Joined Angela and Dennis yesterday to check out the recently reopened restaurant down by the 'river beach' in La Roche-Posay - now called 'L'effet Mère'.
It has a modern interior and a wrap-round external terrace,part of which offers shade,with lovely outlook.
So, on Thursday we did our 'wine run' visiting three of our favourite sources the 'Cave Cooperative de Blere''Plou et Fils' at Chargé (near Amboise) and Cave des Producteurs de Montlouis-Sur-Loire (now rebranded as 'Maison Laudacius'). Here in Centre-Val de Loire we are very much spoiled for choice for buying wine with friends each having their favourites. We have taken up recommendations which nearly always prove to be good and also occasionally go off-piste and visit random 'caves' in the hope of finding something different.
It had been our intention to have lunch at one of favourite restaurants when on the 'wine run', ‘Le Pied dans le plat' as we have never been disappointed there and we knew it would be nice and cool inside!
We actually were sat at the table but when given the menu we decided against dining there. The starter choices were Octopus and mussels, smoked salmon and spinach or chaudin, none of which appealed plus the mains were also not to our taste,shame really as were looking forward to it. It won't put us of the place but it meant we had to find an alternative.
We decided against stopping at nearby Chaumont-sur-Loire and instead ended up in Onzain and had lunch at 'La Charbonette' which proved to be a good choice.
Led our walking group up into the countryside behind Barrou on Friday for our 'short walk' -5km - and followed it up with some of the group with a good lunch at the restaurant.
Lunch on Saturday at the 'Hotel de la Trielle' in Chinon provided us with a new experience - our starter was 'glace au chèvre de maison',iced goat's cheese on a warm tomato tartlet. I was,I have to admit, a little dubious about it but it turned out to be a rather pleasant surprise especially from someone who is (was) not a fan of goat's cheese other than when it is cooked. After telling the proprietor how tasty it was she replied "mais bien sûr, il a été fait avec amour".
Had our first lunch at the restaurant since last October yesterday, under 'normal' (what's that?) circumstances, might have been joined by a few of these peeps!
We spent yesterday in Barrou where Eileen treated us to a very good lunch at the restaurant ( Les Tilleuls ) - great choices and great value - 3 courses + wine €13.00 if you haven't tried it recently then you should.
Then it was back to the Old Walnut Mill to prepare the courtyard for the evening's apero guests. The evening's guests meant Eileen had an opportunity to practice her Italian as it was a night of three languages around the table,French,Italian and (a form of) English.
We were sad when the restaurant 'Le Gerbe d'Or' closed in Loches as it was very popular with guests at the Old Walnut Mill who almost all stopped in for lunch when visiting on market day.
The good news is it is reopening as the 'Arbore & Sens' in July, we look forward to trying it out.
We are happy to report 'Les Tilleuls' bar/ restaurant in Barrou has reopened after some very hard work by the new proprietors Pascal & Catherine - and what a difference they have made!
When Pauline and I went on our company outing in December to Tours we were impressed by the Christmas decorations around the city. We ate in 'LaRuche' in Rue Colbert where again the shops and restaurants had been brightened up for the festive season but our vote for the best dressed facade went to Le Laurenty Restaurant.
When we visited Fontevraud l'Abbaye with our recent guests we chose the restaurant 'Le Comptoir des Vins' for its convenience, it sits opposite the abbey and for its menu as we were only looking for a light lunch as we had a dinner party arranged for the evening where the ladies would be joined by our neighbour David.
The food was fine but what I liked was the music theme it had adopted...a little twee but fun. The proprietor let me choose one of his many LP's to accompany our lunch...we dined to 'Abbey Road'. A nice idea but I wonder how the rest of our diners felt of the choice or indeed how I'd feel if I entered to the sounds of someone else's personal choice.
After visiting the chateau at Azay-le-Rideau yesterday to check out the Christmas decorations we decided to have Sunday lunch at one of the local restaurants that were still open this late in the season. Both restaurants above were offering lunch menus at 14.50 euros but we chose the one on the left as we preferred the choice. When we entered it was empty (not a good sign-though it was early) and took our seats in front of a 'faux' fire. A french couple arrived soon after then two girls and a dog! Our waitress decided that as it was a little chilly (and it was) that she should put on the small heater at the door. We were well into our entree when I noticed smoke belching out of the kitchen door. The French couple had opted for pizza and as the owner rushed in and turned of the electricity he explained that the oven was on fire! Everyone remained relatively calm even though the smoke was intensifying. I had to chuckle as the cook appeared coughing and spluttering out of the smoke delighted to tell us that the pizzas were ok and duly presented them to the couple. After some discussion we were advised that we should decant to the other restaurant as they had called the pompiers.
So we gathered our demi carafe of rose and our glasses, the French couple took their pizzas and the girls took their dog, over to the restaurant across the road. We were followed by our waitress who suddenly became part of their staff - can only assume that they are owned by the same people. We had to reorder from their menu which wasn't so bad and contented ourselves in the fact that it was actually a nicer place...and warmer!
Due to the reduced lack of choice, the restaurant soon filled up and we all sat watching as not one but three fire-engines and a control van arrived on the scene. It was a little disconcerting for many of the diners who were not aware of the circumstances with one chap asking if it was us who were on fire! He and others were reassured that the squad of firemen had everything under control...it could only happen to us!
With guests arriving at our vacation rentals in Le Grand Pressigny today and Barrou tomorrow we had been keeping our eye on the weather forecast for the weekend with 'Meteo' giving a rather gloomy picture...but as with Friday, when they were predicting thunderstorms, they seem to have gotten it wrong! Based on their forecast we had decided not to venture too far on Friday but chose to have lunch in nearby Lesigny with friends instead. As you can see from the above pic it was a lovely day. Lunch in restaurant 'L'ere du temps' (rabbit) was of a good quality and value.
In recommending things to do for our guests at our rental houses I was suggesting a visit to the 'International garden Feastival' at Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire with a spot of wine-tasting and lunch 'en route' when I realised it was a post I hadn't done of our visit in June with friends Mike and Liz. It has the makings of a good day out...head up towards Amboise,
skirt round it (save Amboise for another day) on the D31 then on to the D751. Continue on this road until you
see the sign ‘Cave degustation visite’ turn right after sign into 'Plou et Fils' for a bit of wine tasting (consider it an apero before lunch).
Try their sparkling rose as well as others..
You can ‘hike’ up to the higher ground to have a close-up view of their vines.
After you visit continue along D751 until you see the red restaurant banners of ‘Le Pied dans le plat', parking is on your left.
It is a troglodyte restaurant with good food, ambiance and service.
After lunch continue on the D751 for another 10 minutes or so on to Chaumont-sur-Loire. As you enter you can stop and take in the views of the mighty river Loire before heading up to the chateau.
You can park (free) down by the river and then make your way up the long climb uphill, which can be a pleasure if you are fit, or you can continue driving uphill past the entrance, in the direction of Montrichard, then take the first right, through the crossroads towards the school and you'll find the rear car park at the entrance to the 'Garden Festival'. You can visit the garden festival on its own for 12.50€ or buy a combined ticket for chateau and gardens for 17.00€ depending on how much time you have.Here is my record of this year's festival in pictures. Stroll through the park towards the chateau - look out for the 'art' within the grounds- and onto its drawbridge before entering the inner courtyard.
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