Friday, Fish 'n' Chips and Friends

#montclera#lerestaurant#fridayfish'n'chips#degagnac#beaucaillou#frenchconnection#lavender

Friday 26th August 2016

This morning we bid farewell/ safe travels to our friend, Laury as she returned to her home in Cadrieu for a couple days before her journey back to New Orleans via Paris. 

Luckily Monsieur Honey was awake early this morning and gave Miss Laury and her backpack full of a case of Clos La Coutale wine a lift to the train station to catch her early bus back home to the Chatette.

A bientôt Miss Laury ... Until the next time! 

And it is our last full day in Cahors. Wow, where did that week go ... time sure does fly! 

We were meeting up with our "French Connection" friends for lunch in the small village of Montclera.

Montclera is a small commune in the Township of Cazals. 

We were familiar with this village from our time when we stayed in Dégagnac for three months in 2013. 

It is located on a road that we travelled many times to visit friends and Cahors. 

Our GPS affectionately called "Molly" has been a bit temperamental on occasion during this adventure and Friday morning was no exception. 

Monsieur Honey input the village name and away we went ... Molly had us travelling every back road there was to get us here today.

We didn't have far to go from our apartment in Cahors to the village/ our meeting point. 

My maps app suggested 37 kms/ 45 minutes ... I think we drove for over an hour! 

Simple enough. Not that far you say and we always leave early enough to avoid being fashionably late.

We drove in circles and finally stopped at a boulangerie in a nearby village to get directions. 

En fin! 

We arrived to our French Connection friends patiently waiting for us at "Le Restaurant"!  

Some hugs and kisses and we were seated with views of the Mairie and if you bent your head you could see the Chateau. 

How fitting that on today's menu for "Friday" it was "Fish 'n' Chips"! 

But first a delicious vegetable/ beetroot salad.

  

Not your typical "Fish 'n' chips" ... light, crispy and homemade tartar sauce and a version of British mushy peas and bonus for me a good slice of fresh lemon. Delicious. 

For dessert your choice ...

We spent an enjoyable couple hours over a leisurely lunch catching up with our friends C & B.

 As we were so close to Dégagnac we decided to take a quick drive into the village and drop in on Clare at Le Beaucaillou.

We had a lovely visit. 

 Beaucaillou is currently for sale ... a lovely cottage in the village. 

Here's Monsieur Honey getting ready to plant the lavender in April 2013 ... actually I don't see him in this picture but he did do the planting! 

Present day lavender in the lower garden / pétanque court ...

Remember this ... Our first alfresco lunch at Beaucaillou 2013! 

Thank you to our friends, you are all part of our travel memories! 

www.restaurantmontclera.com 

Meandering along the Lot

#lecaillau#beaucaillou#belaye#lotriver#closlacoutale#viresurlot

Thursday 25th August 2016

Today started with meeting our friend, Laury at the train station who arrived on the bus from Cadrieu. We had a full day planned in the Lot Valley.

First stop ... lunch in the vineyards at Le Caillau, Vire sur Lot where we would be also meeting another mutual friend, Clare (we rented Clare's cottage "Beaucaillou" for three months in 2013).

If you've followed our travels over the years you know that this place is a favourite of ours and we try to get here a minimum of once each year. 

Unfortunately last year (2015) it didn't happen, so this visit was even more special to me. 

We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon of catching up over some delicious food and drink. The weather was perfect and we were seated in the open barn courtyard. 

                         

                                  

    

As always we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, good company, good food and wonderful ambiance.

The property is undergoing some expansion and renovation with a new dining room scheduled to be opened later this fall. Chas and Caroline continue to run a successful operation.

Thank you for another wonderful experience! 

From here we visited a local vineyard in order to purchase a new cork screw (an easy one for arthritic hands) ... and of course a little "degustation"! 

A delicious Cahors wine ... Laury purchased a box of six and carried them home in her backpack on the bus! Strong woman! 

                            

    

A couple more quick stops ... now the heat was wearing on us all! 

A photo opportunity in Puy l'évêque ...

Then it was off to Belaye for a panoramic view over the Lot River and valley. 

A visit of the church that has a long history.

             

Back to Cahors for a quiet night of visiting with Laury to celebrate her Birthday! 

More Market Madness ... Using Your Five Senses!

#lotvalley#wednesdaymarket#restaurantlaplancha#brebischeese

#cathedral#cahors#fivessenses

Wednesday 24th August 2016 

Back in Cahors ... for our day of wandering at the Market, lunch at La Plancha and a stroll in the late afternoon. 

Some people may think / say if you've been to one market you've been to them all ... However, they are not all the same.  For myself and Monsieur Honey, it's a chance to experience the French culture to its fullest and we always come away with a "funny" story to share at our "own expense". 

The "Market" in Cahors is held in the square /area outside the Cathedral and is a kaleidoscope of colour from the vendor's umbrellas to the variety of colours found in their wares and the fresh produce.

 

To experience the markets to the fullest you must use all five of your senses ... hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste.  

Listen to the sounds, see the people, the wonderful colours, feel the fabrics, the ripeness of the melons, take in the rich aromas of the fruits, lavender oils, soaps and of course you must have ...

"un petit goût " ... a little taste!

                             

                      

    

There was a time many years ago that you could buy a property in France with your credit card, not so much any more. 

And now you almost need to have your credit card to make some of your special "market" purchases. 

We were walking thru the market aisle / stalls just taking in all that was on offer ... when the "cheese seller" held his hand out and said "Un petit goût?" ... "a little taste ?"

Who can resist the taste of some artisanal cheese?

I should have been tipped off when I saw the debt/credit card machine ....

After a few tastes of different varieties, Monsieur Honey and I agreed on one we both liked ... "Brebis"! we requested ... "une fine tranche s'il vous plaît" ( a thin slice, please ) ... 

15 € later and we were off to our next stop!  

Another little taste of melon and our backpack was heavier with two tasty cantaloupes.

It was a successful morning at the market.

The church bells rang twelve times ... it's lunch time!  We had made a reservation earlier in the morning at a restaurant our French Connection friends had mentioned to us.

So off we went to "Restaurant La Plancha" situated on an old, quiet side street.

The restaurant is owned /operated by a young couple, front of the house Mrs. is French and her husband the chef is from Chile. They met abroad in New Zealand and lived their for a couple of years before returning to France.

                      

  

After this delicious lunch, it was time for a bit of a siesta ... temperatures have been in the high 30s since we arrived.  We went out later in the early evening for a stroll. 

A seventeenth century door ...

                             

Beautiful carousel in Place Gambetta ...

                            

   

Evening light ...

  

Hope you enjoyed the day out in Cahors ...