Perrier Pamplemouse Rose

You could organize a wonderful trip around France visiting les sources of mineral water. Evian-Les-Bains is at the far end of Lac Leman (aka Lake Geneva). Perrier comes from the commune of Vergeze in the Gard (South of France), and my favorite Badoit comes from Saint-Galmier in the departement of the Loire in the Rhone-Alpes.

More French prefer bubbly (gazeuse) to still (plat) water. Me too, I love the naturally carbonated Badoit or Perrier....give me Bubbles! Champagne or still wine? Definitely Bubbles! Even if it's just water, it makes me feel happy...

The only exception is if it comes in a can. Around France in the summer, many people carry a brumisateur, a can of mineral water with a very fine spray, to refresh your face and arms & legs in the heat. Sad we can't take them on airplanes any more unless they are very mini. They are used at the beach and while sight-seeing at warm locations, and come in various sizes; I went through 2 king size bottles on last summer's trip with the boys:
Perrier comes from a spring in the South called Les Bouillens, which has been in use since Roman times. It was bought by a local doctor in 1898. Dr. Perrier started a spa there, and also bottled the water.

Perrier the company doesn't move fast, even for France. It took them 11 years to figure out which kind of plastic would work best to perfectly retain the quality of the bubbles and minerals in a plastic bottle. So imagine my surprise to recently find a new flavor of Perrier, Pamplemouse Rose or Pink Grapefruit. Wonder how many years this was in the works?

I could do a whole separate post on the love affair the French have with Pink Grapefruit. Notice I say Pink Grapefruit; not Grapefruit, not White Grapefruit; the French are so specific! This water is naturally flavored, and I LOVE it. I have already filled my panier with it several times; be sure to find it this summer at your local grocery.