eBon Voyage...
BELOW IS A SELECTION OF BACK ISSUES OF OUR NEWSLETTER eBON VOYAGE - you’ll find reviews of restaurants we’ve enjoyed, profiles of some of the people we work with in France, travel tips, the odd book review, and quirky bits of French news that have caught my eye.
November - December 2011
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Bonjour Francophiles
We’re back from a lively tour of the Dordogne - there’s so much to see and do there; some of the best gardens in France are located within a short distance of each other, there are loads of pretty towns with interesting weekly markets and river valleys framed by dramatic cliffs, often with villages built into them. It’s the centre of prehistory in France too, and looking at cave drawings made 25,000 years ago is thrilling, particularly for someone from New Zealand, where human settlement is comparatively recent.
The food is distinctive and good, particularly if you like duck, Robert adds. We watched a water-powered nut oil mill that has been producing walnut, hazelnut and almond oil since the 1700s and is still going strong. We spent a delightfully instructive morning with M. Edouard Aynaud (aka Eddie le Truffe) and his dogs Farah & Titeuf on a truffle hunt at his plantation. Conditions over this summer and autumn weren’t conducive to a great crop, but the dogs found some small ones and fortunately Edouard had enough put by for his wife Carole to make us a memorable lunch, featuring a brouillade truffée, a popular way to serve truffles in the South.
I’d always thought brouillade was just a posh version of scrambled egg, but no, it’s a posh unscrambled egg, made by whisking eggs and truffles with plenty of butter over a very gentle heat, or in a double boiler till they’re thick and luscious, but not scrambled. For a double hit of truffle, the eggs are stored with the truffles for a day before they’re cooked, so they absorb some of their flavour. If you get a chance to try it, do.
At the end of the tour, we waved everybody goodbye and caught the night train to Venice to do our R & D for 2012 - a rental boat cruise around the Lagoon and up the Brenta River. The weather was warm and sunny, as it had been in the Dordogne, except for one stormy day on the Lagoon. We cruised from the Chioggia depot up the long, skinny arm of the Lido and across to Murano, Burano, Torcello and le Vignole. We also saw the 20 passenger La Bella Vita moored on the Giudecca, before crossing the Lagoon to Fusina and the entrance to the Brenta.
The Lagoon is full of traffic of all shapes, sizes and styles; little fizz boats zooming about, lumbering barges carrying heavy machinery, the garbage collectors, the green grocer and those sleek, highly polished water taxis and, on a sunny Sunday particularly, dozens of family runabouts out for a jaunt. It’s not completely open slather, the navigable channels are marked by tripods of stout logs, or briccole, and that’s where you go. After all that, the Brenta is an oasis of calm, just us, a couple of other rented boats and the big burchielle, bringing day-trippers from Venice or Padua. Like us, they were stopping to visit some of the handsome riverside Palladian villas. There were other architectural gems in our final destination, Padua, and we spent an awestruck 20 minutes admiring Giotto’s frescoes in the Scrovegni chapel. We would have stayed longer, but visits are strictly limited, for fear of damage to the fragile paint from too much breathing!
Venice remains a great boating area, full of variety and interest, but sadly we have to abandon our plans for the 2012 Taste Venice escorted tour. There’s no water available along the Brenta river and the boat’s tanks need topping up every couple of days, so it is just impractical, sadly. However, here is the new & improved Taste France 2012 .........
TASTE FRANCE 2012
Tour One - BURGUNDY EXPERIENCE -14-22 September, 3550€ pp, share twin - FULLY BOOKED
2 nights in Paris, 5 nights in Beaune, 1 night in Beaujolais
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE - two days in Paris - to go back to the places you loved last time and to discover new ones
- an extended stay in Beaune, wine capital of Burgundy
- a guided visit to its magificent medieval Hotel Dieu
- a morning at the organic market in Beaune
- visits to the chateau & walled vineyard of Clos de Vougeot, Chateau Rochepot, Chateau Cormatin & the majestic abbey church of St Philibert, Tournus
- breakfast, cooking class and lunch with chef Didier Denis at the Hostellerie Bourguignonne
- a wine tasting lunch at Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet in the heart of the Cote de Beaune, a vineyard walk in Nuits St Georges & a wine-tasting at Chateau de Chamirey, in the village of Mercurey.
The tour starts in Paris & ends in Lyon, with optional extra nights available in each city before & after the tour - or join Tour Two.....
Tour Two - DORDOGNE EXPERIENCE - Source to the Sea - 22 Sept - 5 Oct,
5150€ p.p. share twin
2 nights in Lyon, 1 night in Mont Dore, 2 nights in Martel, 4 nights in Sarlat, 2 nights in Les Eyzies, 2 nights in St Emilion
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE - a dinner cruise on the Rhone in Lyon
- follow the Dordogne River from its source on Puy de Sancy to Bordeaux, where it flows into the Gironde estuary
- a guided visit to the celebrated contemporary Jardins de l’Imaginaire in Terrasson, visits to the gardens of Eyrignac, Marqueyssac, Cadiot, & the Jardins Panoramique
- explore the Padirac Chasm by boat
- see the astonishing recreations of the cave paintings of Lascaux at Lascaux II
- excursions to Rocamadour & the castles of Castelnau-Bretenoux, Beynac & Cazenac & Chateau de Losse
-a morning at the huge market in Sarlat
- visits to a chocolate maker and a nut oil mill
- a morning with a truffle producer & his dogs, followed by a special truffle lunch
- a wine tasting in Monbazillac
The tour starts in Lyon & ends in Bordeaux, with optional extra nights available in each city before & after the tour.
Notes from my Food Diary -
LES EYZIES - ONE SMALL TOWN, TWO NOTABLE RESTAURANTS
HOSTELLERIE DU PASSEUR, place de la Mairie, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, DORDOGNE
This is the popular restaurant of a long established riverside hotel in the centre of Les Eyzies, a small town with many attractions, most notably the National Museum of Prehistory, with its huge statue of a Neanderthal man who towers over the town. No cavemen in the Passeur’s kitchen though - the food is modern and the cooking is outstanding.
There’s a two course menu at 30€, and three for 36€. We decided two would be ample and they were. I had a main course of hake fillet with linguine in a cream sauce with spinach, fennel and tiny mussels. A beautifully balanced mix of fresh and well-matched ingredients.
Robert tucked into a saddle of rabbit with snail stuffing, served with spinach, extra snails, steamed broccoli and broccoli pureé - another very good dish with an equally clever combination of elements.
The puddings were equally impressive, in fact Robert’s was a triumph; chocolate mousse with a cherry filling and a strawberry parfait on the side. We voted it pudding of the trip.
I chose their café gourmande - as I’ve said before, it’s an obvious choice for the indecisive, but it’s also something I’d never make at home - all those complicated, dainty miniature desserts - I’m very happy to leave it to the professionals. Especially when they do it as well as le Passeur. Among the diminutive delights was a pistachio financier, a lemon tart, a chocolate and strawberry tart and a ball of chocolate balanced on an almond tuile. They ranged from very good to gorgeous.
The food may be modern at le Passeur, but they have retained a pleasantly old-fashioned style of service - the food is brought out on a tray to side table & served from there. The waiting staff remind diners of the details of the dish they’ve ordered, which is a nice change from “I’ll just go and ask the chef” and particularly impressive when they’re reeling off all the little bites on the café gourmand.
It’s a restaurant with flair and competence in the kitchen and the dining room and we recommend it highly.
AU VIEUX MOULIN, 2 rue du Moulin Bas, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, DORDOGNE
A short walk away is Au Vieux Moulin, the restaurant of the Moulin de la Beune - a tranquil hotel in a former mill complex, complete with stream and water wheel. It’s a very appealing setting.
The restaurant is popular with locals as well as hotel guests for its small menu of carefully chosen and prepared dishes with a focus on regional produce. We began our three course 38€ menu with a beautiful starter of poached scallops on fennel puree. For me it was entree of the trip - perfect scallops, gorgeous puree, impeccably cooked - nothing missing, nothing superfluous.
The main courses were also deliciously understated - the roasted hake came with peas and diced duck ham and a hint of sauce. We take peas so much for granted, but these were stars, the sort that remind you why you should have planted rows of them before you left home. Robert had a subtly spiced duck breast with pumpkin puree and was very impressed with it.
There was just one pudding on offer that night, but it was worth having - strawberries under a creme brulee and a strawberry cream on the side. The Dordogne is France’s Strawberry Central and they’re on every menu and market stall in autumn. We loved the sophisticated simplicity of the food in the Moulin’s lovely setting, with the sound of the water wheel under the window.
Last restaurants reviewed -
HOSTELLERIE BOURGUIGNONNE, 2 avenue du President Borgeot, VERDUN-SUR-LE-DOUBS, SAONE-ET-LOIRE & AUX TERRASSES, 18 avenue du 23 Janvier, TOURNUS, SAONE-ET-LOIRE.
ALBERT KAHN MUSEUM AND GARDEN
While we were in Paris we went out to the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt, at the end of the metro line number 10, to check out the Albert Kahn Museum, which I mentioned in the last issue. The unique photographic collection of people from fifty countries around the world (not NZ or Aussie though) is touching and fascinating, and includes film clips as well as still photos. There’s also a great display of old cameras and other photographic equipment. The gardens are a delight too, and with five different styles, from woodlands to water gardens, there’s something for all tastes. Sadly, jetlag still had hold of our brains, & we didn’t take any photos, but see -
ANOTHER UNUSUAL MUSEUM
We went for a post-lunch walk through the Bercy Park one sunny September day, it’s another of the city’s amenities built on a former industrial area, in this case the site of a huge wine market. It’s beautifully done and very popular with locals. It’s also home to the Museum of Fairground Arts, created by an actor and antiques dealer from his private collection of merry-go-rounds, rides, stalls and games. It sounds like great fun and we’ll check it out next year.
WINTER IN PARIS
There’s always something happening in Paris and winter is no exception. The City of Light really lives up to its name in the chilly season - with the Champs Elysees trees ablaze with decorations, as are the big department stores on Boulevard Haussman. Christmas markets start up in November, all across the city, and Notre Dame has a giant Christmas tree outside and a sound and light show inside.
Fancy a bit of iceskating in December? Take your pick of outdoor rinks - including big ones at the Hotel de Ville and Trocadero and even one on the first level of the Eiffel Tower. The opera and ballet season is in full swing, museums are open, and the chill can be kept in check with regular doses of hot chocolate and armagnac!
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BOATING NEWS
Barge company European Waterways have added another barge to their extensive fleet. The Panache is a 12 passenger luxury barge of traditional Dutch design.
She will be taking springtime “Tulip cruises” in Holland, then later in the season will cruise the beautiful Canal de la Marne au Rhin from Nancy to Strasbourg in Alsace - which has long been one of our favourite boating regions.
A shiny new boat with generous accommodation would be a perfect way to see it.
Barging Thru France are getting a lot more charter bookings, since they released their lower rates for Less than Full Charters. For example 14 people on the 21 passenger Caprice cruising between Dijon and St Leger, is 38,400 euros (only 2743€ p.p.) and the 22 passenger Lorraine in Alsace is 39.400 euros. Prices are even less in the value season, which includes some weeks in July and August, so get your family, friends and/or club mates together for a week of fun and indulgence.
For smaller groups of four to six there are lots of barges, covering a wide price range, but one of the best value is the Who Knows. It cruises the Burgundy Canal and has charter rates ranging from 15,000 euros for six people to 7500 euros for two. Owner operators, Jason and Dawn, also offer a half board rate for people who want to explore the restaurants along the route and take a daily meal (lunch or dinner) ashore at their own expense.
Barbara & Robert
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Bonjour Francophiles
As the departure date for Taste France 2011 roars up with great speed, it’s time to announce our plans for Taste France 2012. After several years of enjoying southern France, we’re going back to Burgundy, our “home” province, before following the beautiful Dordogne River from its source to the sea.
The nostalgia continues in my Food Diary, with a fond look at two hotel-restaurants in Burgundy which we’ve been working with for many years. Not surprisingly, they are both on the programme for next year’s tour.
We looking forward to sharing the delights of the Dordogne with our tour party; it’s a delightfully varied region, with fortified hilltop towns, ancient caves and cliff dwellings, some terrific gardens and great food.
BARBARA
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TA-DA......ANNOUNCING TASTE FRANCE 2012
Tour One - BURGUNDY EXPERIENCE - 19-27 September
2 nights in Paris, 5 nights in Beaune, 1 night in Port Lesney
Relax & explore Paris, walk the Promenade Plantée, enjoy a night at the opera or the ballet, and some memorable meals, (including, it is whispered, lunch at the Tour d’Argent).
Then we’ll zoom down to Dijon on the TGV, collect our minibus and head for Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, where we’ll be based for 5 nights, stopping en route for lunch at a vineyard restaurant in Aloxe Corton - a small village producing some of the world’s most famous wine. The wine theme continues with a visit to Clos de Vougeot and a vineyard walk in Nuits St Georges. On Sunday we tour the fascinating medieval Hotel Dieu in Beaune, before heading off for lunch in the country and a visit to the ancient castle of La Rochepot.
Later excursions include the riverside town of Tournus and its great romanesque abbey, St Philibert, the Chateau de Cormatin and the wine villages of Buxy and Mercurey. We’ll taste the best of southern Burgundy at a cooking class and lunch with chef Didier Denis. Then we’ll head east for an introduction to the Jura region - a little gem of dramatic landscapes and distinctive wines, which are rarely found outside France. We’ll stay in another of our favourite places, the lovely Chateau de Germigney, where we’ll have a farewell dinner, before returning to Paris, via Dijon, next day.
Optional extra nights in Paris
Notes from my Food Diary
TWO OF MY LONG-TIME FAVOURITE BURGUNDY RESTAURANTS -
HOSTELLERIE BOURGUIGNONNE, 2 avenue du President Borgeot, VERDUN-SUR-LE-DOUBS, SAONE-ET-LOIRE.
It’s many years since we discovered the Hostellerie Bourguignonne just outside the small river port of Verdun-sur-le-Doubs in southern Burgundy, or Bresse-Bourguignonne. We were lured in by the well-priced menu at the gate, and we’ve been going back ever since - not just to have another delicious dinner, but to stay (the Hostellerie has nine attractive guestrooms), enjoy the breakfasts of superbly sinful pastries, relax in the garden with a glass or two, and to head into the kitchen for a cooking class with owner-chef Didier Denis.
He’s a great champion of local ingredients and dishes, like the famous poulet de Bresse, which is usually roasted, but once we had it as a stuffing in courgette flowers, on a bed of pigeon ravioli - a gorgeous entree. Another dish I remember vividly was a rack of veal, roasted with figs and leeks, and served with gaude. Gaude? It’s a corn porridge, and an old staple food of this area. Traditionally it was poured into a communal hole specially gouged into the middle of the kitchen table, but ours came in individual bowls and was enriched with good stock and lots of cream - a long way from its humble beginnings.
Didier also makes pochouse, a traditional stew of freshwater fish from the Doubs river, cooked in aligoté, a modest white wine. It was the food of the lumberjacks who used to guide logs down the Doubs and is now a favourite in the cooking classes and on the menu.
Hostellerie Bourguignonne is a very happy establishment - most of the staff have been there for years. And when they’re not busy with the restaurant, the hotel, the cooking classes and looking after the diverse and interesting cellar, they do a bit of catering. Verdun-sur-le-Doubs is midway between Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saone, and the Hostellerie is well worth the journey from either direction. Personally, I’d drive all day just for the “XXL macaroon with raspberries, absinthe flavoured cream and anise icecream” which features on the current dessert menu. Let’s hope there’s an autumn version of it next year.....
AUX TERRASSES, 18 avenue du 23 Janvier, TOURNUS, SAONE-ET-LOIRE.
Tournus is a handsome old town on the banks of the River Saone, about 40kms north of Maçon. It’s worth a visit for its dramatic setting, the 10th century abbey church of St Philibert and Aux Terrasses, a friendly, classy, family-run hotel-restaurant. As at the Hostellerie Bourguignonne, the welcome is warm and the food is excellent, with great attention to detail.
On our last visit, we had trout marinated in olive oil and lemon juice with garnish of golden trout eggs and small pieces of toast spread with tapenade - my notes just say “brilliant”. Robert moved on to one of his favourite dishes, which he only gets to eat in France - duck breast with cherries. Here it came with perfect little potato pancakes.
Even the children’s menu is stylish - chicken breast with cream and the house puree, or fish Meuniere (with butter and lemon juice) and fresh pasta. No turkey twizzlers or chicken nuggets here!
A quick tour of the current dessert menu shows the clever combinations of classic and exotic that chef Jean-Michel Carrette is so admired for. Traditionalists can chose the warm Grand Marnier soufflé with flowing caramel and caramel ice-cream, or - for traditional-with-a-twist - a raspberry tart, spiked with citronella and served with a red pepper sorbet. For something completely different, try the layered passionfruit and white chocolate with a soft mango centre, all wrapped in a banana leaf.
Breakfast at Aux Terrasses is outstanding too - a selection of delicious breads and pastries, home made jams, yoghurt and excellent ham, plus beautiful cheeses from cheesemonger Maison Giraud, just down the street.
Two fine establishments, two more reasons to explore this glorious region!
Last restaurant reviewed - Olatua, 30 Boulevard Thiers, St-Jean-de-Luz - see below
WINE TOURISM FOR SMALL GROUPS
Our friends Liz & René are offering wine cruises on their six passenger hotel barge, the Emma, in the Languedoc region, with Master of Wine Juliet Bruce Jones. They’ve had the clever idea of alternating “wine days” and “sightseeing days”, for a beautifully balanced barge holiday. As they say -
“During your days of wine discovery you will -
Visit top producers who are not normally open to the public
Drink excellent wines from all over the Languedoc, including some barrel tastings
Revel in the diversity of wines, from stylish sparkling wine from Limoux to world-class
Syrah based reds
Be accompanied by a Master of Wine for all visits and tastings
Juliet will also bring the wines to you so you can sip fine Languedoc wines as you glide
along the canal under the plane trees.”
A combination of a wine discovery trip with the delights of a cruise on the Emma - with
fabulous food, knowledgeable guides and a beautifully comfortable boat - is a
perfect celebration holiday for 4-6 lucky people.
For landlubbers, Domaine O'Vineyards, just north of Carcassonne, have 4 bedroom B&B on
their property, plus they offer a variety of wine courses in English, from a day in the
vineyard with the winemaker, to a three day wine experience. Sounds ideal for an autumn
break in the South of France.
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The Tour de France has stimulated a lot of interest in our Backroad Discovery cycling holidays for next year and we already have our first booking. Backroad Discovery are independent self-guided holidays, but in Burgundy and on a few other routes we can offer the services of of a guide for parties of four or more. The routes are fixed but extra days can be added and some itineraries can be combined to make longer trips, so please get in touch if you want to cycle the back roads of France.
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New Garden & Museum at THE END OF THE LINE
If you like museums, gardens and metro rides, the Musée Albert Kahn should be on your list.
Albert Kahn was a wealthy businessman who in 1909 conceived the idea of making a photographic record of the peoples of the world, in colour. The work of his teams of photographers, who took pictures in 50 countries, is now displayed in the museum at his former home on the edge of Paris - a unique collection. The gardens are an added bonus - a Japanese, an English and a French garden, and couple of small forests.
The museum is near Boulogne Porte de St Cloud Terminus of metro line 10, that runs between Porte St Cloud and Gare d’Austerlitz.
Musee Albert Kahn, 10-14, rue du Port 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
JUNE/JULY 2011
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Bonjour Francophiles
Robert has been flat out processing bookings for May and June, but new bookings for the rest of the season are disappointingly few. We are not alone in this and most of our rental boat and barge operators are offering discounts for June - see Boating News.
On the positive side, when we opened up the Dordogne Experience to single bookings a gentleman from Ashburton booked within 48 hours. We immediately secured the last room at the five room chateau in Issigeac, so now we can accept another single booking with a supplement of 800 Euros. See tour outline below.
We may have erred in changing the focus of our second tour to the Southern Experience, because so far we have no bookings for it. Consequently, we are talking to a party of six friends about a tour, and there’s a nibble from Auckland for a revised and shortened Basque Tour ending in Toulouse, but.... Our fingers are crossed of course, but the field is still wide open for any group of four to six friends to have their own customised tour, see some ideas below in Taste France.
Robert can build an itinerary around most things, so why don't you and your friends send us your holiday wish list and we'll get back to you tout de suite with an itinerary! The Dordogne Experience, which is a guaranteed departure, ends in Bordeaux, so we could meet your group anywhere within a few hours' drive - ie. the Atlantic coast from the Loire to Spain and inland as far as Toulouse. Just contact us before June 15 please.
Moneywise, this is the ideal time to travel to Europe because the exchange rate is so favourable. The economists are predicting/guessing that it will fall next year and with the ever-increasing fuel costs, airfares are likely to rise. Currently the exchange rate from the bank is around 0.55, while last June we thought it was high at 0.52. We invoice tour participants in June, so we know that in 2009 it was down to 0.44. It’s a bit like renovating - every time you defer a project because of cost, the price goes up and becomes even less affordable - carpe diem!
BARBARA
Notes from my Food Diary
Olatua, 30 Boulevard Thiers, St-Jean-de-Luz
We were lucky enough to dine here twice last year. After the first visit I wrote across the top of my notes “best restaurant in St-Jean-de-Luz!!’’ and that opinion was reinforced by our second visit. Olatua has a variety of inside and outside dining spaces, good for the the summer heat and the (relative) winter chill. The welcome is friendly, the atmosphere is casual, but the service is precise and thoughtful and the food is fantastic. The menu-carte has two courses for 28€, three for 35€ - great value for food of this quality.
We began with carpaccio of prawns and beef with radicchio, baby lettuce hearts and ginger, dressed with caramel, wasabi and balsamic vinegar. It was a festival of flavours, but perfectly balanced. An Olatour de force, in fact.
Robert moved on to a main course of fillets of duck breast with foie gras dressed with sticky balsamic vinegar on a bed of polenta.
My superb piece of hake came on a soupy stew of baby peas, a variety of wilted leaves and some little clams. The main courses were more sedate than the starter, but they were just as beautifully done.
The dessert menu is full of temptations here - apple tart with mango sorbet, for instance, Cafe Liegeoise (a fine old coffee sundae), creme brulee with passionfruit, a souffle, a couple of chocolate delights and ..... cafe gourmand. A relative newcomer to French dessert menus, cafe gourmand is perfect for the indecisive - it’s an espresso coffee served with three or four mini-desserts. But, tempted as I was, I’d already had one, if not three, that week, so settled for a modest glass of icecream - pistachio, vanilla and raspberry. Robert ordered the apple tourtiere, which was a tall apple & filo tart served with mango sorbet and a hint of rum and he loved it.
By the time we got back for our second visit, there was a new autumn menu, though some of the previous dishes also remained. Among the standout new additions was a glorious croustillant of salmon. A dome of flaky pastry was filled with a delicate onion cream, set on a bed of diced beetroot. The pastry was topped with an abundance of gorgeous cured salmon, with a smear of beetroot toffee and and some dill sauce. A lovely dish with the trademark clever combos. Robert succumbed to the allure of rare tuna with sauce choron (bearnaise with tomato), potato mash and roasted onion - another classy dish.
I tried Olatua’s autumnal version of hake - with fine slices of local sausage and an apple and celery crumble. It sounds unlikely, but it worked, as did everything we tried.
This is an outstanding restaurant in a town which is full of places to eat. St Jean-de-Luz is a popular seaside town on the Atlantic coast, with a great curving beach, historic port and buildings, excellent patisseries, interesting walks and the mighty Pyrenees towering in the distance.
And two more Paris restaurants that caught Robert’s eye from the new Michelin guide -
Le 122
122 r. de Grenelle F - 75007 Paris 07 ph 0145560742
Closed 23 July-17 August, Saturday and Sunday
Menu: 17/23€ (lunch) / 35€ - Carte: 30€/38€
A designer decor of luminous globes, Starck chairs, and grey and mauve tones. Inventive, good value dishes full of flavour, including a daily menu.
35º OUEST
35 r. de Verneuil F - 75007 Paris 07 ph 0142869888
Closed 1-29 August, 24 December-2 January, Sunday and Monday
Lunch 32€ incl. drinks - Carte: 45€/107€
The simple, modern decor in the small dining room provides a backdrop for fish and seafood, with an emphasis on the freshest products and superb flavours.
Specialities - Rémoulade de tourteau et granny-smith. (Crab with mayonnaise and apple). Turbot rôti en tronçon, champignons du moment. (Roast turbot steak with mushrooms of the day). Tarte chocolat-cannelle. (Chocolate & cinnamon tart).
Last restaurant reviewed - Rossignol, 15 rue Fenelon, Sarlat la Caneda
GARDENS IN THE DORDOGNE -
South West France is full of lovely gardens, many of them open to the public - so here’s a small selection that we like, all reasonably near the towns of Sarlat and Bergerac.
SARDY
Created by an Englishwoman in the 1950s, Sardy is built around an old Dordogne farmhouse west of Bergerac. The overall style is informal, with pockets of formality. At the bottom of the garden is a striking rectangular pool (see top of page) and as you approach it, the water spouts start playing, which is fun. It also has a woodland area, and a touch of NZ in the form of a tree fern in a barrel. Over the fence there’s a vineyard and and there are wine-tastings in the small cafe beside the house. Planting is still evolving, as the owner brings new areas into cultivation. A lovely and absorbing visit to a garden that’s open to the public, but which still feels quite private.
Eyrignac
Thirteen kms north of Sarlat, Eyrignac is a well-known and much-visited garden around a 17th century manor house. It’s also Topiary Central, with four hectares of sculpted hedges, and clipped box balls everywhere. Yes, it’s contrived, but it’s clever and interesting and you have to admire the commitment to the work. And even if you’re not completely charmed by the swirling hedges, there are some beautiful water features and lovely old buildings and some woodland walks in the parkland around the garden.
Cadiot
Just 10 kms from Eyrignac is Cadiot, down a series of small, but clearly signposted roads. Its owners have created eleven different gardens in a comparatively small area. There’s a potager, a monastery herb garden, a peony garden (over, alas, by October),a labyrinth, a woodland, a poetry garden with poetry written on pottery fragments and beside the house are a couple of tiled courtyards, built on ruins of an old barn and filled with statues and other artwork. Some of the sculptures dotted around the garden are created by the owner, some are from Asia and Africa. It’s a garden full of charm, and a labour of love.
Marqueyssac
A exceptional garden, one of the best in France, even though there’s hardly a flower to be seen. They are called “the Hanging Gardens of Marqueysacc” and the elevated site overlooking the Dordogne River certainly adds to the drama. Marqueyssac is a park of greenery shaped into low, irregular rounds, punctuated with large, untrimmed trees, flat-topped curves, with lollipop trees rising out of them and other inventive shapes to create a unique garden and a delightful visit. With twenty-two hectares, six kms of paths and an excellent tearoom/restaurant, it’s easy to spend many hours here.
APRIL/MAY 2011
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Bonjour Francophiles
It’s been a traumatic time for Christchurch and it’s a long way from over. We found a recent visit quite shocking, but also inspiring. The scale of rubble and wreckage was gut-wrenching, and the randomness of it only increased that feeling - driving down a street past a totally collapsed building beside an apparently undamaged one was more unsettling than seeing a whole cluster of ruins somehow.
But the people were fantastic - everyone we met was making light of their particular catastrophes and getting on with things - getting married, running businesses, looking after each other and making some very creative plumbing arrangements.
Seeing the destruction in Christchurch made us think of an earlier rebuilding project - Haussmann’s recreation of Paris in the 1800s. He had his detractors, but he was the driving force behind the creation of Paris as we know it today. Let’s hope the renewal of Christchurch works as well and lasts at least as long. More below.
We have an update on our escorted tours in September-October, another page from the Food Diary, a note on an historic, but not well-known, riverside town and the latest boating news and specials.
I’m writing this on the day we put the clocks back, the one 25 hour day of the year - it always feels a bit more leisurely than the rest and I think we should have one every week! BARBARA
TASTE FRANCE 2011 -
THE DORDOGNE EXPERIENCE 15 - 28 SEPTEMBER €4200 pp share twin
Featuring gardens galore, villages, markets, ancient caves and cliff dwellings, a nut oil mill, a truffiere, a chocolatier, and a cooking class.
September is a perfect month for the Dordogne, the crowds have gone and the weather is still warm. We’ve selected our accommodation for comfort and charm - an elegant 3 star hotel near the Musee d’Orsay, a chateau chambre d’hote, a character hotel with a notable restaurant in an old water mill, a grand old house in Sarlat and a classic hotel-restaurant with a famous chef in Cahors.
South-west France is noted for its rich cuisine and gardens, so we'll meet a prestigious chef for a morning cooking class, visit a truffle farmer, a chocolate museum, a nut mill, and gardens great and small. We’ll taste the wines at Sardy and Monbazillac and enjoy some memorable meals, naturally.
The tour starts with 2 nights in Paris, then TGV to Bordeaux, where we pick up our mini-bus, and it ends in Bordeaux, where we suggest a couple of extra nights to explore the city. We can offer a variety of post tour programmes, such as a hotel barge cruise.
THE SOUTHERN EXPERIENCE 29 SEPTEMBER - 8 OCTOBER
€3000 pp share twin for a party of 4-6
Featuring the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Albi, the Millau Viaduct, Nimes, St Remy, atmospheric Provencal villages, markets, vineyards, and the delightful seaside town of Cassis.
Provence is magical in October - with balmy temperatures, that special southern light, and sea still warm enough to swim in.
Our accommodation is selected for comfort and charm - an 18th century country manor, a restored medieval castle, a rambling Provencal hotel with shady terraces and a modern hotel with a pool and views over the Mediterranean.
Tour ends in Aix-en-Provence, which has good TGV connections with Paris, but why not stay on for a few days, or join up with a hotel barge cruise.....
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Notes from my Food Diary
Rossignol, 15 rue Fenelon, Sarlat la Caneda
Sarlat la Caneda, or just Sarlat (the ‘t’ is silent) is a charming and popular medieval town in the Dordogne. Rossignol is a restaurant with a traditional feel and a traditional menu and, in a tourist town, a resolutely untouristy style. This may account for the rather polarised views and reviews it gets - fans say it’s the best in town, detractors say the service and decor are a little stiff & cool. But practically everyone loves the food and agrees that it’s great value - so do we.
There are three dinner menus, from 22€ for three courses to 32€ for five. We know our limitations, particularly towards the end of a trip, so settled for three. I began with a foie gras salad, not my usual choice, but a staple food in the South West. Thin slices of foie sat on an attractive salad of green and red leaves, including a bitter, crunchy radicchio, finished with a sweetish dressing. Both were good foils to the rich foie gras. Robert’s charcuterie lovers’ platter was just that, with rillettes, a rabbit terrine, & some air-cured ham, all locally made and exceptionally good. A small salad and some delicious rustic bread completed the plate.
After a foie gras starter, something a little leaner seemed wise, and cod with sorrel sauce was just right, with a garnish of green beans, silverbeet in tomato puree, potato and courgette. I must have stopped concentrating at this point, because I have no note of Robert’s main course - he might have had the cod too...
I know he ordered the profiteroles, balls of choux pastry filled with icecream and covered in chocolate sauce, an old French classic. I chose the prune parfait on a red berry coulis. Both puddings were delicious - simple but well made and beautifully presented.
The emphasis here is on regional food made with high quality ingredients. We were very happy with the service too and warmly recommend Rossignol. We'll be back!
New Paris restaurants on Robert’s wish list
The 2011 hotel and restaurant guides, Gault-Millau and Michelin, arrived this week and Robert’s been on a vicarious gastrotour. He’s already made some additions to his dining list - here’s a selection from the 7th arrondissement, near the Hotel d’Orsay, where we start our escorted tours each year.
THOUMIEUX - 79 rue St Dominique. A famous old bistro (we ate there in the 80s) that’s been taken over and modernised by a couple of fashionable restaurateurs. Gault-Millau love it, and it’s open 7 days a week, a rare thing in Paris. 40-50€ a la carte
RUE DE VERNEUIL - 33 rue de Verneuil. Another reincarnation, the former Caffe Minotti has become a bistro featuring the food and wine of the Loire Valley, or as the guidebook puts it “ Capri, c’est fini et bonjour la Loire”. Menus 30-39€, closed Sundays. www.rueduverneuil.com
LE CINQ MARS, 51 rue de Verneuil . Updated, relaxed bistro with a modern take on old favourites like egg mayonnaise and pot-au-feu and good choice of wines, many by the glass. Menus 17-22 (lunch), closed Sundays - www.lecinqmars.com
LES OMBRES, Musee du Quai Branly, 27 quai Branly. On the top floor of Paris’s newest museum, is Les Ombres, a spectacular glassed-in restaurant with 360º views over the river, the Palais de Chaillot, the Eiffel Tower etc. Les Ombres serves classy, modern food. Menus 26 &38 (lunch) 65€ (dinner). It’s also a tea salon in the afternoons.
Last restaurant reviewed - La Maison du Jardin, 27 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 6
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HAUSSMANN’S PARIS
The rebuilding of Christchurch has become a common topic of conversation round here and probably all over the country. That reminded us of the great modernisation of Paris in the mid-1800s, commissioned by Napoleon III and led by Georges Haussmann. Haussmann wasn’t an architect or an engineer, he was a civil servant, a prefect (a sort of regional manager) of the departement of the Seine.
The massive renewal project he oversaw gave Paris the style and features that still define it today; wide boulevards and avenues, parks, squares and fine public buildings, notably the Opera House and the great railway stations, which were powerful symbols of modernity. It’s hard to imagine now, but in 1850 the city was still a medieval maze of grubby, overcrowded alleys and slums, and outbreaks of cholera and other epidemics were common. Greatly improved water and sewerage systems were part of the renewal programme. (There’s a sewer museum on the Quai d’Orsay, near Pont de l’Alma.)
The straightening and widening of roads and development of the now famous boulevards meant that buildngs could be taller; most were five storeys high and there were regulations about the look of the facades, which still gives the streets a unity of style, even after more than a century of additional newer building. As well as creating a handsome new city, there was another reason for wide, long, straight streets - the Revolution and later riots had been difficult, if not impossible, to police in the alleys of the old city. The new layout would allow troops to move easily through the town and disperse unruly crowds. Haussmann also increased the city’s arrondissements, or districts, from twelve to twenty, shifting boundaries and drawing outer suburbs into the new plan.
Haussmann was the son of a Protestant merchant from Alsace. He studied law and music before becoming a civil servant and taking on this massive and complex task. He had his detractors, during and after the project - there was resentment at property expropriations for a start, and objections to reforming the streets to aid state control of the population. And of course it cost a packet. But next time you’re strolling down Boulevard Haussmann, or standing in Place de l’Opera admiring Garnier’s glorious Opera House, take a moment to remember the man behind the makeover.
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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK - ALBI
Albi is an historic town north-east of Toulouse, sitting above the Tarn river, on an easily defended site. That, and the proximity of the river, meant that it was settled early, some time during the Bronze Age (3000-600BC) and it has been occupied ever since. Today has a population of about 50,000.
It’s a charming town, with many of its buildings made of the small red bricks which are typical of the area. It hasn’t always been this peaceful, or this pretty. In the 12th century, it was one of the centres of a religious sect called the Cathars. The Pope and the King of France each wanted to be rid of them, even though they co-existed peacefully with local Catholics. The murder of a papal legate in 1208 gave them the excuse they needed to begin a crusade against the Cathars throughout the Languedoc. The Albigensian crusade, as it was called, left the town, like many others in the region, so ruined that it was easily annexed by France.
After the destruction of the Cathars, the bishop built a very grand palace, which now houses the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, containing 1000 works of the artist, who was a native of Albi. After the bishop was comfortably ensconced in his posh new pad, he turned his attention to a new cathedral. Ste Cecile was begun in 1282 and took 100 years to complete. It’s a massive fortress of a building, the largest brick building in the world apparently. The bishop was clearly sending a message to any potential dissenters - don’t mess with us. Don’t be put off by the stern exterior, the inside is gorgeously decorated. After a long and turbulent history, the town is much calmer now and well worth a visit. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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BOATING NEWS & SPECIALS
HOTEL BARGING -
ST LOUIS - 8-16 October is now open for individual cabin bookings at €2950 per person, share twin - cruising in Aquitaine region between Montauban and Agen
EUROPEAN WATERWAYS' Hotel Barge 'La Bella Vita' starts Cruising in Italy from 17 April. Prices for a 6 night, all-inclusive cruise start from €2,490 per person, and from €40,500 for a full boat charter.
The scheduled walking cruises on their La Belle Epoque in Burgundy are now fully booked so they have opened the 9 October departure for another walking cruise. This week has been classed as value season so the all-inclusive price is now €3290 per person, share twin.
We've had a long association with FRENCH COUNTRY WATERWAYS, as we chartered the Esprit for our 1992 escorted tour. For many years they were too expensive for most of our clients, but with the weak American dollar the prices have become less daunting. French Country Waterways have four superbly maintained deluxe barges with large cabins, excellent service and they include a dinner ashore at a MIchelin starred restaurant; Lameloise on their Burgundy Cote d'Or cruise. This year they have returned (after a re-fit) the 8 passenger Princess to their fleet; now cruising in the Upper Loire. They also cruise in Champagne and on the Burgundy Canal and prices start at US$6296 per person, share twin.
RENTAL BOATS -
LE BOAT have confirmed their early booking discounts for 2012. They are taking bookings at 2011 rates until 31st July 2011. Discounts range from 10% to 15%.
For 2011, they have 15% discounts on all their boats for May departures and 10% for June.
They have also opened bookings for rental boats on the Thames during the 2012 London Olympics - 21st July – 12th August 2012. They have two bases on the Thames and are expecting them to be popular with visitors to the Games. No early bookings discount here during this period, but an appealing add-on to a trip to the Olympics.
NICOLS are also accepting bookings for 2012 at this year's rates less 10% early booking discount - valid until 31 August 2011.
Whatever kind of boating holiday you’re looking for - there’s a boat out there for you and we can help you find it!
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CARRY ON CARRY ON
Every time we fly off to France, we’re struck, sometimes literally, by the vast amounts of luggage that some travellers bring on long haul flights as “hand” baggage. Since when was a chunky suitcase hand luggage? Just because it’s got a handle doesn’t mean you should drag it into the cabin and put it in my overhead locker. On our way home last year we watched a couple and their two small children lining up to board with two large bags, a buggy AND a couple of child carseats. Unusually, they were approached by one of the ground staff and the carseats were taken away to be stowed. You don’t often see that - well done Air NZ.
If airlines enforced the rules that they already have, and checked the size of cabin bags in that metal measuring thingy by the check-in desk, I’d say 70% of them wouldn’t pass. The over-sized bags would then be checked in and that would streamline boarding and disembarking no end. There’d be no standing about while someone struggled to cram a vast bag into an overhead locker, or shuffled along the aisle looking for a space to fit the other two. And at the end of the flight, imagine - the doors would open, everyone would pick up their modest bag and just file smoothly out of the plane.........
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THE LAST WORD
Here’s a one off opportunity for you -
It's possible that we may have some free time in France at the end of September, before we head off to Italy on 9 October to research our 2012 tours (more of that later.) That means we could be available to be a private driver and guide for a party of 4-6 friends on a tour through Southern France.
We could take your group on a customised land tour traveling by minibus, or a canal/river tour on a rental boat (3 or 4 cabins, each with ensuite bathroom).
Robert is an experienced boat pilot, having navigated most of the French waterways, and welcomes every opportunity to return to the canals and rivers.
This could also be ideal for cyclists, as we could take care of the boat and housekeeping, while you go off exploring.
Depending on the canal, we could incorporate other interests such as a vineyard visit with a Master of Wine, or a cooking class with a local chef. There are a few in English, but I’m pretty practiced at translating cooking classes in French, so we’d have more choice.
If you have a small group and a wish list, we would love to talk to you, soon!
Barbara & Robert
FEBRUARY 2011
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Notes from my Food Diary
La Maison du Jardin, 27 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 6
This cosy bistro in the Latin Quarter, near the Luxembourg Gardens, has a reputation for simple but beautiful food, and as it was just a short walk from our hotel, it was a logical choice for dinner. It was reassuringly busy on a Monday night, with a mixture of tourists and locals. This is a useful mix for a restaurant because, generally speaking, tourists like an early dinner and locals prefer to come later, which allows for two sittings and can improve the night’s takings significantly.
The dinner menu is short, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal food, simple but beautifully prepared and presented. Three courses menus are 32€, two courses are 26€ and there’s also a short list of daily blackboard specials. We decided our jetlagged digestive systems would prefer two courses. Robert ordered pork cheeks (not a cut we often see here, sadly) with big white Paimpol beans and a scattering of broad beans and small carrots. The meat was so dark that he thought he’d got the beef cheek special by mistake - but no, it was the cheeks of some very big pigs stewed to melting tenderness in a concentrated wine sauce, with the beans in a mini casserole on the side. It was perfect and simple, which doesn’t mean easy.
I had the red mullet, which was gorgeous - fillets with skin on served on a soft cake of vivid ratatouille, surrounded by blobs of tapenade and dried tomato in olive oil; the Mediterranean on a plate. We finished with a very fine vanilla bean icecream - Robert had his with apricots tossed in butter and I had roasted figs (I love autumn in France) and wine sauce with mine. Delicious.
La Maison is a lively neighbourhood bistro, with two waiters managing the whole operation with speedy, but thoughtful and friendly service, in at least three languages. As well as dinner, they serve a two course lunch menu for 26€, including wine. It’s very popular, not surprisingly, and booking is advised for both lunch and dinner.
Lucky locals, to live near this gem of a restaurant AND the Luxembourg Gardens!
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CYCLING UPDATE
Since Christmas, we’ve had a stream of enquiries for our cycling & walking holidays. We have a new brochure and have updated the cycling & walking web page, adding some new routes in Alsace, Burgundy and the Loire.
Our cycling and walking holidays are independent trips, supported by luggage transfers, route maps and information. Accommodation, breakfasts and (usually) dinners are included too. While these are independent, rather than group, trips, we’re always happy to help groups of 6 or more cyclists or walkers choose an itinerary. For a group, some routes can be combined, lengthened, shortened and the accommodation upgraded as required.
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PARIS ACCOMMODATION -
Hotel la Sanguine is our favourite 2 star hotel in Paris - very central next to the Madeleine church, meticulously maintained rooms and bathrooms, exceptionally helpful reception and modest prices - so we are very privileged to have unique special room prices including breakfasts, tax and service. Now they have offered us another exclusive for bookings in August - four nights for the price of three - 462 Euros instead of 694.24 Euros for their best double and twin rooms.
SNIPPETS
RODIN MUSEUM
It’s easy to miss the Rodin museum - it’s on the corner of a small street of government offices, with the Prime Minister’s official residence, Hotel Matignon, just along the road and the golden dome of the nearby Hotel des Invalides chapel, dominating the view. But the museum is worth seeking out for its display of over 6000 sculptures - Rodin’s own work and his fine collection. Then there’s the lovely park, which has some of his best known works on show, including the Thinker,the Burghers of Calais and the Gates of Hell. There are well-placed seats too, so visitors can sit and contemplate these complex and sometimes disturbing works.
Musee Rodin, 79 rue de Varenne, Paris 7. (Closed Mondays)
GARDEN HINT
It’s not all high art on a Taste France tour - we saw these little tile boxes on a visit to Chateau de Momas, near Pau in the old province of Béarn. The owner explained that she buried the tiles to plant her saffron bulbs in, one bulb to each box. The tiles retain heat overnight and her saffron does very well, she said.
I planted some saffron bulbs one year, they disappeared without trace, but this might work.....isn’t gardening the triumph of hope over experience, like golf?
FLORAL PUPPY
Remember floral clocks? I used to love them as a kid, but they pale into insignificance once you’ve seen the Guggenheim Puppy. He stands at the entrance to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and he’s floral, he’s a garden. A big garden at that, standing over 12 metres tall and apparently modelled on a West Highland Terrier, though some people insist that he’s actually a cat - well, it is the Guggenheim. The steel frame, concealing an internal irrigation system, is covered in plants, so his coat changes with the seasons. I suspect he may be the most visited exhibit in the whole collection.
HENRI IV?
Late last year an embalmed head was identified as that of Henri IV, one of France’s most popular kings. All sorts of hi-tech forensics went into the positive identification, plus radiocarbon dating and comparisions with contemporary portraits and his death mask. Henri was a contemporary of Elizabeth I of England, and was King of France from 1589 till his assassination in 1610. The head has been in private collections in various parts of Europe since the Revolution, when the Basilica of St Denis was ransacked. It will be reinterred in the Basilica with a Funeral Mass later this year.
ROBERT IN THE ER, SPOTLIGHT
Speaking of hi-tech forensics, Robert was one of the lucky random subjects chosen from a security check line at Heathrow and put in one of those infamous bodyscanners. He seemed to come out the same as he went in, just more irritable, though Heathrow will do that to you, with or without compulsory virtual nudity.
NOVEMBER 2010
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Bonjour Francophiles
Back home, rewinding the protesting bodyclocks and trying to make some impression on the wall of work that has gone up while we’ve been away on our Taste France Basque Experience tours.
Our companions were as charmed by the Basque and Béarn regions as we are - one of the many delights of France is that retains so much regional flavour. Official boundaries may have moved over the centuries, but the old provinces still have their distinctive building styles and materials. In the Basque country, houses are whitewashed, have an oxblood or blue trim, at least one balcony, and a simple roof of terracotta tiles. A short easterly drive to Béarn and suddenly the walls are small brick or pebbles set in mortar, the roofs are darker and steeper, with generous attics. The food changes too, as does the language. The Pyrenees though, are consistently magnificent from the Atlantic to the Med.
BARBARA
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Notes from my Food Diary
La Poule au Pot, Goujounac, Lot Valley
Tuesday lunchtime in a restaurant up a side road on the edge of a small south-western town. It could be empty and sad in these recessive times, but it’s busy - mostly locals at a guess, plus an English couple, some heating engineers from nearby Cahors, and us. The big attraction? A relaxed, friendly atmosphere and good food at reasonable prices, including a 14€, 4 course menu with wine, which most people were having. 14€ gets you the soup of the day, dish of the day and cheeses of the day, plus a choice of pudds AND a large carafe of the local red.
How do they do it? There’s a carefully thought-out labour-saving service plan for a start -we sat down to a short stack of plates topped by a soup bowl, and all the cutlery we would need - a soup spoon, knife and fork and dessert spoon. Each course is brought to the table in a large bowl and diners serve themselves. As we finished, the used bowl or plate was cleared and we were ready for the next course.
The soup of the day was bean and vegetable, topped with slices of excellent country bread. Delicious, but we were pacing ourselves. It was followed by the plat de jour - a veal and mushroom stew, with rice, until the rice ran out, then it came with pommes sarlardaises - thin slices of potato cooked in goose or duck fat to a chippie-like crispness. Sometimes they have bits of truffle added, but not at this price, still delicious though. The stew was seriously good, with tender meat and lots of tasty fungus in rich sauce. We kept our knives and forks for the cheese course - surely there’d be just a tiny sliver - no, a round of fresh white local goat cheese, plus three generous wedges - a sheep, a white-crusted camembert style, a chewy comté and more of the great local bread. We hardly did it justice.
Puddings came already plated, or glassed - there was a choice of chocolate mousse, Ile flottante, rum baba, apple or plum tart - a good old-fashioned line up - Robert had the apple tart, as usual. I ordered the floating island, thinking it was probably the lightest choice. It’s a sweetly simple dish - just poach spoonfuls of meringue mixture in simmering milk, then make a custard with the milk and the egg yolks. Let everything cool, then float a meringue island on a custard sea and finish with threads of caramel and/or toasted nuts.
Whether you were a table of one or a table of six - you got a litre of wine, but most people seemed to have just a glass or two, a couple of tables didn’t touch it at all. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen in a Kiwi restaurant if every table got a litre of wine with lunch.
We loved the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly efficient service. There’s no hint of meanness, just good cheap French food, well made and confidently presented. We were shown to a table for three, but the chair in the sun was already occupied by a ginger cat. He slept on undisturbed right through lunch. I was very glad that no-one attempted to shift him, and I like to think that if we’d been a party of three, we would have been shown to a different table.
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BOATING - TWO HOTEL BARGES
Here are a couple of attractive, well-run boats, each with its own definite style.
ST LOUIS - “Casual luxury” is how the owner-operators Alasdair and Barbara
describe a holiday on the St Louis. She is a beautiful old Dutch cargo barge,
now transformed into a very comfortable six-passenger cruising hotel in South-West France, along the tranquil Canal de Garonne, which runs between Bordeaux and Toulouse. They do a spot of river cruising as well, for variety.
Though they occasionally accept bookings for individual cabins, St Louis is a charter barge, with rates for four or six passengers on six night cruises. This is an all-inclusive cruise, from a hotel, railway station or airport pick up, usually in Toulouse, to your return to Toulouse or Bordeaux at the end of the week, there are no extras.
They’re serious about food and on the St Louis guests are treated to delicious meals using the best local ingredients and introduced to the distinctive wines of the region as well as the local spirit, Armagnac, a cousin of Cognac.
In addition to the pleasure of watching the countryside drift past from the sundeck, there’s a variety of memorable excursions ashore and bikes for private adventures,
plus for charter bookings the itinerary can be customised to suit the interests of
the group.
JOHANNA - is also a converted Dutch barge, taking up to six passengers in two
double/twin ensuite cabins and one 2 bunk cabin with adjacent bathroom.
There’s a well equipped kitchen where passengers make their own meals - the
Johanna is a self-catering boat, somewhere between a rental boat and and a luxury barge, with the best of both. You have a space of a barge and a knowledgeable
crew to drive her, with the independence of a rental boat.
The Johanna has three itineraries on both river and canal in Belgium and Northern France; Namur to Sedan, Sedan to Toul, Toul to Strasbourg, through the Ardennes, Lorraine and Alsace. These are beautiful boating areas with a good mix of rural and urban
scenery and moorings. Their season starts at the end of May and finishes in
mid-October. Whatever kind of barging holiday you’re looking for - there’s a boat out there for you and we can help you find it!
NEW RENTAL BOAT DEPOT AT PRECENICCO - UPDATE
More information from le Boat about their newest depot -
“NEW FOR 2011: You can now explore the northern Venetian lagoon towards Trieste and discover the real Italy from our new base at Precenicco. With chic seaside resorts and sandy beaches, beautiful fishing harbours, excellent restaurants, friendly Osteria (café-bars) and beautiful un-crowded waterways and seaside canals, we’re sure this will be a hit with anyone who is looking for something different in 2011.”
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THE LAST WORD
Fruit find of the 2010 tour - Mara des Bois - South-West France is strawberry country and the markets were full of them, so we bought a punnet of Mara des Bois. They were gorgeous - a medium sized strawberry with the perfume and flavour of the tiny alpine ones. I assumed they were a heritage variety, but no, they were developed in 1991 by a French hybridiser, Marionnet. As far as I know they are not available in New Zealand, but are well worth seeking out in France.
Uplifting message of the 2010 tour - Outside Chateau de Beynac, a medieval castle in the Dordogne and a popular attraction.
“It is dangerous to leave your dog in the car in hot weather. They are welcome in the chateau, so please bring them in with you.” That’s the spirit!
AUGUST 2010
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
Notes from my Food Diary
Auberge de la Riviere, Velluire
Velluire is a riverside village at the sleepy southern edge of the Vendee département, just north of La Rochelle. Its only hotel, Auberge de la Riviere is set seductively on the riverbank, which is perfect for a post-lunch walk. But first, lunch, Sunday lunch, in the posh-rustic dining room overlooking the water.
We began with an amuse bouche of roasted prawn with parsnip puree - a beautifully cooked little morsel and a novel combination. The French custom of sending out a complimentary pre-nosh nibble is not just a charming surprise, it’s a good predictor of the cooking to come. Our starter of langoustine & prawn on a salad of Mediterranean vegetables - tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers was the essence of summer on a balmy autumn afternoon.
The main course of roast monkfish came with a rich meaty jus, an almost liquid potato puree and a long crisp sesame feather - an elegant signature decoration that we noticed on many dishes at other tables. Roast fish with gravy and mash sounds pretty trad, but this one arrived in a big glass, with the sesame feather balanced on the top and we had to plate it up ourselves before we could eat it. We were puzzled by the presentation, but very happy with the cooking.
The cheese course came on a traditional tray, phew. A good and varied selection, but not so many that choosing became impossible. We had a Boulette d’Avenses for the first time - it’s a white cow cheese flavoured with fresh herbs and rolled in paprika, and worth seeking out, as is the garlic-spiked, slightly smoky Gaperon, from the Auvergne. I’ll always have a sheep cheese if there’s one going and there was. There are dozens made in France, the most highly regarded come from the Pyrenees, but others are made in Provence, the Rhone-Alpes and Aquitaine. I didn’t catch the origin of this one, but it had the typical pale colour, fine texture and subtle salty taste. Lovely.
Our menu offered a choice of two puddings, so that’s what we had - one was a restaurant favourite, a baked chocolate pudding with a liquid centre, served with rum and raisin icecream. “Best pudding so far” said Robert.
Mine was a strawberry milkshake, with strawberries and redcurrants and a parcel of hot stone fruit on the side. Mad packaging, but with good flavours underneath the gimmicks. Then a dear little pistachio creme brulee appeared - “pour finir”.
Service was friendly and smooth, from two young men under the watchful eye of the elegant and charming patronne.
The Vendee has had a turbulent history - the 100 Years’ War in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the shorter, but still nasty, Wars of Religion in the sixteenth century, and a revolt against the Revolutionary government in the 1790s, which didn’t go well either. But sitting on the sunny veranda of the charming Auberge de la Riviere, or strolling beside the Vendee river, it’s impossible to imagine that it hasn’t always been this peaceful and calm.
AUBERGE DE LA RIVIERE,VELLUIRE, VENDEE
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BOATING
CHARTER? CABIN? QUE?
If you charter a hotel barge for a week, it’s your cruise, if you book a cabin, you join the other passengers who’ve also booked a cabin. Some smaller 6 or 8 passenger hotel barges only take charters, usually with a minimum of 4 passengers.
So, let’s say you’re a group of six vegetarian, pinot noir-loving golfers and you book a charter (somewhere in Burgundy, I suggest), your week can be tailored to your requirements and interests - lots of salads and tomato tarts, playing on local golf courses, and visits to vineyards. Some things won’t change, like the cruise route and direction, but the crew will arrange the details to suit your party.
Larger boats, taking up to 20 passengers, are available for charters too, but they need to be booked fairly well out, in order to get a week that is still completely free.
If you book a cabin for a cruise, there is still more flexibility than on, say a coach tour, that’s one of the pleasures of hotel barging. There’ll be a programme of activities for the week, the boat’s guide will take you out on visits to chateaux, vineyards, craftspeople, etc, but if you’d prefer to go for a bike ride or a walk along the tow path, or just lounge on the deck with a good book or a sketchpad, feel free.
Either way, a hotel barge cruise is a wonderful holiday.
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SNAPSHOT
Riquewihr - A beautiful base in Alsace
The border region of Alsace is a uniquely delightful destination and Riquewihr is one of its most beautiful villages. It has many attractions that make it a great base for exploring. Its setting is perfect; a walled town with cobbled streets and half-timbered houses covered with baskets of geraniums and surrounded by row upon row of grapevines. But it’s not a theme park, it’s a working wine town. Alsace produces distinctive and seriously good wines - especially Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but also Pinot Gris and Muscat. Riquewihr has notable wine houses like Dopff & Irion, who are open for cellar tours and tastings and whose wines are available in NZ too. Riquewihr is also blessed with some notable restaurants. We especially like Le Sarment d’Or for its beautiful old furniture, friendly welcome, impeccable service, delicious traditional cooking and great value.
Then there’s Chef Jean-Luc Brendel’s stunning Table du Gourmet with a Michelin star and his informal, tres cool, bistro d’Brendelstub. He combines the traditional and modern with great panache in both establishments,on the walls and on the plates. Equally stylish is his Le B. Espace Suites - four suites with all mod cons in an old vigneron’s house, near the Brendelstub.
We also like the hotel L’Oriel, in the centre of town, but down a quiet side street (the main drag can get a bit hectic at times.) With 20-odd pretty rooms arranged around an internal courtyard where breakfast is served on warm days, and helpful staff to smooth your stay, it’s relaxed and restful.
JUNE 2010
eB o n V o y a g e
your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
‘Allo Francophiles
In spite of events that seem specially designed to keep us at home - like turbulent volcanoes and currencies and BP’s exciting new project to replace the waters of the Gulf of Mexico with crude oil - I’m glad to report that enquiries and bookings for this year and next keep coming in.
Buoyed up by this, we’re launching our 2011 escorted tours in this issue. There’s also a review of a charming riverside restaurant in Brittany, plus the latest boating news,new boats and current specials. BARBARA
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Notes from my Food Diary
Auberge de Réan, Pont Réan, Brittany.
Though we’re not averse to posh dinners in fancy city restaurants, our favourite meal in France is the country Sunday lunch. No-one goes out for a sandwich and a muffin at Sunday lunchtime - it’s traditionally a big nosh with family and or friends. The Auberge de Rean, an old Breton inn beside an 18th century stone bridge over the Vilaine River, had just the right warm rustic feel about it, especially when we were shown to a table
on the sunny riverside terrace.
The Auberge had two 3 course menus, at 28 and 35 euros. We went for 35€ menu in
order to have the starter of poached scallops on witloof, with a balsamic reduction. It was delicious, a clever mix of sweet, bitter & sharp flavours and well presented too.
I stayed with fish, for a main course of brill with langoustine in a red pepper sauce with small white turnips, diced zucchini and sundried tomatoes - another lively group of flavours and set off beautifully by a Jacky Blot Vouvray.
Meanwhile Robert was happily tucking into a generous plate of osso bucco and big ravioli filled with a mild white cheese - two Italian favourites on one plate but, like the other dishes, it worked.
The dessert menu promised an Opera - a classic French cake/dessert of layers of almond biscuit joined with chocolate and coffee ganache and a chocolate glaze. Fabulous, but alas, sold out. The replacement was a praline tart, which was more than adequate consolation for the absent Opera - with a crisp biscuit crust, a layer of chocolate praline, then a praline mousse and a jelly glaze, finished with a raspberry coulis.
There was nothing wrong with the 28 euro menu either. It offered a starter of marinated raw mullet starter and red pepper mayonnaise, followed by pan-fried skate wing with an assortment of shellfish, tiny mushrooms and a cream sauce. Pudding was a pear crumble (or crermble as it’s called there).
Traditional restaurants like the Auberge de Rean still serve little nibbles, mignardises, with coffee - nobody needs them, but they usually get eaten because they’re so enticing. Here they included tiny lemon tarts, chocolates and nougat.
An excellent Sunday lunch at a well run, beautifully sited inn.
Pont Rean is a small town between Messac and Rennes on the Vilaine river. At Rennes, the Vilaine joins Canal d’Ille et Rance, which goes to the Port of Dinan, where it joins the Rance river, which flows into the English Channel.
We highly recommend a rental boat cruise from Dinan to Messac, or vice versa, with stops at the Auberge and several other waterside restaurants en route.
AUBERGE DE REAN, ROUTE DE REDON, PORT REAN, BRITTANY
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BOATING NEWS
HOTEL BARGES
Introducing the MIRABELLE
Here’s something for the Bordeaux fans out there - you know who you are.
La Mirabelle one of just a few hotel barges cruising in Bordeaux. She’s a big boat, taking 24 passengers in 12 twin cabins and would be a lovely way to tour this historic wine region. This cruise offers you the unique opportunity of 6 ports of call in 5 prestigious Bordeaux wine areas plus the city of Bordeaux itself. Savour some of the world’s finest wines whilst visiting the cellars of France's most renowned chateaux.
Prices are - 2440€ per person high season (25 April-25 September)
2215€ per person low season (7 March - 24 April & 26 September - 6 November).
It's also available for charter, so why not bring your whole wine club!
More on LA BELLA VITA, as promised in the last issue -
Once a sand dredge, now a stylish 20-passenger vessel, and ready to start cruising on the Venetian Lagoon, the Po Delta and the Po River from 5 September this year, until the end of October.
Amanda from European Waterways says -
“She has two upper-deck suites and eight cabin staterooms, all ensuite, and a bright
and spacious dining room/bar area. Louvered doors open to the side decks to give
a perfect viewing platform, whilst above is a huge sun deck with comfortable
sun loungers. La Bella Vita is the perfect vessel from which to immerse yourself in Italian Renaissance culture as you cruise the Venetian Lagoon and the calm waters of the Po Valley to the elegant city of Mantua.”
Sounds wonderful, especially on a grey, drizzly Dunedin morning! As well as the joys of Italian Renaissance culture, there’s a variety of waterways and landscape covered on the 6-night cruise. The route is from Venice to Mantua (Mantua to Venice on alternate weeks) so you start with an afternoon cruise along the Giudecca Canal, one of the city’s main “streets” and next day enjoy a guided visit to the centre of town - a feast of art, churches, museums, gondolas, gardens - and no cars, hardly any bikes even.
Then it’s out into the Lagoon and off to Pellestrina on the thin strip of land that keeps the Adriatic out, more or less. The lagoon is dotted with islands - resorts, monasteries, a former monastery that’s now a resort, ancient hospitals, cemeteries and the odd private estate. This is about the time you realise that there’s a lot more to Venice than the famous fish-shaped bit in the middle.
Next day, cruise to Chioggia, then into the Po Delta, which is a vast nature reserve - a birdwatcher’s heaven. The boat takes the Bianca Canal to the ancient city of Adria, with a notable archeological museum. Further up there’s a stop at a 17th century wine cellar and a night at Ferrara, a Renaissance treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; one of several on this trip, including Venice, of course, and Mantua. Mantua is a lovely city bordered by water on three sides and with a gobsmackingly magnificent Ducal Palace. The tour ends with the captain’s farewell dinner and a transfer after breakfast next morning to Venice or Verona airports, or a local hotel.
2010 costs for this all inclusive tour -
Stateroom per person - €2490
Suite per person - €2990
Single supplement - €1000
La Bella Vita is also available for charter from €40,500 for 12 passengers.
Remember Bella Vita’s little sister, La Dolce Vita? She’s now only available for charters - and takes up to 6 passengers on an appealing itinerary that runs between Venice and Padua, home of the world’s oldest botanical garden. Highlights include said garden, a cruise along the villa-lined Brenta river and a visit to the grandest of them, Villa Pisani, with a pretty grand garden too. In Venice there’s a tour of St Marks and the Doge’s Palace and a private visit to the monastery on the island of San Francisco del Deserto.
Charter rates start at €9400 low season and €10,100 high season for two people (the Honeymoon Charter) to €12,200 low, €13,400 high, for six passengers.
Both these trips are at the top of my bucket list. If you’ve been to Venice before, they’ll give you a whole new view of it and open up the glories of surrounding area too. If this is your first Venice visit, I can’t think of a better introduction.
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SNAPSHOT
Two bases in the Dordogne - Les Eyzies-de-Tayac & St Emilion
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is a charming little town nestled below limestone cliffs and surrounded by limestone cliffs that were inhabited by out Paleolithic ancestors. It is known as the European Capital of Prehistory and has the National Museum of Prehistory. It also has a couple of grand hotels, but we favour the modest Moulin de la Beune for its spacious rooms, antique furniture, peaceful garden beside the river and its excellent restaurant with a view of the old mill’s water wheel. Room rates range from 63€ to 79€, plus breakfast at 7€ per person.
St Emilion is famous for wine, but it’s also a delightful village with old walls, monuments, a maze of narrow streets and a unique underground church.
For many years we’ve used the Auberge de la Commanderie - a welcoming 2 star hotel in the middle of the village, with parking. Rooms are compact with modern furnishings and good bathrooms. They’re good value at 76€ to 110€ per room, plus breakfast at 10€ per person.
For bigger rooms, a garden and a pool we favour the Logis des Remparts - also in the centre, with parking. 140€ to 185€ per room, plus breakfast at 14€ per person.
SNIPPETS
The most expensive farm in France - the Champs Elysées
But only for a weekend, last weekend in fact, to draw attention to the International Day of Biodiversity, May 22. The street, from the Rond Point up to the Arc de Triomphe, was covered with grass, trees, vegetables and flowers, not to mention sheep and cattle. The installation was the creation of street artist Gad Weil, assisted by 1500 volunteers. His idea is to encourage reflection on humanity’s relationship with nature and the place of nature in cities. More than two million people were expected to visit the display over two days.
San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurant List
Sacré Bleu! In the recently released San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the first French one is at #11! It’s Chateaubriand - a simple bistro in the 11th arrondisement of Paris, with a Basque chef, Inaki Aizpitarte, whose food is described by the judges as classy and inventive. The more famous Pierre Gagnaire, Paris 8, is at #13, and the tiny, tres chic l’Astrance, Paris 16 is at #16.
Top three? First - Copenhagen restaurant Noma, 2nd - the mega trendy El Bulli in Spain, (chef Ferran Adria is Chef of the Decade), 3rd - Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck in Berkshire. Humph.
APRIL 2010
eB o n V o y a g e
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Notes from my Food Diary
Regional dinners at MAISON LESPOUNE, Castetnau Camblong, near Navarrenx
Maison Lespoune is a handsome old house set in an acre or two of park and garden in the village, well, hamlet really, of Castetnau Camblong, on the Basque-Bearn border. It’s now a very stylish guesthouse, offering bed and breakfast, and dinner by arrangement, plus there’s a comfortable rental cottage sleeping 4-7 people, available by the week.
Owners Yves & Nicole spent many years in Gascony before buying Maison Lespoune, so tonight they’re serving a Gascon dinner, starting with a Kir Gascon; a dash of orange-flavoured Pousse Rapiere in a glass of sparkling white. No bowls of chippies here; we nibbled on baby radishes, some excellent chorizo and little glasses of beetroot puree with cumin.
Dinner begins with a delicious and hefty garbure, a traditional Gascon winter soup, made with vegetables, duck or goose confit and a ham bone. We are then treated to a rich slice of poached foie gras with a spicy fig chutney and a fruity, slightly sweet Jurancon wine. (In France a sweet, or sweetish, wine is often served with foie gras and they do go well together.) After a gentle Basque sheep cheese, Irraty, it’s back to Gascony for a dessert medley - baba au armagnac, prunes in armagnac, prune and armagnac icecream. Wish we had puddings like this at home, says Robert wistfully. So do I.
(Speaking of Gascony and its superb cuisine reminds me of a very good read on the subject; Pierre Koffman’s Memories of Gascony, published 1990. Chef Koffman had the sublime Tante Claire restaurant in London which alas he closed some years ago. His book is a lovely memoir of a country childhood in South West France, interspersed with traditional recipes, arranged by seasons. If you can find a copy, grab it, make his creamy apple tart, then read the rest of the book. When winter arrives, try the baked stuffed cabbage - the best cabbage dish I know.)
Later in the week, we had another dinner with Yves & Nicole, this time with a Basque theme - after cherry tomatoes and more of that terrific chorizo, we had a spicy gazpacho, the spicy raw vegetable soup, followed by local wild salmon on bed of local Espellete peppers and chorizo with a couscous-like mixture of wheat, barley & oats. The mixed grains were a great base for strong flavours of the fish, sausage and peppers. We skipped cheese and tried Le Russe, a speciality from nearby Pau, a deliciously dense almond cake with a layer of almond cream filling. Sadly, Mr Koffman doesn’t have a recipe for it in his book.
A comfortable, stylish house with spacious grounds and hospitable and knowledgeable hosts, make Lespoune a great base for a exploring the spectacular Pyrenees and some flatter, gentler country too. (We’re looking forward to going back to Lespoune with our Basque Experience tours later in the year.)
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BOATING NEWS
THE WHO KNOWS? - is a handsome six passenger barge cruising on the Burgundy Canal, offering passengers lots of flexibility on this lovely waterway. Owners Jason and Dawn take charter bookings for two, four or six people, with a choice of full and half board cruises. Half board cruises include breakfast and one other meal each day, with the remaining meal taken at a restaurant along the route. (Transport to and from restaurants is included.)
This year the Who Knows is starting the cruise at Gissey in the beautiful Ouche valley and winds through forest and farmland to Pont Royal, with visits to the Cote de Nuit vineyards, and to Beaune, the centre of the Cote d’Or. In Beaune there’s a cellar visit and a tour of the Hotel Dieu, founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor - it’s a Flemish Gothic architectural gem, with typical Burgundian polychrome tiled roof.
An added bonus of the route is the Pouilly Tunnel, an impressive piece of engineering, built by British prisoners during the Napoleonic wars. Dawn is an accomplished chef and, as well as knowing his way around the engine room, Jason is a knowledgeable wine enthusiast who loves to introduce his guests to the local product - in the field, the cellar and the glass. Dijon pick-up and return.
Contact us for more information and availability.
THE SAVOIR VIVRE
The launch of a brand new purpose-built hotel barge is exciting news - the Savoir Vivre (not to be confused with the Savoir Faire, below) is bringing some new ideas to luxury boating in Burgundy. No chef, no kitchen, for a start. Instead, owner James Waggott tells us that lunches come via a "traiteur", a private chef who prepares the meals on shore and delivers them to the ship (thus removing a space wasting galley). and guests are taken to local restaurants every evening. “These are specially selected to be the authentic, charming gems which you'd be lucky to stumble across unless you were in the know” he says. They range from modest country places to posh chateaux hotels.
Back aboard, there are sundecks fore & aft, a generous saloon/dining area, up-to-the minute en suite bathrooms, sporty-looking bikes for exploring, computer for guest use and an open bar.
The Savoir Vivre is an 8 passenger charter barge, also with a Dijon pick up and return.
Contact us for more information and availability.
SNAPSHOT
Two bases in Brittany - Trinité-sur-Mer & Dinan
Trinité sur Mer is a small port town on the southern coast of Brittany, between Carnac and Vannes and a convenient base for exploring the Gulf de Morbihan. Fishing boats and some very flash ocean racing yachts are moored in the harbour and nearby oyster farms contribute to the great seafood offered in the friendly waterfront restaurants. A couple of years ago we stayed at a simple b & b on the edge of town, Residence Mer. It’s in a stunningly beautiful location right on the water, surrounded by oyster boats. The owners are warm and knowledgeable and it’s very good value at 80 euros for a 2-roomed apartment, with kitchenette, plus breakfasts are included.
At the other end of the scale is Les Chambres Marines; a top end 3 star, small, modern hotel right in town. Six chic rooms overlook the sea from an elevated site and it is next door to the excellent L'Azimut restaurant. Shoulder season prices range between 95 and 125 euros per room, plus breakfast at 12 euros per person.
Dinan is Brittany’s finest medieval walled town, sitting splendidly above the River Rance, about 20kms from the English Channel, south of Dinard and St Malo. There’s a busy port full of pleasure-boats down below the walls, and the old town is full of handsome half-timbered houses, ancient churches, an impressive clock tower, and a keep, inside the considerable remains of the ramparts. We use a modest but attractive 2 star hotel on the edge of town, Hotel de la Porte St Malo, with easy parking and very obliging owners, with rooms at about 60 euros, breakfast 7 euros, or the grander 3 star Hotel d’Avaugour on the central market square, with a lovely back garden and rooms between 95 and 125 euros, breakfast 12 euros.
(Here’s a review of the Dinan restaurant 3 Lunes, from April 2009.)
LES 3 LUNES - DINAN
Les 3 Lunes is a resolutely modern restaurant in the old walled, stone and slate town of Dinan. It’s dark grey and cream with red highlights - there’s striking etched glass, trios of red poppies in grey boxes on a shelf, groovy lighting - tres designer - but there’s nothing minimalist about the welcome, which is reassuringly warm and friendly. And the restaurant is very popular with locals, always a good sign.
Most people seemed to be choosing the Menu Festin, a well designed set of dishes starting with an appetiser of small savoury tastes of the moment, then one, two, or, good god, three further plates, then pudding. The menu was between 26 and 49 euro, depending on the number of plates ordered.
The appetisers were beautifully presented - three shot glasses on a perspex stand contained the promised tastes of the moment. The first one was a luscious foie gras mousse, the second was a layer of crab meat on a parsnip cream, and the third had fish rillettes on a sweet carrot cream. All delicious.
Next, a choice of six or seven dishes for the main course/s - scallops served three ways was popular at tables near us, as was the foie gras slice, especially with diners having a couple of plates. We knew from experience that one would be plenty for us, so we went for heartier choices - Robert chose veal with an impressive selection of mushrooms and some fat roasted garlic cloves. The veal was a hefty chop pan fried then cut into thick slices of perfect pinkness.
I choose the John Dory (St Pierre in France). It came on a base of buttery mash with flecks of seaweed with a thick round of local smoked tripe sausage on a smaller mound of the same mash. Fish with tripe sausage? Oh yes. Brilliant pairing. A delicate Alsace pinot noir was good with both dishes.
Robert finished with a gorgeous creamy acacia honey mousse with rhubarb icecream and rhubarb foam and I had a dish of roast pears filled with rice pudding, with a red fruit sauce, also lovely.
Les 3 Lunes is a seriously good restaurant - the ingredients are first-class, the cooking is superb, with quirky combinations that really work and the service is excellent. If you can’t get a table for dinner, you can always console yourself with a little something in their salon de thé.
Barbara & Robert
FEBRUARY 2010
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your travel newsletter from Bespoke France, the French travel specialists
BESPOKE FRANCE 20TH ANNIVERSARY ESCORTED TOURS 2010:
Three unique small group tours through the Pyrenees, travelling by train, minibus and deluxe hotel barge.
TOUR 1 - BASQUE EXPERIENCE -1 15 September to 2 October 2010 FULLY BOOKED
Featuring five nights in the delightful fishing village and resort of St Jean de Luz; the Little Train to the summit of la Rhune, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, villages, gardens and grottos, fine wine and food, a hot air balloon flight, medieval Carcassonne and a six night barge cruise on the Canal du Midi.
TOUR 2- BASQUE EXPERIENCE 2- 28 September to 15 October 2010 FULLY BOOKED
TOUR 3 - GOURMETS & GASTRONOMES 11 - 23 October -
4900 Euros pp.
We love the itinerary of the Gourmets & Gastronomes tour, so we are
still offering it - 5 nights at Domaine Gayda, near Limoux,1 night in Montpellier,
6 nights cruising in the Carmargue.
A rare opportunity to stay on a working wine estate during the annual
grape harvest, sample its produce and enjoy a one day “Wine Experience”
with the estate’s resident Master of Wine, covering viticulture, winemaking,
blending and tasting.
We’ll also visit a local market, have a cooking class,do some wine and food matching, and finish with a slap-up dinner. In between, there’ll be time to laze around the pool and fire up the barbecue.
Robert and I will take you to see other features of the Languedoc region, like the historic Cathar castles of Queribus & Peyrepetuse.