In 2016, I was living and working in Singapore. A work trip took me to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. And during the weekend, I made the 3 hour journey south to Provence. Not your stereotypical weekend in Provence – full of flowy dresses, sun hats, and lavendar fields. No no, this was autumn in Provence. And although beautiful, not lavendar season and dreadfully filled with rain. So, where to hide from the rain? Into a stone quarry, obviously.

1. Hidden in the Val d’Enfer

Nestled within the Alpilles Natural Regional Park (Parc naturel régional des Alpilles), within reach of Saint Remy de Provence, is a former stone quarry. The village of Les Baux-de-Provence and neighboring castles used these limestone slabs in their construction, until the 1930s. From then, construction ceased and resulted in the abandonment of the white limestone quarries. So, what remained from those days? Large stone rooms carved into the hillside valley.

2. Carrières de Lumières (Quarries of Light)

Well, what to do with large, white, stone rooms? The obvious answer is to project high definition digital art onto its giant walls. Brought to you by CultureSpaces, this digital art immersion, combined with an expertly paired soundtrack, lifts you from your physical existence inside a stone quarry into a magical realm.

This is Carrières de Lumières – Quarries of the Light.

2.1 Chagall, Midsummer Night’s Dream

Dedicated to the life and art of Marc Chagall, the exhibition at Carrières de Lumières ran from March 2016 to January 2017. Before this, I only recognized Chagall by name, as a painter, but did not know much else.

Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985), a Russian-French artist, was generally referred to by art critics as the “quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century.” He’s most famous for stained glass windows, adorning the Reims Cathedral and Metz Cathedral in France, and others as far as the Art Institute of Chicago and Jerusalem. In addition to stained glass windows, Chagall also painted large -scale paintings and murals. Stylistically, his art follows cubism and expressionism.

Below, you’ll see a few photos of mine from my visit to the Carrières de Lumières.

Now that you’ve made it through my old, dark iPhone photos from 2016, you’ll be rewarded with some high definition photos, courtesy of Getty Images. The photos are specifically from the Chagall exhibition, so you can have a clearer vision of my experience.

2.2 Visiting Carrières de Lumières

Centrally located in the South of France, Carrières de Lumières is a simple stop on your Provencal road trip.

• 1 hour away from Aix-en-Provence,
• 30 minutes from Arles, and
• 15 minutes from Saint-Remy-de-Provence.

If you’re coming from Saint-Remy-de-Provence to the north, beware of the winding mountainous roads. You can see what I mean in the area on the map below.

A few things to note:

1. Tickets for Carrières de Lumières cost 13 EUR for adults, with senior and student discounts available.
2. You can book tickets online, here.
3. Carrières de Lumières is also fully accessible for visitors in wheelchairs.
4. Because of it’s location inside a stone quarry, it can be quite cool inside. It’d be wise to have a light jacket or cardigan, just in case.
5. Carrières de Lumières is set to re-open on 19 May 2021. It is typically open daily, with differing hours depending on the month and tourist season. However, up to date information on visiting can be found, here.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3. Atelier des Lumières

Currently, there are a few sister exhibitions, also run by CultureSpaces. These exhibitions also feature digital art, projected onto the walls and ceilings of large rooms. The other locations are:

1. Paris, France;
2. Toronto, Canada;
3. Bordeaux, France – (Bassins de Lumières).

From the Paris exhibition of Atelier des Lumières

3.1 Toronto’s new exhibit, in the time of coronavirus

By now, you may be wondering what the point of this post is, now, four years after my original visit. With CultureSpaces’ newest exhibit based in Toronto, Immersive Van Gogh, to adapt to coronavirus, they’ve developed a unique idea. Its previews, held between 18 – 28 June, 2020, will be a “drive through” preview – meaning, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the digital art world of Van Gogh, while sitting in the comfort of your car.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3.2 Health and safety, during an Immersive Van Gogh visit

From 1 July 2020, when the exhibit fully opens, you’ll be able to walk through the exhibition site on foot. For coronavirus precautions, they’ve promised entry at a limited capacity, which allows for 75 square feet of space per person. Immersive Van Gogh’s website also lists the following health and safety features:

• Touchless exhibit — you will not need to touch anything that can be touched by other patrons to enjoy the exhibit
• All patrons are requested to wear masks
• All staff will be wearing masks
• Enhanced sensors at entry to detect symptomatic staff and patrons
• Disinfectant stations through-out the venue
• Frequent disinfectant cleaning of venue surfaces and floors

3.3 Booking your Van Gogh digital art experience

Currently, only time-specific entrances are available to book online. It’s considerably more expensive than when I visited in Provence. Ranging between C$34.99 on weekdays to C$39.99 on weekends, the elevated price tag may because of the above enhanced safety features due to coronavirus. I’m not entirely too sure.

However, it appears that CultureSpaces is taking the need for physical distancing seriously, and enhancing their experience accordingly.

Parting Thoughts

Whether you’re in France or Toronto, if you love art and want to enjoy it in a modern, new way, I highly recommend Carrières de Lumières and Atelier des Lumières. As an art lover, I absolutely loved it. Although Chagall isn’t my favorite artist, I enjoyed learning about him through the exhibit and again whilst researching this post. Without a doubt, if the exhibit showed your favorite artists, it’d be exponentially more enjoyable.

As a reminder, although I only visited the Provence location, I presume the experiences in Paris and Toronto to be similar and exceptionally interesting. I especially appreciate the additional health and safety considerations in the time of coronavirus. As always, stay healthy and stay safe!

For those art lovers, check out my posts on:

• favorite art from the National Galleries of Scotland;
• art nouveau in Brno, Czechia;
• the best places to visit for Van Gogh fans;
• Giverny, Monet’s gardens and home.

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Before the Montreal Food Tour

I had to wake up at 9 to repack my suitcase and make the switch from riding boots to snow boots. There may or may not have been a little slip on black ice last night, which promptly landed my derriere on the ice-covered pavement.

So now, snow boots – out! Riding boots – in! Most of my luggage had to be slightly rearranged. 

1. Bagels at Crew Collective

After repacking, checking out, and leaving my luggage downstairs, I set off straight away to Crew Collective to meet Justin, my Old Montreal Food Tour guide, and the rest of the group.  Crew Collective sits in the wonderful old gilded-age headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada.

At Crew Collective, freelancers rent “office space” from the collective and also sell higher end breakfast, bagels, and coffee to help pay the rent in this massive old bank atrium.  It’s a great use of a historical building and they’ve helped to preserve a lot of the interior. It reminds me of co-working spaces that my friend E frequents often.  In fact, it’s highly possible he has been here.

A quick note about the delicious, but not too decadent, smoked salmon bagel with veggie toppings.  Justin explained to us that, like New York (which shares a lot of similarities to Montreal), a large wave of Eastern European Jewish immigrants came to Montreal prior to WWI, around the same time as many of them migrated to New York, and brought along with them their traditions of bagels.  An open face bagel with fresh smoked salmon, cream cheese, and veggies was just the thing I needed to help get my day going.

2. Desserts at Cookie Stefanie

The Montreal Food Tour continues onto Cookie Stefanie! A delightful local dessert shop, specializing in gluten-free baked goods. We only tried the gluten-free carrot cake, which was delightfully moist, likely due to the surprise pineapple inside!

3. Poutine at Restaurant Taberna

Can you really do a Montreal Food Tour without eating some poutine? Nope!

Hailing from the fair province of Quebec, poutine is a regular part of Canadian cuisine. The main ingredients comprise of french fries, topped with cheese curds and brown gravy. No one knows the exact origin, but poutine first appeared sometime around the 1950s in Centre-du-Québec. It is now a defining feature of Canadian cuisine, and some call it Canada’s national dish!

We tried the poutine at Restaurant Taberna, which is a Portuguese restaurant. The poutine was special, with two different kinds of cehese curds and Portuguese sausage in addition to the brown gravy. It was SO GOOD! I absolutely loved it!

4. Sausage and Duck Carpaccio at Bistro-Brasserie Les Soeurs

Bistro-Brasserie Les Soeurs is as an artisan microbrewery, housed in a former nunnery! We tried a sausage and the duck carpaccio there, but unfortunately it was my least favorite stop.

For me, duck is easy to get wrong, and difficult to make well. Although I’ve had beef carpaccio and enjoyed it, the duck carpaccio was too thickly-sliced, too chewy to eat. I don’t see on the menu anymore (as of 2020), so perhaps they removed it due to feedback. Not sure! But either way, it’s a lively environment, and if craft beers are your thing (or former nunneries), check it out!

5. Poudding Chomeur at Soupesoup

Disclaimer: As of 26 February 2019, Soupesoup filed bankruptcy. Google seems to believe that some locations are still open but I cannot confirm this. If someone in Montreal could let me know in the comments, that would be great!

The tasting at Soupesoup was our dessert. Deliciously-made Poudding Chomeur, i.e. bread pudding with real Quebecois maple syrup! Warm, sweet, and absolutely delicious! If Soupesoup is still around, go and try it!

Sights along the way

Parting Thoughts on the Montreal Food Tour

It was a wonderful tour to introduce me, not only to Canadian food, but also to Montreal as a city. I’m grateful that they ran this tour in the dead middle of winter, despite being the off season!

If you’re going in the winter, bundle up, and walk slowly – no one likes slipping on the ice, even if you’ll be comforted by a bunch of food after!

Montreal Food Tour Recap

Tour provider: Local Montreal Food Tours
Cost: Adult $64.99 CAD | $48.99 USD,
Adult + Alcohol $78.99 CAD |$59.99 USD
Total food tour length: approx 3.5 hours

1. Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel at Crew Collective & Cafe | map
2. Gluten Free (GF) carrot cake and espresso at Cookie Stefanie | map
3. Portuguese sausage poutine at Restaurant Taberna | map
4. Sausage and duck carpaccio and beer at Bistro-Brasserie Les Soeurs Grises | map
5. Poudding chomeur at Soupesoup | map

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

How I found Toque!

I’ve recently been doing “the Twitter thing”, so I tweeted to @Montreal asking for advice in this little exchange below:

Have you tried @RestaurantToque?

— Tourisme Montréal (@Montreal) January 7, 2018

This led to my incessant googling, where I found out about Toque! 

• It was the #1 restaurant in Canada in 2015 and 2016. 
• In 2017 and 2018, it was the #2 restaurant in Canada.
• In 2019, Toque! ranked as the 3rd best restaurant in Canada.

I don’t see this as Toque slipping in quality, but rather it set the bar high for Canadian restaurants and inspired others.

What did I eat at Toque!

I chose the 7 course tasting menu, with or without foie gras (with of course) for C$136.  It would be a chef’s choice surprise tasting.  I was eating and texting with a friend, who called me “courageous” for going for the surprise.  But at one of Canada’s top restaurants, you can’t go wrong.  (Unless you have a pickle course, and then you CAN go very, very wrong.)  So here it is, my 7 courses + amuse bouche + espresso + tasty treat at the end.

Amuse Bouche

Breadstick wrapped in pancetta with citrus mayo

1st course: Princess Scallops

Princess Scallops – blueberry water, shallot, kohlrabi, berry vinegar, mint mousse (official menu description). Instructions given: “take it, like an oyster shot”

2nd course: Arctic Char

Arctic Char – with kombu seaweed and green onions

3rd course: Foie Gras Terrine

Foie Gras Terrine – morello cherries, caramelized cocoa nibs, popcorn, cherry and Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. My favorite course! The crispiness of the cocoa nibs and popcorn paired perfectly with the soft terrine.

4th course: Venison

Venison – with artichoke, shiitake mushroom and potatoes. Delicious!!

5th course: Duck

Duck – with brussels sprouts. Perfectly cooked duck!!

6th course: Bailey’s Ice Cream Brulee

Bailey’s ice cream brûlée – with chocolate and maple crunch. Again, I really loved the maple crunch texture with the softness of the ice cream. This was perfect!

7th course: Molasses Cake

All I remember about the description of this course was: molasses cake. But I’ll provide a breakdown of the parts, in my own words:

• Middle “dome” – coffee/chocolate flavored;
• Tan egg – some flavor of ice cream;
• The branches / sticks – cocoa dusted;
• Tiny squares – light and crispy. No clue whatsoever …but it was absolutely delicious!

Dessert, to top it off!

Parting Thoughts on Toque Montreal

Overall, the food and the service were excellent.  I think my favorite courses were:

• (1) foie gras terrine – not because it’s foie gras, and I love foie gras. But the POPCORN really added so much to it!  The popcorn gave a new dimension of texture to the foie gras and added a lightness to counter the heaviness of the foie gras;
• (2) the princess scallop, taken as a shot.  The combination of the scallop, blueberry water, and mint mousse was so refreshing! 

For the two dessert courses (6 and 7), I had the option of substituting one for a cheese plate.  The waiter came up to me and said, “For the next two courses, you can choose between… cheese and dessert or dessert and dessert.”  Well when you put it like that, OBVIOUSLY the choice is two desserts! 

Before I end this post, I wanted to direct your attention back to the Bailey’s ice cream brûlée photo: See the gold patch in the corner?  That’s Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powder gold.  It’s also a philosophy on life, where nothing is ever truly broken.  I kinda like that.  Remember that next time you’re down.  You’re never really truly broken, you may be different, but all the more beautiful.

And with that, it is 4:30 am, and hopefully time for bed.  Good night, Montreal!

Restaurant Information:

Toque! | map
900 Jean Paul Riopelle Pl,
Montreal, QC H2Z 2B2, Canada
Closed: Saturday lunch, Sunday and Monday
Phone: +1-514-499-2084
Reservations

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/