Normally the weather is warmer than northern Europe and we get sunny days. The area is waking up after it’s winter hibernation and the restaurants and tourist sites are open so that you can enjoy the food and drink that this area is famous for. You can often sit outside at lunchtime and enjoy the warmth on your body whilst eating foie gras and drinking a local wine like Monbazillac.

What is there to do? As I said the tourists attractions shrug off their winter sleep and open to the public. All the chateaux, the prehistoric caves, parks and gardens open so there is plenty to see and enjoy. This is the time for vide greniers and brocantes – car boot sales and flea markets- wander around and try to find a souvenir of France or maybe an antique. Just contact the tourist office in the area you are staying and find out where the nearest one is.

Easter is also a good time for golfers to come here. The courses, which can be soggy in the winter, dry out and you can easily get in 18 holes in a day. Chris has been trying out the local courses – all in the name of market research you understand – and is quite happy to advise you on which courses to try!

Easter is also when the cheap airlines start to increase the number of flights into Bergerac so getting here takes less than 90 minutes from the UK.

If you want to book a weekend break at the auberge just email us on lpar@wanadoo.fr or visit our website www.auberge-razac.com .

Technorati Tags: brocantes, Dordogne, Easter in France, golf in France, monbazillac, vide greniers

Last Saturday night was the local chasse dinner at our new village hall.

What’s a chasse I hear you ask? The chasse is the hunters who go out on Sundays and Wednesday from September to March to hunt. Our local chasse hunt mainly wild boar and deer, Whilst I do not want to join in the chasse, I understand why they do it.

Firstly, hunting of wild animals was the prerogative of the privileged few before the revolution and the ordinary people only gained the right to hunt after 1789. The people who hunt now do so partly to keep this  bond with the revolution. Secondly, the French hunt for the pot – killed animals are eaten. The third reason is that if the population of boar and deer is not kept under control then crops are damaged and people’s livelihood is affected.

Back to the dinner – each year the hunters have a dinner, using some of the meat that comes from the hunt, and we are invited to join them. For a small fee, we had a six course meal with wine and coffee. The two main courses, were a wild boar casserole and roast venison, both cook to perfection. The wine was from the local vineyards – maybe not the best you have ever drunk, but drinkable.

The dinner started at 8pm, well that’s when we arrived although the first course was served at 9pm. Coffee was served after 1am! Last year Chris didn’t get home til after 3am so this year we had an early night.

Village meals are common in this area of France. Our small village has at least 2 per year and all the villages around us seem to have them as well. To save on the work, we all take our own crockery and cutlery which we bring home to wash. What a great idea; nobody stuck out the back washing up so all can join in the fun. In the winter they are held in the village halls or the local school whilst in the summer they are held outside. The main course at the summer meal in our village is chicken casserole with about 4 other courses and like the hunters meal it goes on late into the night. The children tend to stay awake for this meal as at the end we have fireworks.

Technorati Tags: holidays in France, hunters in Dordogne, hunting in France, village meals in France

Just when you think spring could be on it’s way, the winter let’s you know it hasn’t finished yet!

I have spent the last few days working on the garden, just a few hours per day, digging up all the wild garlic bulbs and wild leeks from the flower beds. That and getting rid of dead leaves and last years flower stems has made such a difference. You can see the daffodil, crocus and hyacinth flower heads coming through.

This morning, I woke to a sprinking of snow over the garden and my 2 crocus (or is it crocii) flowers are wondering what hit them. The wind is from the north to northeast so it is raw when outside.

Hopefully this will only last for a few days as we are going to the local chasse (hunters) dinner Saturday night, so we will be walking home and I prefer it not to be snowing when I do!

Technorati Tags: crocus, flowers, Gardening, garlic

The month starts well as the as the 2ND of February is Candlemas (La Chandeleur) and the French have their pancakes on that day. For weeks there has been crêpe pans, etc for sale in the supermarkets. There is a saying in France which is translated as:

“Eating crêpes on Candlemas Day (2nd February)
will bring a year of happiness”

In France it is custom to prepare “Crêpes” for “La Chandeleur”, which symbolises, wealth, good crops and health for the year to come. If you can toss a pancake with a coin in your hand and not drop it then you are supposed to have good luck and prosperity for 12 months. The crepe is supposed to represent the return of the sun after winter.

February sees the first of the spring flowers arrive although a friend of mine already has a crocus or two in bloom and it’s not the end of January. The hazel nut trees have been in flower since before Christmas which seems to be normal in this region. Another natural phenomenum is the arrival of the cranes on their migration north for the summer. 60 to 100 birds can be seen and heard going over in large V formations and it is a great sight to see and a sure sign that winter will soon be over.

It is also the season for brocantes and vide greniers – antique fairs and car boot sales to the English. You could pick up a piece of French history or junk – the prices vary and the junk is not always the cheapest. We have bought some old plum drying racks which we use for wall decoration from our local market.

Sarlat celebrates the goose at a fair on the 21st February. Geese are allowed to roam through the town, controlled by the herding dogs and dishes based on geese are available to tase. As it is still winter there are truffle markets to be found at St. Grenies and  Sarlat as well as foie gras markets.

If you are thinking of booking a trip here at this time of year, make sure your accommodation has central heating and bring warm clothes. The resturants that are open are often better value at this time of year and there is always wine tasting.

Technorati Tags: brocantes, crêpes, foie gras, pancacakes, Sarlat, truffles, vide greniers

• If there isn’t a policeman (gendarme) at the scene of the accident then

1. Take down the number of the other car
2. Lock up your car
3. Go with the driver of the other car to find a gendarme

• Having found the gendarme, they will make out a report in triplicate stating

1. Where the accident occurred
2. Names of both owners
3. Both insurance company details
4. What damage was done

               This report must be sent to the Insurance Company when you inform them of the accident.

• If the accident is serious, take photos.
• If someone is hurt, expect to spend up to 4 hours at a Gendarmerie. They usually have the name of a English speaking translator to help them
• If your car is the only one damaged, then the bailiff (huissier) of the commune can make the report.
• If you can’t find the bailiff or a gendarme, the local Marie (mayor) may be able to help. Look for signs for Marie or Hotel de Ville.

Remember that shouting at them in English will not help them understand you better and ALWAYS carry your insurance documents with you.

Technorati Tags: car accidents in France, France

Aire de repos – Rest stops
Allumez vos lanterns (or feux) – Turn on your lights (used for tunnels)
Attention au feu – Beware of traffic signal
Attention travaux – Beware road works
Autre directions – Other directions
Chaussèe dèformèe – Bumpy road ahead
Cèdez le passage – Give way (Give priority to the other road)
Centre ville – Town centre
Gendarmerie – Police station
Gravillons – Loose chippings
Interdit aux piètons – No pedestrians
Nids de poules – Potholes
Prochain èchangement gratui – No toll at next exit
Rappel – Remember (usually used with a speed)
Route barrèe – Road closed
Sens-unique – One-way
Serrez a droite – Keep to the right
Sortie – Exit
Suivre – Follow
Toutes directions – All directions
Voie unique – One lane road

Technorati Tags: Driving in France, French Road signs

Aire de repos – Rest stops
Allumez vos lanterns (or feux) – Turn on your lights (used for tunnels)
Attention au feu – Beware of traffic signal
Attention travaux – Beware road works
Autre directions – Other directions
Chaussèe dèformèe – Bumpy road ahead
Cèdez le passage – Give way (Give priority to the other road)
Centre ville – Town centre
Gendarmerie – Police station
Gravillons – Loose chippings
Interdit aux piètons – No pedestrians
Nids de poules – Potholes
Prochain èchangement gratui – No toll at next exit
Rappel – Remember (usually used with a speed)
Route barrèe – Road closed
Sens-unique – One-way
Serrez a droite – Keep to the right
Sortie – Exit
Suivre – Follow
Toutes directions – All directions
Voie unique – One lane road

Technorati Tags: Driving in France

Whilst it’s not as hot in the Dordogne in September as it is in the summer and the days are shorter, it can still reach over 30 degrees day time temperature, so you still get good holiday weather. 

When the children go back to school, the roads and major tourist sites are quieter so you can get to them much easier. The markets, which in the summer have a lot of tourist stalls, revert back to a more traditional form and you get the flavour of real France. In this area there is a market every day of the week including Sundays, so even if you come for a short break, you can still get to at least one market.  If you are looking for a souvenir of your visit, go to one of the many vide greniers (attic sale), where you may find something old to remind you of your stay.

September is la vendange (grape harvest) time. Most of the grapes are picked by machine and as you drive around this area you get to see thin, very strange looking machines going up and down the rows of vines. The main exception to this is the grapes for the Monbazillac wines which have to be hand picked as the grapes need to be mouldy for this type of wine.  There are so many vineyards in this area you will never get through them all in a week or even a month. If you do run out of vineyards in the Dordogne, there are those of Duras and even the wines of Bordeaux nearby!

The food here is good all the year round. I like going out to lunch, which is often 4 courses with wine. I then spend the rest of the day resting! Prices have gone down a little as the French government dropped the VAT rate on eating out. If you don’t know where to eat, look for a lot of white vans in a restaurant car park – white van man know where to eat in France. The specialty of this area is duck, truffles, prunes and foie gras.

Gites are often cheaper in September. At the auberge, we charge low season rates. You also find flights and ferries are cheaper. If you have young children or no children, this is a good time to visit. To find more about the auberge visit our wesite www.auberge-razac.com