Raspberry Dessert, Lamb Burger, and Monte Cristo
Even on rainy days, you can gather plenty of experiences, especially if a city stroll, delicious food, and a great movie brighten your day. This is how October 6th, a rainy Sunday, went in Fontvieille.
It’s raining, so I don’t feel like venturing far. I head into town just for a stroll. There’s a favorite bakery-pastry shop of mine next to the theater, where their raspberry macaron dessert is heavenly.
Then comes the main course! I try out a burger place on Town Hall Street. They make lamb patties and serve them with a special green herb sauce so delightful that even the sun smiles through the clouds.
I get in the mood for a movie and choose Fontvieille’s tiny Éden Cinema. They’re showing The Count of Monte Cristo. You can tell it’s made for a broad audience because the dialogue is so simple that even I can understand parts of it. Yet, this simplicity doesn’t detract from the beauty of the language; in one or two romantic scenes, the passionate phrasing pulls me right into the moment.
I might watch it in Hungarian, too, to appreciate the other dialogues. The leading ladies are beautiful, though it’s clear from their performances that they weren’t chosen just for their looks. The movie is a spectacular three-hour experience with stunning locations. Alexandre Dumas’ novel is originally set around Marseille and the nearby Château d’If, and the film’s settings are so authentic, it felt as though I was in the Calanques valleys.
A special mention goes to the costumes, which were not only period-accurate but also featured the traditional attire of the Marseille region. It was funny how, at the end of the screening, we locals went through the entire credits together, just to see which estates’ castles appeared on screen. And yes, some scenes were shot in Malta, but the rest were filmed right here, in this Marseille county where we live.
Fontvieille, Sunday, October 6, 2024.
