good cateress newsletter may 08

good cateress newsletter, may 08

We were on our way to France, our first real family holiday together in years. There were many reasons for not having a holiday, they were, in no particular order for my parents, work, work and work.

In many ways it was similar to returning to England from Germany, it involved a midnight ferry ride. It was mum and dads preference, midnight ferry, 3 - 4 hours sleep in a cabin, up at first light, back to driving. So we took a ferry, to catch a ferry, Southampton to Le Havre. It was harder coming back as we sailed around the Isle of Wight! This time the ferry was full of men in fast cars, pretty women on their arms on their way to the Le Mans 24 hours car race.

We Navigated our way out of Le Havre at first light, while small bands of men on their way to demonstrate about something, headed to the docks. Our first destination was Honfleur, the picturesque harbour town on the Normandy coast. Dad had sailed over a couple of times and knew a bar on the harbor to get our first coffee and croissant. It was a perfect way to start our adventure.

Back on the road we started to head South, our final destination the Canal du Midi outside Bezier. We would meander our way down, driving on small roads, staying for a few days in the Dordogne. We would pick our hotel from the Logis de France.

At 11.30 trucks and cars alike sped up, heading to their lunch for noon. We pulled over on a beautiful sunny hillside, cracking open our baguette, Normandy cheeses, pate and fruit, Perrier and Volvic. I had been reading Colette and Francois Sagan; this certainly felt like the France I had read about.

Our first night we stayed in a small town outside Le Mans, Chateau du Loir. Memorable only for the dog that barked all night and the fact that Mandy, it later transpired, had lived here for a year. On to Chinon, mum had read about Eleanor of Aquitaine and wanted to see her home.

We drove as far as Chalus the next day. Simon and I had decided that we would camp some of the nights we were away. The campsite was next to the town’s athletic fields where a crowd people were blowing up an hot air balloon. We watched fascinated but it never got off the ground. Returning to our tent after a delicious dinner; I remember that mum had Rillettes and then some delicious Langoustines, but have no recollection what I ate. Simon quickly fell asleep, I lay awake for a while, then suddenly I heard strange breathing on the other side of the tent. I imagined some huge animal. I woke Simon, and promptly fell to sleep, while he remained awake the rest of the night. In the morning we discovered a cat sleeping beside the tent.

We were in the Dordogne, and it was beautiful. The fields had wild Narcissus growing in the grasses. Mum wanted to see the Grottes de Lascaux in Montignac, so that was our first stop. When we arrived, we discovered it was closed, while they reconstructed a facsimile, to protect the Caves from the damage caused by visitor breath and body heat.

Driving around we followed the Vezere river for a while, and then we would go and see a Troglodyte village. There had been a series of 18 villages along the river, with a warning system for invaders. The rock paths were well worn from constant use. The weather was changing and it began to get very drizzly and cold. I knew I did not want to live in a cave along a river, however pretty.

Leaving the Vezere we headed towards Les Eyzies, the Prehistory town! Looking at our Logis we decided we would try a small village Tamnies en Perigord. We drove up a steep hill to reach the hotel and village.

We stayed at the Hotel Laborderie, run by the Laborderie family. Coming downstairs for dinner, Dad was already down in the bar, drinking a Kir, chatting to Monsieur. It seemed that Dad had mentioned to monsieur that I wanted to come and work in France; It had been arranged that if I wanted to come back they would employ me for the summer! This was something I had been talking of doing but hadn’t actually thought I would. I spoke no French and had decided that the only way to learn would be to live there. I remember being surprised that this had all been arranged so quickly!

Dinner was divine. Home made Pate; a pink fleshed trout sautéed in garlic; Roast Pintade (guinea fowl). I was hooked, I would come back and work for the summer! We stayed 2 more days, each day the food was better than the previous. I met the rest of the family; Gerard the son and manager; Jacqueline, eldest daughter who had worked in England. Malou, the youngest daughter was away. We all agreed I would return in the middle of June.

We left Tamnies, still heading South. It rained and it rained as we drove through the Massiv Central. It was cold. We all started to feel very despondent in the car, no longer telling jokes, just staring miserably out of the windows at the all encompassing gray. Even our hotel that night felt gray, it was still raining when we got up. As we drove further south it slowly cleared up.

Driving into Bezier the sun came out and we found our way to Port Cassequies to pick up our canal boat. As we got out of the car we removed our sweaters! Our mood was lifted further after a fabulous sole meuniere for lunch.

After loading the boat, hiring two bikes that we could ride between locks and get some exercise, we set off. Knowing that we wanted to get out of Bezier as soon as possible. In the morning we would be the first boat in the huge eight lock system that would take us up to the Aqueduct that we would cross to leave the city behind.

The view from the aqueduct was amazing. Soon we were motoring along the quiet canal lined with trees; vineyards stretching in every direction, interspersed by small walled villages. Each lock had a lock keepers house. With delight we discovered the lock keepers would sell the produce from their gardens: asparagus, peas, beans and lettuce. If we had empty bottles they would fill them with their own wine. One lock keeper had ducks, chicken and geese that we could buy. We had chicken one way and duck on the way back.

At night we moored just outside a village, so dad could get up in the morning and walk to the Boulangerie buy croissants and baguettes for the day. We took turns riding the bikes between locks, and in the evenings Simon and I would explore the neighborhood. It was very hot but we were never tempted to want to swim in the canal, the water was filled with all sorts of horrifying things! We watched Kingfishers, Hoopoes, Ibis and Heron. After dinner we would play cards, Dad always won!

W e could see the large walled town Carcassone, from miles away, as we slowly motored towards it. It was quite a shock to enter into the bustling, noisy ancient city. It was mum’s birthday, so Simon and I went into town to buy a cake. We all agreed the noise and people were too much, so we were up early and returned to the peace of the canal the next day.

Our trip on the canal was soon over. It remains one of my favourite holidays. Driving back North, the sun stayed with us.

Come June I would be back in France. A new adventure was about to begin.

Bon Chance