Swiss Family Grass

For all of you that have been following our log, we thought it might be interesting to read about our travels from a different perspective. My father visited at the beginning of December and the following are his daily journal entries…

BRO GOES ABROAD
France 2005

Thursday, December 1

I left the house at 8:55 AM. Pat dropped me off at San Leandro BART. I arrived at SFO at 10:25 AM (there was a tracking delay) and took the airport train to the terminal. I packed two bags. The heavier one barely made the no charge limit at 48.6 lbs; the maximum allowed is 50 lbs. American Airlines pushed off at noon through wind and rain. I arrived at NY@ 8:30 PM, transferred planes and departed JFK @9:30 PM.

Friday, December 2

I landed at CDG @10:30 AM. The regular gate was not available so we parked on the tarmac, deplaned by stairs and were bussed to the terminal. Took the Air France shuttle bus to Gare Montparnasse. Traffic was horrendous. I made my train with only 5 minutes to spare. I was so pressed for time I did not stamp my ticket. The TGV train left the station at 2:10 PM; it was a non-stop trip Angouleme arriving at 4:15 PM. As I walked on the platform toward the station, Leah came to greet me. It was so good to hug my daughter again. As we approached the van, Petey did a double take. When Andy opened the door, out Petey flew—he was excited.

The ride home was scenic, through rolling hill country dotted with villages in the Donne river valley.

The main crop in this area is corn. There is also a lumber mill near Leah’s place. Petey has a platform bed between the two front seats, so he got lots of strokes on the ride home to Gite Chauffour. Leah served cold cuts and pate for dinner.

Jet lag set in, and it was time to hit the sack!

Saturday, December 3

A short drive to Riberac for baked goods. We had soup at a country club where a crafts fair was being held.

We then went to Aubeterre, a classified “Most beautiful French village.”

Built on limestone cliffs overlooking the Dronne River, its main attraction is a historical church hewn into the limestone cliffs.

While we were sightseeing, wood was delivered to Gite Chauffour. In winter that is the main source of heat. This area of France has electric rationing for residents in the form of price differention. A blue day is normal charges per KWH. A white day is 4X, and a red day is 10X normal. A device hooked into the telephone line displays the week’s schedule. The aim is to prioritize use for industry and (I learned later) to sell excess power to Italy. The living room (wood heated) can be 80◦; The bedrooms 45◦.

That evening we ate an excellent 5 course price fixe for 24 euros in Riberac. At anytime of the day, food, especially foie gras, is important in the Dordogne. Even more so now, since truffles are in season. My kind of visit! On our return home, we had a closer of Pineau, the drink of the Perigord region. It is a combination of white wine and cognac, running about 18% alcohol.

Sunday, December 4

Leah and I walked Petey on roads and through woods in rain suits. A hunter and dogs greeted us. On Sunday, everything closes in this part of France. Hanging out by the fire we watched an off the wall British TV show “Little Britain.”

Monday, December 5

Travelled to Cognac for a private tour and tasting at the Remy-Martin distillery headquarters.

Three hours of education and tasting with food parings. Much learned including the difference between VSOP, XO and EXTRA. It’s the years in the cask and the price. XO is 50 to 100 years old. EXTRA is over 100 years old. The “legs” in wine are called “tears” in cognac. An EXTRA cognac called Louis XIII is in excess of $1000 Euros.

A different brand of Remy-Martin, named “Club”, is marketed in Asia, Remy’s #1 market. It has a red label and an 8 sided bottle and cap because the color red and the number 8 are considered lucky among the Chinese. This Cognac is supposed to be more spicy, although it was hard for me to detect. Our tastings were paired with food. One included cognac in a shot glass, both right out of the freezer, paired with a blini topped with smoked salmon and capers. Look for it in future advertisements.

Upon our return, we did a quick change and went to dinner at Leah and Andy’s friends’ house. They are two transplanted British couples who live in France permanently. We had good conversation, a formal dinner (coq au vin was the entrée) and good wines. A very comfortable and warm (literally & figuratively) setting. One couple also own a home in Tampa, FL that their parents use. Brits come here for 3 reasons: warmer weather, cheaper prices (consumer and housing costs) and superior health care through the social security system.

Below is a picture of the family dogs, a source of entertainment throughout the evening…

Tuesday, Dec 6

Finally, sunny and blue skies appeared. Drove to Bergerac area for winetasting on our own. We concentrated on the Pecharmant area, considered the best reds of the Bergerac appellation. Visited Domaine des Costes, run by a female winemaker who recommended a restaurant. Then to lunch in the old city of Bergerac, once a Protestant stronghold.

Leah and I had whole sautéed fish, Andy had beef. EXCELLENT! On full bellies we dutifully returned to the wine trail.

We visited Chateau D’Elle, another small operation run by a noted female winemaker. Pecharmant wines are either half Merlot and half Cabernet Franc with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The more Merlot, the fruitier. However these are DRY wines with tannins. Chateau E’Elle was pricey (13 & 22 Euros) for the two wines they produce, but the best tasting of the day. Next was a larger winery (15,000 cases) Haut au Pecharmant. Cheap wines, readily available in wine shops (CAVES). Lastly, was Domaine Les Galineaux. The wife opened the cellar for us. They had good wine for 6 Euros. We returned to Bergerac and walked the city into the night. The Medieval area is very picturesque.

Wednesday, December 7

Another overcast day for our trip to Saint Emilion. We picked up the guide, Isabelle, at 8:30 AM and drove to Saint Emilion, considered the holy grail of Bordeaux lovers.

The tours, tastings and lunch were a Hannukah gift from Leah and Andy. Our first visit was to Union de Producteurs of Saint Emilion, a huge co-op of 250 producers. A 2 and 1 half hour tour of a modern stainless steel facility. Not quite the quaint, rustic winery I expected.

We had lunch in St. Emilion, a town that overlooks vineyards in all directions.
We toured Chateau Clos Le Fourtet next. It was the highlight of the day and the closest vineyard to Saint Emilion.

This Chateau produces Grad Cru Classe – “Best of breed.” The owner’s son was easygoing and informative.

His father sold an office supply business in Paris which enabled him to purchase the Chateau in 2001. There are three levels of wine cellars, but only the top is in use. Basically, these are built out of limestone caves created when the stone to build Saint Emilion was quarried from them. My camera batteries ran out in the cellars but Leah took some great photos.

Clos Le Fourtet makes 7000 cases. Cheapest bottle is 46 Euros. We tasted in a grand room built in the 1700’s. Next we went to Chateau Laramand where the facilities are new and the winery is owned by one of France’s largest insurance companies. The manager and winemaker is a woman; the only female to hold dual positions among the grand chateaux. Laramande produces around 10,000 cases. They are doing cutting edge technology: square stainless steel vats, temperature controlled with 4” liner of clay insulation. The tasting was in the lab since the tasting cellar had suffered some water damage. We returned to the town and strolled the streets past dark. Again, very picturesque.

Thursday, December 8th

Today we are off to Oradour – sur – Glane. On June 10, 1944, German SS troops massacred the entire village. They machine gunned the men in a field and burned the women and children in the church. A total of 642 people died, including 200 children. The next day the Germans destroyed the town hoping to erase evidence of their crime. The town is as it was on that day, totally preserved as a WWII memorial.

A large modern museum was built into the hillside with translations in English and German. It had a fairly thorough treatment of the rise of Nazism, the SS, the National Front (French Nazis) and the SS unit that committed the atrocity. The museum presentations and self tour of the village took about 3 hours. Quite moving, especially the cemetery.

A docent told me 13,000 students come through annually. A high school group in attendance while we were there seemed very moved as well. We debriefed on the ride back, stopping for dinner in Riberac. We had a down home Prix Fix 5 course meal with big portions. I had a hot minced duck gizzard salad that was over the top. With a liter of wine & Leah’s Orangina it came to 64 Euros for 3. Oui, le repas le dinner. Etait est bon!

Friday December 9th

Left the house at 8:30 to visit the Riberac Friday market. A wide variety of produce, meat, cheese, pates as well as clothes, cookware, plates, etc. An indoor hall held shelves of duck, goose and parts thereof. Amazing how large the goose foie de gras are. Truffle sales were also taking place. Observed how quiet and seemingly secretive are the negotiations between buyers and sellers. Next off to Perigeaux, capital of the Dordogne region. Perigeaux dates from Roman times and the medieval part of the city is a bustling retail and restaurant area. We toured the cathedral, had a good lunch and walked the streets.

It was a beautiful crisp, clear day. Life is good. On the road out of town is a large Limoge china outlet. Bought a couple of inexpensive pieces which I hope weather the trip home. In Riberac we stopped at a large E Eclerc supermarket. They have a much bigger selection of foods than the largest Safeway I’ve been in. Leeks are sold 2 feet high in onion style bags, for 3 Euros per kilo. Endive is also extensive; 1.50 Euros per kilo. Incidentally at the morning market, endive was presented with the root on. On our return home, Leah and I walked a 3 mile loop with Petey. Whenever we are on tour Petey walks with us. At sites and restaurants where he cannot accompany us, Petey stays in the van which has a propane heater to keep him comfortable. That evening we had fish & chips at a British hangout owned by folks the kids know. It’s not French cooking…..

Saturday December 10th

Leah and Andy had heard some dripping above their bedroom during a rainstorm a few days earlier. A Brit came in the morning to evaluate the problem and was able to reset some roof tiles that had slipped using a ladder and a long stick. He’ll return tomorrow with scaffolding to reset those he was unable to reach. High winds & low flying military jets can cause the tiles to slip. The roof is symptomatic of the problems many of these older residences face. They need constant repair, especially roofs—and a number collapse. It’s been clear with frost on the ground the past couple mornings.

Markus is flying in from Zurich to Bordeaux in the AM. He and girlfriend Barbara arrived at 2:30 PM.

We spent the rest of the day catching up, drinking wine and consuming pates and cheeses Leah laid out. Markus looks great and Barbara is a delightful and attractive lady. I feel a special relationship with Markus. Though we don’t see each other often, when we do it’s like having family return. That evening we dined at Le Commensal in Riberac. Without a doubt the best meal I ate in the Dordogne. We did a prix fix at 24 Euros. Everyone started with a demitasse of pumpkin soup with walnut oil. I followed with a rectangular plate of fois gras pate done 4 different ways. The most unusual was a creme brullee pate. Exquisite! I spoke with the chef after the meal and he explained the recipe. My entrée was minced duck in a dark sauce covered by truffle flavored mashed potatoes. This was plated as an inverted mold of gradient color. Excellent! Desert was a ginger pear tart with a demitasse of ginger infused heavy cream on the side. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera, for every presentation was a work of art. The chef and maitre de trained together and worked in Montreal and Dubai before coming to Riberac a year ago. A civic asset!

Sunday, December 11th

Leah and Andy laid out a great breakfast in the dining room. The roofer arrived as we were eating. Leah and Andy soon helped him.

Markus, Barbara and I drove to Brantome, “The Venice of Perigord”, about 45 minutes away. It is a beautiful town tucked in against limestone cliffs and criss-crossed by waterways.

On our return we stopped in Bourdelles for a glass of wine and witnessed folk dancing to live music, very similar to French – Canadian country reels. After pausing to say goodbye, Markus and Barbara drove on to Bordeaux to catch a flight back to Zurich. Leah and I walked the 3 mile loop under clear skies and a cold wind. Frost is still noticeable in the shade.

Monday, December 12th

Cold and foggy. Since Petey may need a place to hunker down during the day, we took the van to Bordeaux rather than the train (dogs are allowed on public transit in France). We parked along the Gironde River opposite downtown, then took a tram into the city center. Cool and clear weather made walking enjoyable.

Bordeaux, an attractive city, is the second largest in France. For four hours we strolled the Quartier Pierre, which includes very upscale shopping areas. This part of the city is pedestrian friendly, with streets restricted to trams or service vehicles.

At one large square we shopped a traditional Christmas market. Good quality items and good food. Instead of returning by tram, we walked across the bridge to the van. Petey was a trooper all day and, dressed in his brilliant red coat, drew complements from passersby.

For the first time since Paris, I see significant diversity in the population. Leah cooks up dinner and we drink more St. Emilion wine. This is the life!

Tuesday, December 13th

Drove to Angouleme to take the TGV to Paris. Leah, Andy and Petey hung out on the platform until my departure. I’m sad to leave but ready to return to California. Leah and Andy need a rest too, for I’ve been pushing the sightseeing button every day. Petey, my bed mate will be missed. When I checked into my hotel opposite Gare Montparnasse, I was told that renovation of my room was not complete and I would be taxied to a hotel across town in the St. Lazare/ Opera House area. This contains one of the finer shopping areas of Paris. I strolled Boulevard Haussman and adjacent streets all afternoon. The window displays at Galarie Lafayette and Printemp Dept. Store were incredible and so were the crowds. The displays are theme based and use computer programmed string puppets. It is riveting, especially for children. After dinner (which included my first Nouveau Beau- joulais of the season). I headed back to Blvd. Housmann for the lights and to see the displays again. Bummer, I forgot the camera. After rural Chauffour, the diversity and sheer number of pedestrians in Paris is a shock. Bordeaux is a sleepy town compared with the capitol.

Wednesday, December 14th

Up at 5AM. I taxied across town to Gare Montparnasse to board the Air France shuttle bus. Traffic to the airport is horrendous (but not as bad as inbound) due to RER train labor slowdown. My seatmate is returning to UC Berkeley and lives 4 months of the year in Jack London Square in Oakland. A physics researcher, he shopped at the “old” Berkeley Bowl – Small World!. My seatmate on the plane was a delightful young woman from Guatemala City returning home for holiday. She is a doctoral candidate in Economics at Univ of Paris. The plane arrived 15 minutes late in Dallas. We passed through customs there and the procedure was woefully understaffed. As a result, half the people were too late to reboard the plane. We were booked on a flight leaving 2 ½ hours later. Some Sound advice: do not come back to the U.S. through Dallas. Took BART back to San Leandro, a number of the Paris passengers were on the same train.

Home at last at 10:45 PM, I was 7 pounds heavier. I enjoyed every mouthful and glassful. Vive La France!