All week we've been talking of a big splurge meal before Bubbe went home. We tried for a fancy dinner, but couldn't get the kids to wait until 7. Today we decided to try a place our gite owner recommended, Le Salamander. He promised a wonderful multiple course lunch lasting two hours and for ten euros (about 12 dollars), including wine. We somehow made it out of the house by noon and went straight to lunch where we were lucky to get a table. Everyone was laughing and yelling over tables at each other. It reminded us of a French King's Diner. The family team ran this way and that cheerfully refilling wine glasses and ladling soup from a large tureen. The menu was very small- you could order omelets, salads, or get the 4 course lunch of the day. Lunch of the day it was, of course.
Our first course, 'potage,' was a simple tomato soup with large tapioca balls that exploded in our mouths. Simple, wholesome and lovely. The second course, 'crudite' was half of an avocado with a simple sauce, a slice of tomato, half an egg, some endive and a roll of ham. The third course was steak with large, well-cooked french fries. Next came a choice of desserts from which we ordered a fig tart, a banana tart with chocolate sauce, a creme brulee, and fruit salad. Lastly, of course, was coffee. As we rolled out the door we all wondered how 2 hour lunch breaks (omnipresent in France, even for schools!!!) work for the French. We all felt like taking naps. But it definitely did make us eat a smaller (and later) dinner.
Our first course, 'potage,' was a simple tomato soup with large tapioca balls that exploded in our mouths. Simple, wholesome and lovely. The second course, 'crudite' was half of an avocado with a simple sauce, a slice of tomato, half an egg, some endive and a roll of ham. The third course was steak with large, well-cooked french fries. Next came a choice of desserts from which we ordered a fig tart, a banana tart with chocolate sauce, a creme brulee, and fruit salad. Lastly, of course, was coffee. As we rolled out the door we all wondered how 2 hour lunch breaks (omnipresent in France, even for schools!!!) work for the French. We all felt like taking naps. But it definitely did make us eat a smaller (and later) dinner.
Forgot to get a good shot of dessert- it was too yummy!
Mandatory early morning run through the misty yard to the trampoline.
La Roque-Gageac
After lunch we took a drive down the Dordogne river to see what we could see, finally ending up in La Roque-Gageac for our 4 o'clock boat trip appointment. Poor La Roque-Gageac... it was named "prettiest village in France" by someone official a few years ago and now it victim to overly high expectations, and besieged by German (and Alaskan, apparently) tourists. Honestly, it IS lovely. It is a little hamlet of Renaissance-era houses spread out in a narrow band along the road, which is set right against the Dordogne river. Two tiny streets take a visitor up the hill, upon which a dozen or so little (and a few very big) houses are somehow set into the hillside. The walkways are lined with lemon, pomegranate, fig, coconut, etc trees and is lovely. On the boat ride we learned a few interesting tidbits about the area.... The roof tiles are made with flat chunks of slate taken from the river banks. All shops and homes on the ground floor are vacated in the winter due to flooding and all shops (except the boulangerie) close in the winter. There are 1001 chateaus in this region of France. We could spend years in France and still not see it all.
La Roque-Gageac
After lunch we took a drive down the Dordogne river to see what we could see, finally ending up in La Roque-Gageac for our 4 o'clock boat trip appointment. Poor La Roque-Gageac... it was named "prettiest village in France" by someone official a few years ago and now it victim to overly high expectations, and besieged by German (and Alaskan, apparently) tourists. Honestly, it IS lovely. It is a little hamlet of Renaissance-era houses spread out in a narrow band along the road, which is set right against the Dordogne river. Two tiny streets take a visitor up the hill, upon which a dozen or so little (and a few very big) houses are somehow set into the hillside. The walkways are lined with lemon, pomegranate, fig, coconut, etc trees and is lovely. On the boat ride we learned a few interesting tidbits about the area.... The roof tiles are made with flat chunks of slate taken from the river banks. All shops and homes on the ground floor are vacated in the winter due to flooding and all shops (except the boulangerie) close in the winter. There are 1001 chateaus in this region of France. We could spend years in France and still not see it all.
La Roque-Gageac
A common site in the Dordogne- building houses straight into the hillsides!
Rocks used for house roofs.
One of the lovely station of the cross carvings from the church in La Roque.
Our car game- finding Monkey Puzzle trees. Whoever shouts it out first gets a point... We are up to 6 for this week. Good fun!
Which chateau is this? Can't possible remember- one of the 1001.
Late-night foot rubs for spending money!
Afternoon walk-chestnut tree carnage.
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