Monthly Archive: Dec, 2014

2015
31 Dec

New Year’s Eve: what’s next?

My year of daily blogging has come to an end. I started 2014 wishing I were in France and I am finishing it on French soil. I have picked up a…
Wed, 31 Dec 2014 at 07:18 6 Comments
Le Marché restaurant, Cahors
30 Dec

Déjà vu: but always new

Trying to recreate the past is often a recipe for disaster. There was a danger that this holiday in France might be like trying to relive the great time we…
Tue, 30 Dec 2014 at 07:15
Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure
29 Dec

Round the bend: Le Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure

Whether your glass is half-empty or half-full – either literally or figuratively – might dictate whether you think Le Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure has chosen the right location for its…
Mon, 29 Dec 2014 at 07:24 1 Comment
Josephine Baker
28 Dec

Josephine Baker: Les Milandes

In the 1920s, Josephine Baker took France to her bosom and its countrymen reciprocated. In particular, she fell in love with the Dordogne and made it her home. Today that…
Sun, 28 Dec 2014 at 07:15 2 Comments
Le Mariottat, Agen
27 Dec

Dining etiquette: he who eats last

If you want to know about dining etiquette, book a table in a high-class restaurant. That’s where you get a chance to watch moneyed society and silver service in action.…
Sat, 27 Dec 2014 at 07:35 3 Comments
Patisserie Made Simple by Edd Kimber
26 Dec

Giving: and receiving

At Christmas time in particular, giving is considered nobler than receiving – but is it alright to do both? I hope so. It’s not like I’ve been to the shops…
Fri, 26 Dec 2014 at 07:12
Castillonnès à Noël
25 Dec

Mistletoe and vin: Christmas Day

So here it is: merry Christmas! Everybody’s having fun… Forgive the Slade quote. I’ve been listening to Christmas favourites this week – all sung in French, bien sûr, courtesy of…
Thu, 25 Dec 2014 at 07:16 2 Comments
Desserts
24 Dec

More, more, more: 13 desserts

I’m not greedy, but I can’t help thinking I should be in Provence today. With my sweet tooth, I would be far better catered for there than here in Aquitaine.…
Wed, 24 Dec 2014 at 07:23
Castillonnès gold
23 Dec

Where there’s muck: there’s gold

Sad to say, but bad news sells. Newspapers reply on murder, theft, deceit and hatred to keep readers’ attention. So it’s refreshing to hear a good news story – especially…
Tue, 23 Dec 2014 at 07:16
Le Grand Maroux, Castillonnès, Lot-et-Garonne
22 Dec

Feasting: not fasting

The 5:2 diet is out of the window for the next couple of weeks. Just as well – we have felt truly welcomed back during our first two days in…
Mon, 22 Dec 2014 at 08:40
Lot-et-Garonne
21 Dec

Hidden beauty: Lot-et-Garonne

If you polled Britons about the different parts of France they had heard of, they would cite Normandy, Brittany and Dordogne – but Lot-et-Garonne? No chance. That’s their loss. This…
Sun, 21 Dec 2014 at 07:20
Manoir de Vilaines, Varennes
20 Dec

Gîtes de France: Manoir de Vilaines

If you relied just on newspapers for your information, you’d think AirBnB was the only place to book accommodation these days. Call me old fashioned, but I went with Gîtes…
Sat, 20 Dec 2014 at 07:12 1 Comment
Underground parking, France
19 Dec

Underground: but far from down

When I tell friends that I am spending Christmas in the south of France, I suspect it conjures up images of yachts, black-tie dinners and five-star hotels. So the reality…
Fri, 19 Dec 2014 at 07:00 3 Comments
Juliette Binoche, Chocolat
18 Dec

Chocolat: truly heart-warming

As the weather turns colder, what could be more satisfying than a generous helping of chocolat? It is just what I need to warm me through and convince me that…
Thu, 18 Dec 2014 at 07:11 3 Comments
Faisan archiduc, by Michel Roux Jr, from his The French Kitchen cookbook
17 Dec

Pheasant: fit for an archduke

I’m on the countdown to Christmas. Tomorrow is my last day at work for nearly three weeks. Just one more sleep and I’ll be off to France. We have booked…
Wed, 17 Dec 2014 at 07:10 2 Comments
Detail of a pigeonnier, Lot-et-Garonne, France, by Jenny Webb
16 Dec

Pigeonniers: a bird’s-eye view

If you thought pigeons were the preserve of tourists in Trafalgar Square or flat-capped bird fanciers, think again. In the south west of France, having your own coop – or…
Tue, 16 Dec 2014 at 07:03
Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine, Bordeaux
15 Dec

Unlucky for some: 13 regions

Getting to know the geography of France has been an achievement for me this year – I now know what’s where. However, the French parliament has recently approved a new…
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 at 07:14
Le Bistro du Coin, Bergerac
14 Dec

Tried and tested: Bergerac’s Bistro du Coin

Call me a creature of habit if you like, but I already know one of the restaurants I’ll be eating at in Bergerac later this week. Worse, I know now…
Sun, 14 Dec 2014 at 07:27
En Vrac bar, Paris
13 Dec

Fill ‘em up: en vrac

Everyone likes a deal, especially at this time of year. When it comes to wine, you don’t have to risk life and limb in a Tesco-style stampede to pick up…
Sat, 13 Dec 2014 at 07:33 3 Comments
i360, Brighton
12 Dec

Brighton’s i360: I can see for miles

Waking up of a morning and looking out onto French soil has come a step closer – without my having to move house, let alone country. I’ll soon be able to…
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 at 07:16