeeded him in the early 1960’s. Verlet was the first company to have the audacity to roast and serve single origin coffee. This led to the creation of a pure Brazil, a pure Colombia, a pure Kenya, and other rare crus revealing all the richness of their terroirs. To this day, Verlet’s coffee roaster behind the Palais-Royal garden continues to transform each coffee bean into a drop of happiness.
Eric Duchossoy, who was born into a family of coffee roasters, took over the direction of the shop in 1995 and has broadened the company’s taste for rare local coffees and tea leaves from small plantations. He searches out exceptional producers and the tastiest crues (in Colombia, Panama and Guatemala) but also newer ones (in St. Helena, Thailand, Burma, Laos). Verlet knows every planter, every slope, every exposure, and selects the heart of the great crues and rare harvests to get the best aromas, favouring the plantations that defend a traceable and ethical approach to coffee and tea.
In addition to the thirty or so coffees and forty or so teas available for tasting on site or to take away, Verlet also offers a number of delicacies that would be a shame not to try! Waffles, French toast, croque-monsieur………..but also a fine assortment of French pastries: éclairs, saint-honoré, millefeuille, baba au rhum… Delights to be savoured all day long. As well as spices, the shop sells candied fruit from iSaint-Rémy-de-Provence, the capital of the confit fruit, from Maison Lilamant.
Heir to a French tradition of roasting and preparation, burner and researcher of exceptional local coffees and teas, the Maison invites amateurs to taste more than thirty pure coffees origin, and about forty of the best tea gardens in the world. Verlet remains the oldest Parisian coffee house still in operation to roast in an artisanal way and to make the taste of French coffee live.
All images courtesy of Maison Verlet
View from the Back 