3 - Paris-Frontenac

Saturday 24 September / Sunny and warm
Our train meets oncoming train (video)

(Remember the menu to the left has albums of photos)

Today was moving day.  After a nice breakfast, took a cab to the train station where we boarded a high speed train (TGV) to Bordeaux.  Train was clean, comfortable, fast and a bit hot (as if maybe the air conditioning was not set low enough).  We were picked up at the airport by Sian Gourmet Touring who drove us to our car in a town a bit outside Bordeaux where her husband and partner John Mears was waiting.  After a quick introduction to the car and navigation system, we were off.  Meanwhile, out luggage was taken by Gourmet Touring to our bed and breakfast in Le Cros (remember it would not fit in the boot of a 2 seat roadster (Fiat Barchetta pronounced bar-ket-ah).  Car's name was bella.

We went for a short drive through the back roads to get a feel for the countryside and then headed to our inn to say hello.  And it was easy to find using the nav.  Select your destination from a menu, and just watch the nav and/or listen to the thing tell you when and where to go and turn.  It was owned by Lucie and Charles Skipwith.  This was a wonderful B&B and Lucie was great - and a great great cook.  We recommend if you are ever in the area, stay here (www.saint-emilion-bedandbreakfast.com). 

After saying hello and seeing our room, freshening up a bit, off we went exploring.

We returned later for drinks and dinner and met two other couples staying there.  Peter and Suzie from Australia, and Alan and Pam from Scotland.  They were great.  The meal - fantastic.  If I recall... zucchini cream soup, bread, trout prawn mousse, duck with figs, vegetables and potatoes, a cheese course (something new to us), more bread, salad, wine - did I say wine - from here on in just assume there is always great wine in one hand, fork in the other.  Wild peach grilled with pears and ice cream.  Coffee.  Wow.  This was my 3rd duck (maigret de canard) in as many days and the best by far to date.

Off to bed...