DAY-TRIPPING LIKE A LOCAL: APRICALE By Chrissie McClatchie

From the first glimpse, as you round the bends from , it’s hard not to be impressed by Apricale, a real statement village that sits regally across a ridge surrounded by the Ligurian hills.

FOR this next instalment (see Reporter medieval Apricale is a further 5 kilometres this particularly glorious afternoon we 167 and our website) in my series on the inland from , along the SP63, were able to enjoy an al fresco meal on wonderful villages hidden in the hills of the rather windy road which links Isolabona a village terrace bathed spring sun. Liguria, I enlisted the help of my trusty with Barjado in the western Ligurian partner in crime – and fellow Italophile – hinterland. Eat Michaela, who can always be relied upon I’ve heard lots of good things about to join in on a voyage of discovery across Why I love it the home cooking at La Favorita the border, especially when food and wine Overflowing with history, the commune (lafavoritaapricale.com), which is just are involved. It’s easy to see why we’re such was founded in the Bronze Age and before the village itself when arriving on good friends! We didn’t have to go very far. boasts buildings dating back to the ninth the road from Isolabona. We preferred to century. The name Apricale is taken from soak up some of the atmosphere inside Where is it? the Latin word Apricus, which translates the pedestrian streets of Apricale on Classified as one of ’s most beautiful to something along the lines of “sun- this occasion, however, and were easily villages (I Borghi più belli d’Italia), the drenched”, a more than apt name as on seduced by the setting at Apricale da

A mere €23 for a 3-course meal: artichoke and potato flan, pasta with a ragù of fresh veggies and a Michete di Dolceacqua tart, with a delicate mandarin and white chocolate sauce. Plus, there’s a decent local wine list.

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Delio (ristoranteapricale.it). nearby ancient castle. Not only Serenity It was quintessential Liguria, to discover the brightly painted with a terrace overlooking doors and mosaics adorning the mountains down through the medieval walls, but also to the valley towards the coast. work off your meal! Even in Email: [email protected] Luckily the food lived up spring the streets are crowded Tel: +33 (0)6 11 58 72 76 to the standard set by the with French day-trippers, so I Fax: +33 (0)4 93 79 45 28 location. The menu, despite can only imagine a weekend Web: www.avm-frenchriviera.com being on the pricey side for afternoon come mid-July. Italy (€23 for three courses), was less than what we would Save the date have paid if we’d sat down for As with most Ligurian English Book Centre an equivalent meal in Nice. villages, Apricale plays host New & Used Books Local food, done to perfection to a selection of traditional English DVD Rentals & Sales using fresh ingredients; an festivals throughout the year. Greeting Cards, Wrap & Ribbon artichoke and potato flan, pasta The highlight of which is Book orders taken & received quickly with a ragù of fresh veggies and from September 8th -10th, for 12 rue Alexis Julien, Valbonne the annual Apricale Festival Tel: 04 93 12 21 42 a divine Michete di Dolceacqua www.englishbookcentre.com tart, with a delicate mandarin (apricale.org), when celebrating and white chocolate sauce. the pansarole takes centre stage. And of course there’s an Offering advice for over 25 years sarl extensive local wine selection. Getting there Peter Johnson Business & Financial Services Look out for pansarole, a Car: Apricale is just over local specialty – and equivalent 50 kilometres from Nice, • French taxation • Business set-up to the donutesque ganses you’d a scenic hour’s drive. As • Investments & pension plans find in Nice during carnival: with Dolceacqua, take the • Mortgages/equity release exit on the dough fried in olive oil and Mobile: 06 21 04 89 37 dusted in icing sugar, exept here A8, then cross through Peter Johnson Sarl is a fully registered and regulated Phone: 04 93 29 34 32 it’s accompanied by a generous Ventimiglia town centre independent financial advisor. ORIAS 07 005 235 Email: [email protected] serving of zabaglione, a foamy along Via Cavour to the egg-yolk custard combined coastal road to . with Marsala wine and sugar. Follow the signposts inland to Dolceacqua along the Strada Drink Provincal 64 and continue PASTA CORNER The Ligurian favourite, straight through, direction Rossese di Dolceacqua, is an Isolabona. From there, take appellation that includes the the Strada Provincal 63 to valleys surrounding Apricale. the right towards Apricale. Local exponents to seek The village itself is completely out include Danila Pisano pedestrianised; however, there (danilapisano.com), who is ample parking outside. established an organic farm Public Transport: You could in 1990. Today she produces always catch the train to both a Rossese wine from Ventimiglia and then hail a vineyards located across the taxi, but you’d be looking at the valley towards the ridge-top price of lunch (or more) village of and a pure in fares each way. Buses olive oil made from the highly between Liguria’s hillside regarded indigenous variety, villages are fairly irregular. Taggiasca. Visit her inside If your Italian is better than the village at 64 Via Martiri. mine, you can try to navigate Sadly, Apricale’s rather the maze of timetables that “Gourmet Italian Pasta” novel microbrewery, Piccolo is the Riviera Transporti Birrificio, which you still website (rivieratrasporti. find many references to, is it/ShowOrari.asp). n no longer in operation. Chrissie McClatchie is an Australian wine specialist Explore who has been living in Nice Leave enough time to wander for the past seven years. You the maze-like alleys of the can follow her travels at 46 av. Franklin Roosevelt Open 6/7 8h20 - 19h30 village leading to and from rivieragrapevine.com or Le Cannet Rocheville Sunday 8h20 - 12h00 the sun-drenched piazza and on Twitter @RivieraGrape

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