The Basque mediaeval walled city of Hondarribia (Fontarabie in French and Fuentarribia in Spanish) which has been guarding Spain since the time of Charles V in the 16th century, is built on a little promontory facing Hendaye over the Txingudi bay. There is nothing in particular to visit but even on a rainy day, it’s interesting to wander through the narrow streets laid out on a grid plan with their wrought iron balconies. Afterwards, you can walk along the seafront into the old fisherman’s quarter on the west shore of the mouth of Bisasoa River, which has a much better selection of eating places.
The walled city of HondarribiaSanta Maria entranceMain street of HondarribiaGuipuscoa SquareOur Lady of the Asumption
Guipuscoa Square
Archway leading to Guipuscoa Square
View of the bay from the walled city14th to 15th century palace which is now a hotelTerrace café seen through a wrough-iron gate
Seafront with old town in the distance
Taberna Atetxea in the fishermen’s quartier where we had an enjoyable lunch on the top floor and ate gulas
This morning when we got up, Jean Michel called me from the bathroom whose first floor window overlooks the little wood behind our house which is part of our property. “Un chevreuil à côté du neflier”. Mr and Mrs Previous Owner told us we could see deer in the wood at dawn and dusk but this was 8.30 and unexpected. By the time I got to the window, it had disappeared behind the nearby apple tree.
Cherry blossoms in our little wood
I dashed off to get the binoculars and was rewarded by seeing quite a large animal sprint past the medlar tree and out of sight. By the time we tried to pick our medlars last year, there were none left on the tree, but I certainly don’t mind. I’d much rather the deer ate them. Maybe next time I’ll be quick enough to get a photo.
Daisies in our wood
We love our little wood. Last time we were here, it was covered in daffodils. Now there our flowering apple, cherry, quince and lilac trees and decorative broom.
Touraine orchids
On the ground are wild Touraine orchids (two colours), bluebells, tiny white daisies, buttercups, dandelions and periwinkles. Mr Previous Owner had told us about the orchids but we didn’t see them last year probably because we didn’t know what they looked like. But thanks to Susan from Days on the Claise, this year, I’ve observed three species.
Wisteria in bloom at Closerie Falaiseau
At the front of the house, the wisteria is in bloom, much more impressive than last year. We’re both relieved and delighted because we were worried that we’d pruned it too late. The drive into Blois along the Loire is sheer delight at the moment with masses of wild lilac and lots of beautiful wisterias which remind me of Venice in the spring time.
Lilac outside the gate
We have an enormous lilac opposite the house on the vacant land leading down to the Loire. We often park the car next to it and the scent is overwhelming. I hope it will still be in bloom next weekend so I can take some back to Paris.
Water on the bike path along the Loire from Blois to Saint Dyé
After spending the day mowing and weeding yesterday, we finally found time to go cycling along the Loire to Saint Dyé late afternoon. Wild broom and apple trees dotted our path. Halfway along, though, our bike path suddenly came to a stop. Jean Michel had been noticing how high the river is this year after all the rain and our path was completely under water so we had to turn back.
Wild broom along the Loire
As it turned out, I think 20 K was probably enough for our first bike excursion since last September. My sore thighs and rear end are appreciating the rest today as we drive from Blois down to Ciboure on the Basque coast, just across the estuary from Saint Jean de Luz.
Air ballon near Vallères
As a fitting end to the day, we went to a restaurant we’d seen in Valaire (15 minutes by car from Blois) when cycling on another occasion and on the way, spotted the first air balloons of the season. L’Herbe Rouge is just the sort of restaurant I like – unpretentious, frequented by the locals with fresh food, a touch of originality and friendly service. The waiter turned out to be English but has been here for many years.
L’Herbe Rouge
I had candied capsicums with fresh Corsican cheese while Jean Michel had avocado and prawns, followed by sirloin steak and French fries for Jean Michel and fennel purée for me as I am need to lose a couple of winter kilos to fit into my summer clothes again! Then we shared a serving of cheese cake for dessert. We chose a local chinon which we bought by the glass, followed by a decaff each. The bill came to 65 euro.
L’Herbe Rouge in Vallères
I’m looking forward to going back there when the weather is warmer to eat on the terrace.
L’Herbe Rouge, restaurant and wine bar, Valaire 41120, 02 54 44 98 14. Open from 12 to 2 pm and 6 to 9.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Sunday night (except July and August) and Monday.
Jean Michel and I have just had lunch at Café Diane in the Tuileries Gardens for the first time this year. It was wonderful sitting under the trees on the edge of the duck pond lined with sweet-smelling pink hyacinths and vibrant red tulips.
View of the Louvre from Café Diane in the Tuileries Gardens
Spring has been a long time coming this year, but I’m sure it makes us appreciate it even more. It was even warm enough at 20°C to take off my sweat shirt. Our Australian friends Redfern and Saint Vincent are visiting Versailles today, experiencing sun and warmth at last.
Chestnut trees with their thick leaves
On Monday, I went powerwalking in the Tuileries around 5 pm. The first thing I noticed were the chestnut trees which are one of the earliest to sprout new leaves, along with the linden trees.
Ice-cream vendor in the Tuileries Gardens
There were enormous beds of multi-coloured tulips and purple hyacinths. The ice-cream vendors had appeared around the fountains, but surprisingly, no sailing boats for the kids.
Bridal party in the Tuileries
I saw several photo shoots of bridal parties all speaking foreign languages. Getting married in Paris in the spring is definitely romantic!
Chess tournament in Carré des Sangliers in the Tuileries Gardens
On Monday, I noticed a sign indicating the Paris-Saint Petersburg 2013 chess championship in the Carré des Sangliers from 21st to 25th April, so after lunch, we wandered down towards the Orangerie to a temporary pavilion to see what it was all about.
Tulips with the Louvre as a backdrop
It’s the same spot where the Ahae photographic exhibition was held last year that I loved so much. We went through a lobby first where we were asked to turn off our phones, then into a second room with two commentators but no players. An usher came over and took us into a small dark corridor where we were given headsets and sent into the next room.
Ahae exhibition last summer in the Carré des Sangliers
About six tables with chess boards were lined up on a podium, five of which had only one player. I don’t know where the others were. Our headsets meant we could hear the commentators next door and a screen above the players showed a projection of each board. It was all very hush-hush.
Linden trees in the Palais Royal gardens
We didn’t stay long, first because we’re not chess players and second because it seemed criminal to be inside when there was so much sun outdoors!
Super-duper grass cutter
As we strolled back up the gardens, we saw a very sophisticated-looking lawn-cutting machine that rolls the grass at the same time. Nothing like the basic electric model I use to mow the grass at Closerie Falaiseau in Blois!
View from Café Diane looking towards the pond
And now Jean Michel is back at work and I’m about to attack my professional tax declaration which means finishing off the accounts first. Not one of my favourite activities at the best of times and definitely not on a perfect spring day. Sigh.
The first time I went to Telescope in rue Villedo near the Palais Royal about a year ago, it felt like an insiders’ club. No one greeted me. The only thing written on the blackboard was café, there was no menu and I had to ask someone if they could remove their books from the only available chair and table. When I asked for a cappuccino, I had the impression I had committed sacrilege.
Telescope 5 rue Villedo
However, after reading an article in Le Monde about the new coffee scene in Paris, I decided to give Telescope another chance. To quote Le Monde*, “Over the last few months, scores of coffee bars have appeared in Paris, to the great satisfaction of students and foreign tourists, delighted to be able to have a decent coffee at last, and not those horrible petits noirs with their bitter smell of soot that leave a taste of cold tobacco in your mouth”. Telescope was on the list.
Inside Télescope
It’s a beautiful sunny day, an unbelievable 24° after a terrible cold rainy spring. I see a couple of people sitting on the ledge outside. When I walk in, I can see some changes. The blackboard has acquired a few more entries, there are lots of cakes and the waitress greets me. I ask if I can have a latte and sit down.
I watch what the barista is doing and he gives me a friendly smile. My latte is ready so I go to the counter to get it. “Bonjour“, I say, “I’m just wondering exactly what the difference is between a latte and a cappuccino”, I continue in French. He starts to answer and I hear his accent so I switch to English. “Oh, Australian”, he says. I laugh. “Kiwi then?” “No, Australian”.
Weighing out the coffee
He explains that lattes differ from one coffee bar to another and that the only thing that really has a definition is cappuccino. I’m relieved. What I encountered in Australia under the name of latte seemed to be what I had been ordering in Italy as a cappuccino. So, it has one shot of coffee and the rest is foamed milk. Lattes usually have more less milk.
Tom, it turns out, comes from Nambour, just north of Brisbane, so he’s a fellow Queenslander, who trained in Dublic as a barista and has been at Telescope for about six months. I start telling him about my espresso machine adventures.
Filtered ice coffee step 1
Three people come in and order a filtered ice coffee and an espresso. I am surprised to see that Tom is weighing everything – the beans, then the ground coffee, and later the espresso itself. He explains it’s an exact science. So what happens if the weight of the final coffee (the “yield”) is wrong? He throws it out and starts again !
Filtered ice coffee step 2
The filtered ice coffee is even more intriguing. The machine consists of a bottom scale and a top drip system whose coffee pot looks like an hourglass-shaped wine carafe. First he puts ice cubes in, checking their weight. Then he puts a filter in the neck of the carafe and adds the weighed ground coffee which is more concentrated than for an espresso.
Filtered ice coffee step 3
The water starts dripping through the filter; the resulting coffee drips into the carafe and onto the ice cubes. Tom puts a weighed amount of ice in the two glasses, tips out any melted water then pours in the coffee, making sure that the ice cubes don’t escape. Ready to go! I’m intrigued. Do French people order that? No, just English speakers!
Pouring the iced coffee into the glasses
I ask whether there are any chances of a barista lesson and I am delighted to hear that several other people have also expressed there interest and that when they have at least five, they’ll run a class on Sunday morning. All I have to do is “like” their facebook page and watch for the announcement.
I walk out entirely satisfied with my visit and eager for my first barista class. Who wants to join me?
*A Paris, la revanche du petit noir by Emmanuel TresmontantLE MONDE,13.04.2013
You may remember my desperate attempts to make cappuccino during the winter. Well, now I know the truth. It’s the espresso machine that makes all the difference.
I now have intimate knowledge of three different machines: the cheap-O model we bought new in a second-hand shop somewhere near Blois, the superduper expensive Pavoni that grinds the coffee as well and a mid-range non-grinding DeLonghi bought for Closerie Falaiseau when the cheap-O one gave up the ghost. From the very first cup, the DeLonghi produced perfect milk foam.
Perfect foam with the Delonghi
Initially, I thought it was because I had acquired the requisite skills but when our first guests arrived at the Closerie and we moved into the kitchen of the little house, I used the cheap-O one that Jean Michel had repaired in the meantime. The first foam was a complete failure. Just sticking the milk jug under the wand no longer worked.
The superduper Pavoni
We got back to Paris and I used the superduper Pavoni again, the results were just as disastrous. It took me a few days to remember the method I had precariously developed previously. But the results are still not as good as they are with the DeLonghi.
Now what is it that makes the DeLonghi so much better than the others?
Stainless steel jug and half-cream milk
For all three, I’m using half-fat milk and I’m putting my little stainless steel jug in the fridge. All three wands are straight although I’ve read that they’re supposed to be at a 45° angle. I still can’t see why tipping the jug to form the same angle with the milk doesn’t achieve the same result, by the way, but maybe someone can supply the reason.
When I first saw the DeLonghi in the shop, I was very dubious. The wand is much shorter than the other two and has a thick almost cone-shaped skirt but the guy selling it at Darty in Blois assured me it would be perfect. He said he’d worked as a garcon de café in Paris in his previous life. Not that that was really a recommendation. We all know how terrible coffee is in most French bars.
One of my early attempts
Anyway, when I tried it out, it was perfect. It’s also very easy to clean – you just unscrew the skirt and rinse it under the tap. With the cheap-O one and the Pavoni, you need a wet cloth to wipe off the milk immediately.
Cheap-O machine
So what do you do if you don’t have a wand with a little cone-shaped skirt? The trick is to keep the tip of the wand just under the level of the milk, so that it’s not making big bubbles. You can see the milk sort of being sucked into the tip of the wand. As the foam develops and the milk takes up more volume, you have to move the jug down so that the tip remains just below the surface.
Once you feel the milk heating up (you need to keep your hand around the jug), you have to turn off the steam quite quickly or you’ll scald the milk which gives it a sickly sweet taste. With the Pavoni, it happens really quickly. I don’t have the same problem with the DeLonghi.
Substitute foam with detergent
Of course, it’s not that easy to practice without using up lots of milk but someone came up with a brilliant substitute. Just one tiny drop of washing up liquid in water will, astonishingly, produce the same results. Well, at least it gives you a better feel of what’s going on without wasting lots of milk.
The real thing – Tom’s latte at Telescope
I haven’t made it to latte art yet. What I really need is a lesson. And I’m not even sure what the difference between cappuccino and latte really is! So I’m off to Téléscope in rue Villedo to find out. I’ll tell you all about it in Part 2 next week.
Our lovely friends from Sydney, Redfern and Saint Vincent are staying with us in Closerie Falaiseau. They’re spending a couple of months visiting different parts of France and improving their French which is wonderful for Jean Michel because it means they can communicate directly.
Troglodyte houses in Rochecorbon when it wasn’t raining
We’ve been wanting to buy some wine in Vouvray and try out a troglodyte restaurant there. After closing for winter, Les Gueules Noires has just reopened so we book a table then phone Monsieur and Madame Freslier whose wine we first discovered over ten years ago through our trusty independant wine growers’ guide Gilbert & Gaillard.
Tonnes in the Freslier limestone cellar
It’s pelting with rain when we arrive at the cellar door. Mr Freslier senior, 88, shuffles out to meet us. He tells us how he and his uncle dug the wine cellars themselves out of the limestone cliffs. Madame Freslier arrives and takes us to visit the oak tonnes as they call the barrels here. We pass stacks of bottles glued together with drippings from the limestone ceiling.
Mr and Mrs Jean Pierre Freslier and Mr Freslier senior
Mr Freslier Junior joins us and we all sit around a long table tasting different types of white wine made from the local chenin grape. The sweetest of the still wines (vins tranquilles) is the vendanges tardives (last harvest), followed by moelleux, then demi-sec and sec. Then there are two sparking wines : pétillant is a natural sparkling wine with less pressure than the mousseux which is made using the méthode champenoise.
Old and new labels
We mainly buy the mousseux because it seems to be the most popular apéritif in the region and at 5.80 euro a bottle, it’s certainly a bargain. I’m disappointed to see the labels have changed. I really like the old ones.
Domaine Freslier – a family affair
During the tasting, we mostly talk about dinosaurs and fossils of which the limestone cliffs have preserved an amazing number (not the dinosaurs of course). We also talked about corks. Most corks these days come from Portugal. Mr Freslier is very reticent about using screw tops on his bottles because he says they don’t breathe which means the wine won’t keep while Madame Freslier says she would miss popping the cork!
Les Gueules Noires
The rain’s still going strong when we leave but Les Gueules Noires is just around the corner. It turns out that Jean Michel and I came here the first time we went to see the Fresliers, but it changed hands two years ago and the cuisine is more inventive.
Fireplace in Les Gueules Noires
The dining room is typical of troglodyte dwellings which, like Monsieur Freslier’s cellars, are made by digging directly into the limestone cliffs. There are only windows on the façade of course. There’s a fireplace but the room is quite chilly, which is not surprising with the awful weather we’ve been having. I don’t imagine they’re the warmest places in winter!
Sardine rillettes in filo pastry
The menu is on a blackboard and the waitress explains the different dishes, which seem to have a both a Belgian and Japanese influence. Among the entrées, we choose sardines rillettes in filo pastry and gravlax salmon with horseradish with some other interesting bits and pieces.
Irish gravlax with beetroot and leek sprouts, horseradish cream and roe
The main dishes include swordfish with mushrooms and maki, waterzooi (a Belgian chicken stew) and cold meat in aspic with French fries (well, probably Belgian).
Sword fish with mushrooms and maki
The desserts we chose are speculoos mousse (speculoos are sort of brown ginger sugar biscuits) and chocolate fondant with banana icecream.
Mixed meat in aspic with Belgian fries
I personally find the entrees the most interesting and the desserts a little heavy. The food is innovative and the ingredients obviously very fresh but the result is a little disappointing. The service is friendly and there is a good selection of local wines (we choose a bourgueil). The prices are reasonable, with the entrees and desserts at less than 10 euros, the main courses less than 15 and the desserts.
Les Gueules Noires, 66 rue de la Vallée Coquette, 37210 Vouvray, 02 47 52 62 18
Domaine Freslier, 92 rue de la Vallée Coquette 37210 Vouvray, 02 47 52 76 61
Wednesday’s bloggers round-up this week features two Australians whom you already know: Phoebe from Lou Messugo, who explains the history and customs of the French version of April Fool’s Day or poisson d’avril, and Jo Karnagan from Frugal First Class Travel, guest posting on My French Life, who explains how to have really good French food in Paris without paying the earth. Enjoy!
A fishy start to April
by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia
Today is the 1st of April and just like in many countries around the world, it’s the day of jokes, hoaxes and pranks. Newspapers and other media publish fake stories but the real speciality in France is the Poisson d’avril. This consists of sticking a paper fish on someone’s back and seeing how long they go without realising it. Once the fish is discovered you shout “Poisson d’avril”! Children adore trying to catch out their teachers if it falls on a school day or their parents when it’s a day at home. My elder son has been sporting a fine specimen for a couple of hours as I write this, stuck on his back by his little brother completely unbeknownst to him. Read more
True French dining experience for a savvy traveller
by Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!
This post was published by My French Life, a global community of French and francophiles connecting like-minded people in English & French
I love eating really good French food. But, like a lot of visitors to Paris, I’m put off by the €200 plus prices of the grand eateries – just not within my budget. Therefore, on a recent trip to Paris, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to savour really good classic French food served in the formal European style at a relatively bargain price. Read more
It hardly seems like a year ago that we got the keys to Closerie Falaiseau, our 400-year-old Renaissance house in Blois in the Loire Valley. We decided to take the weekend off and visit some more châteaux. We thought that if we went to Azay-le-Rideau around noon on Sunday, there wouldn’t be many people. Well, that was a big mistake!
Front entrance to Azay-le-Rideau on Easter Sundy
It turned out there was an Easter egg hunt for the kids. In France, there is no Easter bunny – the church bells bring the eggs. I’m not sure how they are then supposed to get hidden in the château and gardens but the kids were obviously keen. The whole family seemed to be there, including all the grandparents and great aunts, which didn’t make it easy to take photos, to my great regret.
Reconstruction of Renaissance bed at Azay-le-Rideau
I’ll write another post on the château itself but would just like to say that there is the most wonderful exhibition in one of the bedrooms. A Renaissance bed and its covers and trimmings have been reconstructed, based on paintings of the time and using traditional methods. The walls are covered in braided rushes and a video explains how all the different elements were made. Fascinating!
Orangery restaurant at Azay-le-Rideau
We had a little trouble finding somewhere to eat afterwards because everyone else seemed to be on the same timetable as us! We finally found a pizzeria cum brasserie doing a brisk business and had the set menu (entree + main course) at 13 euros. Nothing remarkable but quite edible with an unlimited buffet entree. The Orangerie in the château grounds offers salads and an amazing variety of quiches for 7 or 8 euro but the room is entirely open with no heating and at 4°C, we were not tempted. I’m sure it’s wonderful in summer though.
Brocante at Azay-le-Rideau
I had seen a sign saying brocante but we could see not sign of it. We went to the tourist office and were directed towards the river. It was in a lovely setting and the sun was out. We wandered around looking for a metal bucket for our fireplace ashes. We happened across two old engravings of Blois at 25 euros a piece that Jean Michel got for 40 euros for the two. I then proceeded to drop the bag containing the framed engravings but fortunately it didn’t break!
Sellers at Azay brocante on the 5th Sunday of the month
We found a copper bucket and also some wide lace sold by the metre to use as a table runner. The sellers were very friendly and explained that the brocante is held in Azay on the 5th Sunday of the month, which works out to about 3 times a year. They also go to the one in Blois on the 2nd Sunday of the month that we went to last Easter Sunday. I had actually seen the lace the last time we were here in March.
Suspension bridge over the Loire in Langeais, built in 1849
After debating about whether or not to visit Château de Langeais because of the possible crowds we decided to at least go and take photos of the outside since there was such brilliant sun. After crossing the suspension bridge over the Loire, built in 1849 and rebuilt no less than 4 times, we drove straight to the parking lot we knew from our previous visits and there didn’t seem too many people. When we got to the front of the château, we checked that our favourite tea room/pâtisserie was open and were distracted by loud laughter.
Innocant le Bel at Château de Langeais
In front of the castle keep was a guard in full mediaeval regalia – codpiece and all. I called out and asked him if he was real. After being reassured that he was not a wax model, we mounted the steps and Innocent le Bel explained, in mediaeval French (well, more or less) that there was a special event going on the castle – the wedding of a young lady called Raoulette and a man whom she had never seen, chosen by her upwardly mobile parents for his wealth.
Wedding party at Château de Langeais
Inside, other actors were interacting with the public and we were able to watch the wedding ceremony and reading of the marriage contract. After seeing the portrait of her new husband after the ceremony, Raoulette burst into tears and stormed off. We came across her later on in an upstairs bedroom, where her mother was trying to explain to some young visitors why Rahoulette couldn’t choose her own husband!
La Maison de Rabelais in Langeais
After a stroll around the grounds, we finished off the visit in Langeais at La Maison de Rabelais with some excellent pâtisseries that had far too many calories. Oh well, we don’t go there often …
This week’s blogger round-up features three very different posts. Carolyn Barnabo from My Sydney Paris Life, unable to take the Eurostar back to Great Britain, perfectly echos what a lot of us in Paris feel about yet another fall of snow. Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike brings us one of her usual exhaustive cycling posts, this time on launching of the new EuroVelo website, while Abby from Paris Weekender, oblivious to the snow – but then, she’s in New York at the moment – has updated her very useful Paris restaurant and bar guides which I strongly recommend that you download. Enjoy!
Change of Plans in Snowy Paris
by Carolyn Barnabo from My Sydney Paris Life, writing about global families and change and life in special geographic places that have captured her heart.
March snow in Paris. No Eurostar. No UK friends to greet at Gare du Nord.
What else to do when the weather thwarts our plans than venture outside for a walk in the quartier? We last enjoyed a snowy walk in January, which seemed appropriate then. The 12th of March isn’t that late but still, today’s snow seemed out of place to me, perhaps because Saturday — was it only three days ago? — was so wonderfully warm. Read more
New EuroVelo Website Launched
by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history
Bicycling in Europe just keeps getting better and better! The European Cyclists’ Federation has announced the debut of the new EuroVelo website, a long-awaited resource for the long distance European cycling network.
As promised, the new website will be a great source of information for trip planning on the 14 EuroVelo routes. Each of the EuroVelo routes will have its own page with information ranging from route maps showing the status of stages along the route, lodging and support services and things to see along the way. There will also be links to more detailed information from each country along the route. The website is available in German, French, Dutch and English. Read more
Updated Restaurant Guides
by Abby from Paris Weekender, an American living in Paris who offers suggestions for Paris weekends, either staying put or getting out of town
It’s that time again – time to share my latest Paris food & drink finds. Below are the latest bars and restaurants that I have added to my guides. As always, “**” signifies some of my real favorites. Purchase the updated print-ready PDFs of my bar and restaurant guides, as well as my Mini Guide to Parishere.
French:
L’absinthe (1st) 24, Place Marché St Honoré, Tel. 01 49 26 90 04. Located in the lively Place Marché St Honoré, this restaurant offers friendly service and a mix of traditional and modern cuisine in a traditional setting. Outdoor seating also available. Read more
We seem to be having a run of bad luck and are hoping we’ve come to the end of it!
The first thing we did after we got to Closerie Falaiseau late Wednesday afternoon was to turn up the heating. Then we went to buy an espresso machine to replace the cheap-O one that gave up the ghost last time we were here. You may remember that I have a super-duper Italian one in Paris which grinds the coffee beans and now makes excellent espresso, cappuccino and latte. We had decided on a De Longhi for Blois which uses both ground coffee and pods and is reputed to be sturdy.
The ex-Penalty – Chez Gabriel
Neither of us felt particularly keen on going home to cook and eat in a cold house so we went to Au Coin d’Table. It was closed. Since it’s winter it’s only open from Thursday to Sunday. So we went to Le Penalty instead, which isn’t quite the same. Also it’s changed owners since we were here last and is now called Chez Gabriel. I’m not convinced that the French fries are really home-made as claimed.
The second time we used the espresso machine, the on/off pilot light stopped working. Jean Michel took it back to Darty to have it replaced but they didn’t have any others in stock. We have to go back again later in the week, but we’re using it in the meantime, of course. Either I have become a foamed milk expert or the wand is much better than any others I’ve tried but soon I’ll be doing latte art!
The fire that wouldn’t burn
The most disappointing thing on the bad luck list is the fireplace of course As you know, it smokes. After the first try with green, damp wood, Jean Michel went off next day and bought some dry firewood. This time, he couldn’t even get it to burn! And there was still smoke. We called the roofer.
The roofer came on Saturday afternoon, took one look at the fireplace and said, “Le tablier est trop petit”. According to him, the fireplace is not deep enough for its size and, as a result, will never work properly. He thought maybe we had changed it in some way. He also explained that we have a hill behind us which does not help and that grey days such as we’ve been having recently aren’t conducive to a good fire either. He did agree, though, that opening up the top of the chimney might make a difference. He obviously can’t come this week, but will come in our absence. It turns out it will be a lot cheaper than we thought.
A little fire at last
Next day, the sun came out and the clouds lifted so Jean Michel split the wood into smaller pieces and we eventually had a small fire going without too much smoke. Feeling more optimistic, we went rushing off to Troc de l’Ile to find a sofa. Jean Michel wanted two sofas so we could both lie and read in front of the fire. The first person we saw was Mrs Previous Owner. We found two likely looking candidates that were cheap enough to throw away in a year and a half when we bring our furniture down from Paris. However, they were pretty massive, so Mrs PO very kindly phoned Mr PO to come and help take them up to the living room as I certainly couldn’t. We strapped them into the trailer and set off home.
The first sofa
On the way, Jean Michel suddenly said, “I think they are too big to take through the door.” It was also the first thing Mr PO said when he arrived. We measured all the doors and windows and had to face up to the sad fact that there was no way we’d get them upstairs or even downstairs for that matter. I phoned Troc de l’Ile and told them we were coming. We got there just as they were closing. Everyone was standing around waiting for us! We took our credit note and said we’d be back next day.
Loading up the second sofa
We managed to find a matching leather sofa and armchair and a second armchair with a footstool that Jean Michel is happy with. They were also not as heavy which meant that I could help take them upstairs. But the fireplace still smokes and we’ve given up any further attempts until the roofer has been because the smoke actually made me sick (headache and nausea). We are, however, enjoying our newfound living room and it makes it feel much more like a real home.
Our present fire-less living room
I nearly forgot. We went to dinner at Au Coin d’Table on Saturday night after the wrong sofa episode. I phoned and made a reservation. When we got there, however, there was no trace of it. It turns out there is a restaurant called “Le Coin de Table” in Tours (an hour away) and I made a mistake when I looked up the number in the Yellow Pages. I suspect it isn’t the first time because I remember this happening another time. I phoned the other restaurant to cancel of course. The lady found it most amusing!
Archway leading to Guipuscoa Square
