The reluctant traveler France season 2

00:06 They say to travel is to live. Well, maybe. If a day at the airport doesn't suck the life out of you first.
00:31 Only to become dangerously close to being two hours late. Still, I think my travels last year were good for me.
00:40 They seemed to broaden my outlook. To a degree. So now, I'm taking on what is apparently a must-do for any respectable traveler.
00:54 I'm doing Europe. All right, where are we exactly? the very top to the very bottom. I'm heading off the beaten track to discover some real hidden gems.
01:08 Are you getting this? And embrace this Budding. For adventure. Look at me, no hands. Bones are right here. What is this I'll be educating my taste buds.
01:24 Wow, that was so good. to my village. I just saved your life, remember me. Ready for take out. the most visited country in the world most people.
02:29 Publicly they'll make an exception for me. This. Couldn't be more different from seeing my mom's humble origins in Glasgow. It really added some unexpected warmth to my state.
02:53 But in search of new adventures I've left the shores of Scotland to travel 1400 miles. I hope you enjoyed video.
02:59 To the Mediterranean coast. this beautiful harbor. One of the biggest reasons 90 million tourists visit France every year is the food.
03:13 Food is at the uh top of my priority list you know and France has more Michelin stars than any other country.
03:26 I don't know much about high-end French cuisine. French fries, I think would be my favorite uh French dish. But I'm here to learn and who wouldn't want to be in a classroom that looked like this.
03:41 Local entrepreneur Yan has offered to show me the sights with a very Saint-Tropez welcome. We can have a glass of some paint.
04:04 See us again. See ya. Welcome to Uncle Beth's Saint-Tropez. Now this is the kind of thing I had in mind when I set off from Toronto.
04:14 It's the stuff of Hollywood movies. So, Bridget Bardell was the one person I guess who put Saint-Tropez on the map.
04:23 Indeed indeed. I think it seems like a movie a joke had a father. And God created woman. Exactly that was the big one.
04:32 and I hope you really enjoy. And I tried more and more like people. But more like from the artistic industry.
04:41 Like this amazing boat. Is a boat of Giorgio Armani. Wow. Turns out if you- We sell suits for a living.
04:51 We can afford a pretty big boat. And Armani isn't alone. George Clooney, Beyonce and Brad Pitt also holiday here. I'm assuming they text ahead to pre-arrange who parks where.
05:13 3,000 of a day, you know, 3,000 euros to park your boat. Yeah, for a night. Exactly. That's a steal. But the mooring costs are just a drop in the ocean.
05:28 Charter and a super yacht can cost up to two million dollars a week. Now, I'm not the quickest at putting pieces together, but I think that- That's why they call it Billionaires Bay.
05:41 Okay, I said I think it's time to uh, thank you to your whole family. No? Old speed and driver? Yes, let's go.
05:49 Unbelievably, the good times are only getting better. Because I'm booked in at the- Lilly of the Valley. A hotel that blossoms out of a countryside so breathtaking, it inspired great artists like Renee, Cezanne, and Van Gogh.
06:05 I'm not an art connoisseur. Art was a perennial C plus for me. But I should be able to impress hotel manager Stefan with my high school French.
06:26 Sure it is. just over $6,000 a night, this place isn't cheap. Unless you're staying on one of those mega yachts, in which case it's a steal.
06:38 In any case, I'm- my goodness. The hotel was designed by one of Francis' top architects for Leap Start, who it seems takes a hands-on approach.
06:53 Each details are select by Philip Stark. In fact, each product, if we would like to change it, move it. We have to check with him.
07:03 He's a man who has detail-oriented. The designer who doesn't- Like anything in the room moved? It might be tricky getting into bed.
07:14 Now, product uh huh. Well, you wouldn't have to leave here. Sweet, you don't have to leave. Good. You'll find me in my room, uh, for three days.
07:28 And to keep me company, yet more champagne bottled by Miss Your Stark himself. Well, this actually is my second glass of champagne.
07:39 Top four in the start of the day, but I'm doing the best I can. I want something, Miss You, and thanks you to be with us.
07:47 Here's to you sir. really don't think right now there's too much I can. You playing about and not that I'm a complaining guy.
07:57 Kudos to Felipe. I'm not going to be moving anything. You won't see me moving anything except perhaps this fluid of champagne, but uh not touching the table.
08:09 stay right where I am, I want to get the lowdown on Santropay from someone who knows her best. She's owned a villa here for over 25 years and is possibly still the most- .
08:24 . I've had an invite from Joan Collins to have dinner in Santropay. That's not something I say every day. She's done boby, she's done television time.
08:37 I say it was a huge show. We're meeting at a famous local restaurant La Panche, a fashionable hot spot since the 1930s.
08:48 It's hosted the likes of Picasso and Suck. And right now, I can't help wishing I'd read up on Picasso and Suck.
08:59 Where is he? He's late. I don't usually wait for men. Well to be fair, this man keeps getting champagne and paintbrush.
09:09 And by everyone he meets, thus the delay. Hello. Hello, Joe. Hello, and how are you? Yes, I am good. I am good.
09:19 Welcome to my b****. I did hear that you have a little pad here. you mean, I've been coming to San Tropez practically since I was 16 or 17.
09:30 But San Tropez was not the San Tropez then that it is now. Not at all. Is it quiet and fishing village?
09:41 Coco Chanel had come here in the 30s with Hemingway and people like that. So that a lot of people have been coming here for a long time but it was basically undisturbed.
09:51 Well let's toast the town San Tropez. San Tropez. Absolutely. is very good. And I haven't had any breakfast. God knows what's going on.
10:01 Uh oh. Uh oh. Look out. Look out. He's s- Hello. Hello. I want to suggest you somewhere of my specialty.
10:20 I tend to suggest you animal tomatoes collection. Set with the buwata from the pool. Cabbiness. I love buwata. Okay, perfect.
10:30 And for you, uh, Mr. I can suggest you the sea green ceviche. So it's, it's raw with a citrus dinnigrette.
10:38 Uh, raw. Yeah. I always have a thing about raw. . . Oh, never, never eat well fish. You're the first person that I've talked to that is basically saying what I've been saying all this time.
10:53 If you want I can suggest you something that's me sure. And please guess that's you. Oh, that's me. That sounds better for you?
11:00 Yes, it does. Okay, yeah. Thank you Thomas. You know my tastes are quite simple. Did you like hamburgers? Yes, when it comes to food although that's a good name.
11:20 . food here is the opposite of fast. The ingredients are sourced from nearby farms like the tomatoes on Joan's side. And Magus Vacho uses local goat's cheese and bou- Do's this ever fave.
11:31 Delicious but not something I would love to say twice. Ohhhh. Isn't this good? It looks too beautiful to eat. I'm not crazy about goats but I love goat cheese.
11:55 is good. God is incredible. Isn't it good? No. Chant from pay. I've never seen so many mega yachts. Yeah, I know.
12:06 In one harbor before. I hate that. I do think there's a lot of showing up for these big yachts. I prefer the uh the mountains and hills.
12:16 Is there any place I should be going that isn't on the kind of gland route here? Yeah, you should definitely go to the backstreets of Santa Fe when you will see all these wonderful- Artisan shops that are not prouder and gucci and all of that.
12:33 Okay. Yeah, but you have to go through the back alleys. Okay. vegan spatula, I have to say, it was quite a- blushes, little gucci's, things in it, I recognize.
12:45 This is what I love. Thank you so much. The surprise is that according to Joan, apparently there is another side to San Tropez, so I think I would take her advice and you know maybe wander through- actually. I think there is uh maybe more to this town than meets the eye.
13:36 What's your name? How are you? How today? Where are you from, Rebecca? Yes, we we. Local fruits, pastry, granulap. honey and some salt boy egg.
13:47 Enjoy your breakfast. Merci boku. I don't usually eat breakfast in courses, but I may make an exception. The food is exceptionally good and you know the view is stunning.
14:08 I mean you can see why this is such a popular place in Europe. That's absolutely gorgeous. Really. After my five course breakfast I think I fully digested the glamorous part of this town.
14:21 So I'm off to explore the other side of San Trope that Jones told me is hidden in the back streets.
14:28 Who food in my expert? Some yeah. Let's do the French kids who are in farms. You know? Oh my first trip all.
14:44 This is a uhh. This is- What did you do? So we just purchased this other farm. Yeah. We'd like to follow you to discover the village.
14:52 Uh we want to do that. Let go. Ah, there we are. Come on, Sabar. Oh, yeah. Oh, Oh, erpity. What's up, what's What's what's up?
14:59 What's up? What's up? What's What's What's up? Yeah. Seems I know more French than I thought. But the wheels could come off at any moment.
15:08 Look at this little village. Yeah, so actually you are now in the old part of San Jose. Of course, like when the glamorous people come to San Jose, they visit it.
15:18 They will stay a bit more, you know, on the main floor where the big yolks are. And uh but yeah, that's also why, you know, a lot of people love the place because you can really like a village.
15:29 Here for me it's really the truth that San Jose does color the history of it. now I want to show you the thoughts.
15:37 This is on the right the all thoughts you have. Can you see those little boats? They are called ponchu. They are ponchu.
15:43 Because you see they are ponchu. Once you're making a shot. Oh like this. Yeah, ponchu. Oh. And uh. Actually they are old fishing boats from the mid to turn and peak.
15:52 Yeah. Nothing says old and new centropaid like this vision right here. Of the old ponchu. Yes. And these giant mega yachts.
16:04 Yeah. Sitting right- it's a good thing and a bad thing. The the the ox that are coming into centropaid right?
16:11 I mean they. I mean they bringing a lot of people from all around the world. That's right. And most of us really from tourism you know.
16:17 Yes. Right. You know famous maybe have some friends over there. Not this famous. Not this famous. You'll find me in a kayak.
16:28 around 4,000 people actually live in centropaid. But in summertime the town is flooded with a hunt. . There are a thousand tourists every day.
16:38 I'm guessing none of them are right by kayak. Look at this baby. Hi. Hi. You see the thing? Hi. They like to be seen.
16:50 I don't know. . You know something kind of something is screaming hey look at me. I got a very nice place where we can have some cities.
17:10 Would you be up for it? Is it co-? It's full of this time and being you know. It's good for you bud.
17:16 Yeah, it is. What? don't have the heart to tell Sony I've only just gotten the taste of Swedish herring out of my mouth.
17:24 But she's keen to take me to shame Adilene, her favorite neighborhood hunt. Unfortunately for me, the restaurant specialty is Gila doe oysters.
17:36 They're considered sweeper, needier and- . . richer than many others and are loved by locals and tourists alike. Until now. I'm going to show you.
17:48 That's how I do, alright? Let me know in answer this. Yeah. Yeah. never had an oyster before, but I'm in France and keen for Sonya not to think I'm completely uncultured.
18:02 Okay. I think it's an important thing to be able to try. I'm not just saying it, I want to follow through on I tried it.
18:25 I can't describe the texture that was rolling around my tongue for the longest half second in memory. So well. I'm sorry about this, I just.
18:38 Well, it was great to. I did it. Here's to my first oyster. Wow, you made it. me what you really love about San Trope.
18:48 You seem to love it so much. Definitely. Um, actually here in some way, I think I found out. when you say authenticity.
18:55 Yes. You mean? Some different things but it's mainly from the people, from the you know the natural areas we have here, the coastal line, the forest.
19:05 Simple things but you know. Simple things. But simple. simple things for the other day. Simple life is for me to try to view.
19:12 What about you? I try to have as you want to leave every day. But if something tells me yours is a bit more authentic.
19:21 You want to tell me at the end of your trip. Okay. Yeah. . . . I think it's safe to say oysters don't put much joy in my paper.
19:32 But Sonia tells me there's a whole host of delights to be sampled inland in Provence. We're half a country's food.
19:41 One less than 10% of the land. Among them is one of the highlights of my breakfast this morning. Provence, I'll hight.
19:50 So highly prized it has the same protected status as champagne. is one of the region's most successful beekeepers. Hello. Hello.
20:02 Her farm is just an hour inland from San Tropez, but it's a different world with different rules. Kevin? Okay. Hurry.
20:11 I know, here it's two. Two here? Yeah. In other places three but here it comes two. Okay. Who knew saying hello could be so complicated?
20:23 So we have 400 himes all together. So- You ready to help me collect some honey? Sure. We can do that.
20:33 has a richer way of wildflowers making for happy bees and magnificent honey. I'm looking forward to tasting it. I'm just just kind of wish we could skip the collecting part.
20:45 Not crazy about these. They get things done but you never know when they're gonna sting. I've known the countenance like that.
20:54 But I think this will be safe enough. I love it. If it's not, then I'll send you a little notice to which hospital I'm in and you can decide whether you want to come and visit.
21:06 Huh? Uhh. Be like one of the backstreet boys. for the front part? Okay. I protect you. So all the hives that you see here, we cannot move them.
21:21 The bees that have a GPS inside the body, that is related to the center of the earth. And they know exactly- Yes, their home is.
21:32 So when they go out to get the nectar and back, they will come back always exactly at the same place.
21:39 That's amazing. It's amazing. It is. So now I'm going to show you the most beautiful ah I'm pretty full. There we have here.
21:47 Some people are kind of free and easy with the word beautiful. Are you ready to see honey? Yeah, kind of.
21:55 Look at that. So you see around the frame just- Here, you've got their honey. Yes. You know what I'm gonna do now?
22:05 I'm gonna do that. Okay, that doesn't seem like a good idea. It's coming down, but with honey. That doesn't work in honey.
22:14 Yeah, I think they're a little angry. Honestly, there were some very angry bees that were just really kind of coming at me, you know, like hellas.
22:57 Hi kid, let's go. Come on. you hear that? This thing's gonna follow me home. beautiful, beautiful house. Typical house from the 18th century.
23:20 Anna was the business with husband Sebastian, whose family have been beekeeping for generations. Oh, you've cut it. See that one for a while.
23:30 Do you want to try? Yeah, I will. I won't try it. That's perfect. That is good. This is really crazy.
23:41 There's a lot of honey in here. No. Are you ready for tasting the honey? Yes, yes, yes. Let's do that.
23:48 Anna's most successful- Oh flavors are lavender honey. Yeah. That's delicious. It is. Very light and thyme. what's stronger taste. I don't know what it is, musky or something.
24:03 Yeah, musky and suck it. Is musky? This is povons in a jar. The olive trees, the vineyards, the way of life of povons is here.
24:13 Just chill out, listen to the cicadas, enjoy nature and it's fantastic. It's really fast on that. Now see, now see, now it's pretty clear that povons knows a thing or two about food.
24:32 But it's all- Princess National Drink. Champagne? Nope. Chardonnay? Think again. Did you? Yaaaay! Yeah, my harbor gun from yesterday has invited me to sample- Umm, pastis.
24:50 Provosts is most beloved at Péritine. Pestis is a liqueur made with star anise and licorice. It's not like strong, is it?
25:05 This is from one, this is the light one. This is 45 degrees, so I'm going to be 45 degrees. I'm not sure what that means.
25:14 That means you're like this when you finish drinking it. Sometimes I know it's wonderful. Wonderful. Go. Go. is just like the simple way of life in Santa Fe.
25:26 Wow, this is a big part of it. Yeah. Yes. This is good. I'm at about 28 degrees right now. You're sampling the pastis.
25:38 Local tradition dictates that we play a century-old drinking game called, Hey Tonk. This is the question man. You've got to throw the question man.
25:46 The question man, not too close, not too far. And then you've got to put- The boss? The closest you can to the person.
25:55 Alright, here we go, right? Yeah. This is pretty good. This is pretty good. Hey, how's it? How's that? I think- huh?
26:06 That's nice. Ball? Keep that good. Ball? Turns out I'm a natural athlete. This is pretty good. That's really nice. Thanks.
26:15 There. And I love the simplicity of the game and how it is really- just a social gathering. This definitely, there is water behavior.
26:46 It's not the odds, it's not the gland. You're not gonna find the gland here. This is something that is definitely more.
26:55 to you all, this is my first pick up. And you'll put my first besties. There you go, get your ho- Did I see?
27:26 turn? I've seen. It's my final day on the French Riviera, and while my luxurious hotel certainly has its charms, it's the authentic side of this place I've really fallen for.
27:40 Not the yachts. When you pull into central pay in a $600 million yacht, it's letting people know that you have the money.
27:51 Listen, I'm in the entertainment business. There's a certain degree of, Look at me in that business, but I didn't go into this to become a celebrity.
28:00 I just went in because I, you know, I, I, I like acting. I like kind of, you know, I like getting some laughs.
28:08 And someone who has been laughing with me. Admittedly for all the wrong reasons since my oyster debacle, his son, yeah.
28:18 She's promised me the most simple days in the most joyful of vehicles. You see what I've got? For you today, this is my friend Shushibo.
28:30 Her name is Paulette. And she was born in 1977. She's older than me. Oh my goodness. This is terrific. Is that happening?
28:40 are we headed? I'm in. You You know, one of my favorite things to do is to have a picnic on the beach.
28:46 And that's what I'm gonna take you to life. Well that sounds terrific. Sonya's 1977 Citra 2 CV may be 30 years younger than me.
28:56 You But I'm a little worried about its abilities, Paw Froh. Are we still in France? What I'm good to my friend yet, I pick up so much table for the picnic on the beach.
29:11 This is a major fireman. When they founded this car, well actually it's been designed for two thousand a sack of potatoes, so it's best place to be here now.
29:20 But you know you're in Europe, when a car was designed for tin farmers in a sack of potatoes. is he here?
29:51 Yan's 50 acre farm supplies many of the high-end hotels and restaurants in Santra Bay but his approach is pleasingly down to earth.
30:02 I notice you're not wearing shoes. Most of the uh uh I walk to a beverage like this and contact with the nature.
30:10 I will feel that through you, right? Well, I think we've come to the right place. Alright. Go ahead. We have to pick up some tomatoes.
30:20 Sure, for starters. Yeah, we try to use things that I think you'll never try before. Well, here go again. Yeah, that sounds awfully exciting.
30:30 Alright, let's do it. The print chamber- You a concept called terroir. The flavor given to food and drink by high-quality land, and yansterroir is renowned through La Provence.
30:44 Good, good weather. Wow, these are good. You can try this, huh? Radish? No. No, which is uhm fresh ginger. Mm-hmm.
30:56 It's very refreshing. Yeah, it is. Yeah, it's very hot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Does it beat that little taste? uh I can't taste anything because my tone is burning right now but it definitely tastes like ginger.
31:10 So say you thought you'd have to get some tomato. Oh mama. There we go. So this is good. We've got great tomatoes.
31:19 How's your The ends of approach isn't just organic. It's also historic. He favors farming traditions that take back to Roman times.
31:31 Would you like to try to uh uh the po? Ah well. You know that would be. . . Good. It's always been on my bucket list but uh I'm gonna be right behind ya.
31:42 I'm gonna be right behind ya. But you just have to do. Just when you want to go left, you put it right.
31:50 And when you want to go right, you put it next. . . . And uh so you have to say yes. Here's the thing about the plow.
32:04 When you want to go left, you got to move it right. When you want to go right, you got to move the uhh uhh uhh.
32:32 , , Yeah, well take a look. Ha it's a bit uh. Yeah, no good for planting, you gotta go back over and fix it.
32:41 got the basket here. Let me care for this boy. Okay, thank you very much. Come on, you just throw that whole time.
32:48 Alright, here we go. We'll see ya. You guys see us in the basket. Come on. Are you okay? Yeah, alright.
32:59 I arrived at San Trope, I was expecting complicated cooking. But what I've discovered? Now we're, This is the best time of the day to come.
33:18 Look at that. Look at that. It is so nice. Let me just see. your beautiful day. Here's to you. Thank you.
33:26 So I was telling you about my uh my strategy. You know like simple pleasure. What about you? Did you find out your definition of?
33:33 No. I'll join the game. I think boys you want to wave is just kind of discovering uh a France that I hadn't quite discovered before.
33:45 Yeah. really have taken to the south of France. My wife Deb and I have talked about spending you know an extended period of time in places in Europe.
33:59 I think I'll be really pressing. The point that Saint-Tropez is a great place to spend time. My impression of centropay was total glamour.
34:12 So, the beauty of the place is something I've discovered. Simple pleasures are . . What I essentially am about. I've learned a lot more about French and a little more about myself.
34:28 But most of all, I've learned to politely decline the next time somebody offers me an oyster. So, Merci and Bon Voyage as I journey on.
34:41 time, Germany, what I definitely was not expecting was this. It's kind of a- to know that the first thing you're going to do when you check into this hotel to see the doctor.
34:53 Yeah, it's a panic button. Why would somebody need a panic button? Oh my god. This is 600 sheep behind me.
35:02 I may be losing control of it. You feel a lot.