Eymet Market

Eymet..ay may I just sometimes don't get it!
Sometimes Sundays are the busiest day, people milling everywhere and sometimes the queues to
the Pizzeria has a queue past the knicker shop and down on a Wednesday night out of season!

It gets a dreadful press due to the English population but a study I heard recently said more French
people live in the UK than English in France (one I find hard to believe I have to say). I suppose when
you think of Restaurants, teachers, road crews in southern England then there are plenty of those.

Eymet is actally a very pretty place when you take the time to look at the architecture, yet it actually
very different when you look from building to building they can have totally different styles.

Go visit, enjoy there are so many little cafes and shops and its a hidden place that many people I know
even 30 miles North have never even heard of

Isak Dinesen

What is a man, when you come to think upon him,
but a minutely set, ingenious machine for turning with infinite
artness, the red wine of Shiraz into urine?


There was such a small man doing just that role on the route N21
with a large arched sign right by him direction Pissot yesterday

It could only be France

When is summer over?

Now when I go to Bordeaux the shops have coats on the rails, radiators and insulation
are on special offer in the Brico publicity. I have just returned from England and every
clothes shop has the school winter uniform in the windows.

We are told to eat seasonally, live seasonally but why can't we shop seasonally?

Soon the night markets will end, and meeting everyone will come to an end for another year.
I miss most the social life that is so easy in the summer. BBQ's, crisp white wine and salads.
When I asked someone if they want anything from an English supermarket they said get them some Lemsip

The weather says 30 degrees for the next few days.

I was going to the beach today

There is nothing more to say.

Seasonal produce

I have been taking an active interest in the produce available
at the local markets. Between the locals Miramont seems to be
more farmer orientated and I also confess to being taken with
some of the gadgets and plants on offer. We British are often
said to be gastronomic bystanders when it comes to French cuisine,
however having seen Donkey meat sausages at a market recently
I have my doubts.

Autumn

Sure sign of Autumn approaching. X factor on TV.

Sure sign it's still summer as mozzies are still coming in when the windows

are open and the lights are on.

Sure sign of too many oysters and local wine and getting older.

Staying in wanting peace and quiet on a Saturday night

Soggy weekend in June

Looked out of my window and I can see a soggy weekend in June.

There is a Medieval fete in Montflanquin, Brocante in Duras and

a wine festival in Eymet. The calendar says August 15th!

A holiday day in France and it feels like I want to light the fire, make a hot

drink and sit and watch the Olympics.

Perhaps the sun will come out later.

Gymnastics reminds me of the weather. It was dull yesterday.

Dordogne

We have been traveling around 'our' department, especially as the weather has been cooler in the past few days.

Interestingly the northern Perigord towns and villages are a startling contrast to the Eymet and 'our' locality.

For one 'we' being both local farmers and residents have obviously seen more sun, the grass is considerably

less green here (and we buy less sun cream I suppose) however as the purpose of the trip was property seeking which is

always because the "grass is always greener", we have concluded it is much warmer and more pleasant here!

Sarlat was a particularly attractive area but like mid wales and just as green.

When asking at a brasserie are there lots of English here we were told no, Dutch residents actually.

So there we are. It may have rained for considerably more than 40 days and 40 nights this year but we have

more 'southern' weather here and as one of the reasons we left the UK was appalling weather and lack of summer

we have concluded that we got it right the first time!

Footnote. We are in for cloudy weather looking at the forecast so maybe the Biarritz blogger is looming!

Congés

Funny how year in year out 'Les vacances or En Congés" seem to manage to come

along at the worst possible moment.

If you need an electrician, an appliance breaks or visit a specialist you can almost

guarantee it coincides with a holiday break!

I think that in time we will head for the mountains or the coast just as the French do,

it would make life so much simpler then all the repairs could wait.

With all on holiday it seems strange there is no=one to talk to but the factures still arrive!

Olympics

Worldwide tonight we will see history in the making.

The 2008 Olympic opening ceremony will dominate our TV screens, our radio and our newspapers.

The nationalities of the world unite in competition, to prove the best and entertain with the worst.

Remembering the successful Olympians names is often a challenge in it's self, yet why is it the

Winter Olympics of 1988 that possibly reminds us of Britains most 'famous' competitors.

Rather than the gold medal winners, we remember Eddie 'the eagle' Edwards who wobbled in last!

Do we watch for the successes or hope for the entertainment in failure?

We're off to see the wizard...

..the wonderful wizard of Oz

Toto, we'res Toto???

Theres's no place like Home

Well I felt like I was in Kansas in the middle of a twister last night!

Windows blew open, crash bang wallop, no power and a whirlwind outside!

Raging storm, 'tis morning and garden stuff strewn everywhere

Let me get this right, South West France first week of August 2008? OK?

I'm sure that is a munchkin eating a bowl of cereal in my living room or is it the scarecrow?

Wine

There is usually so little I can say about wine.

France has a somewhat superiority complex about their 'Old world' vintages.

Classic wines, classic grapes but what can be said.

I am guilty as the next person for smuggling a Chilean red out of a budget supermarket.

So when I am looking for a characteristic 'nose' of toffee, violet, cedarwood and currants I know straight away I have a Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon blend, or do I look at the price? The label usually tells me little and I cannot sneakily open a bottle for a

shot and a sniff!

I have now narrowed down many years of living in France to officially know nothing about wine.

I do however know that some brands are in local supermarkets and may be cheaper than the 'cave' that represents them,

that however much the full bodied robust red 'nectar of the gods' may be, the true Old world wine, Rose remains my favourite

so long as they put the blend on the bottle.


And generally the producers don't!

Why?


Of the most famous appellations, St Emillion constitutes on of the most Famous Bordeaux wine regions, world renown in fact

yet how is it, that they are not obliged to put the grape varieties on the labels.


The average British supermarket, for example Tescos, on the other hand has so much on the label that they are close to

contravening laws on excess packaging by way of the label alone!


So now I have but a handful of the massive choice of wines to enjoy, all because over the past few years I hate buying blind

and now I have finally decided what I do like, life would be so much easier if I knew a bit more about the liquid delights in the

bottles.


So there it is, perhaps I have found the secret of the success of wine. 99% is bought clueless and is simply awful but once

opened there is no return or it's a secret gem bought for a pretty label. Now there is a thought!

Quotations

Yesterday I couldn't make up my mind between Eddie Cantor and Oliver Wendall Holmes


"Mans mind, once stretched by a new idea,
never regains it's original dimensions".


Having researched Eddie Cantor, he may be an astute vaudeville performer but I wonder how politically correct

(or not) he is. I think he would be banned now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=285-qOZjt2g

Eddie Cantor said...

" Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast -
you also miss the sense of where you are going and why"

I'm feeling that this is important

Back from my break

So here I am back in Eymet. This weekend what's on?

There are events in Eymet, Castillones, Issigeac, Bergerac.

How come everything is in one weekend and we want to go to all of them!

Oh! and by the way, every event but someone forgot to turn the sun back on

Dilemma

You walk into a bakers with a big family of tourists together.

Numerous children cannot decide what they want and allow me to pass them.

A baguette please and there are 2 chocolatines left. The family want them I want them.

It all felt uncomfortable.

So my good deed for the day was to buy something else.

I wonder if they would have done the same?

Eymet Market

I would like to say the market today at Eymet was a delight.

Perhaps because the weather was a bit overcast there was a 'good turnout' however my favourite

section has to be by the Church and La Poste.

So many people to say Bonjour to!

The cushions and embroidery "Lily Loves Roses' are exquisite and how anyone has the patience

to design and sew with such meticulous attention to detail is astonishing.

I hope she continues to be successful.

I also love Mels herbs and the mix of permanent shops on this 'drag' are well worth visiting.

Many 'knock' Eymet due to it's popularity with the British, but today there was a strong multi-nationality

mixture of both stalls and visitors. What on earth can be wrong with that?

The youth of today

Our teenage daughter has gone to visit relatives in the UK.

Her host asked if she would like to choose some of her favorite supermarket food.

She said she likes boiled eggs for breakfast and her Aunt promptly picked up a box of

six eggs. "I can't eat THOSE" she said, "They are caged hens and I only eat eggs from hens reared in the open air".

Armed with wholemeal bread, free range eggs and organic salad she was taken home for her

Aunt to clear the fridge throwing in the general rubbish two plastic bottles. "Don't you recycle? followed

by a lengthy speech on lifespan of a plastic bottle and the manufacturing of fleece material.

Then the worst crime against the planet, disgraced Aunty 'filled' the kettle to make 'A' cup of tea, to which the energy

consumption and deposits in the water from continued boiling lecture followed!

We came to France for a more peaceful life and now have a bilingual 'eco-warrior' for a daughter.

It could be worse seeing the UK news is frightening but it shows the softly softly approach of care of the environment in

France rubs off without us realising!

2010

Looks like from 2010 we are only allowed to use 'low consumation eco' light bulbs.

They appear to last for years, you also cannot put them in the your household rubbish and

must only be disposed of in special bins at participating dechetteries.

So we use less energy in our homes but more fuel and driver emissions getting them there!



Eymet Brocante today, not too hot so looking good!

Oooh it's hot!

Miramont de Guyenne night market tonight, they were setting up tables at 9am so expect a good turn out.

Chance of rain nil (we hope) so lots of delicious seafood and local wine,

See you later

Driving

Summer driving has a bizarre twist.

In summer when the heat is outside reaching the upper twenties and thirties (centigrade) I blast my aircon at 16 degrees. I am wearing just the basics and chill in the car at cool temperature. Wonderful!

In the winter when it is 16 and below, I drive huddled in jumpers. trousers and a scarf, even a coat. The heater on the car blasts at 26 degrees. This too is wonderful.

Perhaps everyone has a perfect ambiant temperature. Personally I prefer less clothes, warm dry weather and cool car.

Bodegas, Bergerac & Bastille day

For anyone unsure a what a Bodega is, In Spain its a Warehouses specifically for wine, In New York City its a Corner Shop, and in Poland its a Brothel.

However in France, the local Bodegas are a great night out with music, dancing and free flowing wine and food! The open air 'repas' evening is not to be missed and last night was no exception.

However today and especially tonight every corner, nook and cranny of France will be reveling in the 14th July celebrations.

France is a country that often boasts areas with as few as 14 residents to a square kilometre yet you don't need to travel to Paris or Marseille to join in and Party. Bergerac has spectacular fireworks and is worth the trip if you can face the gridlock on the bridges.
Bergerac always has fond memories when one morning many years ago I needed to 'dash' into Bergerac to find a morning festival of the largest omelette in France taking place.
Bergerac obviously likes things to be big and bold. You only need to ask Hector Savinien de 'Cyrano de Bergerac', better known for his large nose (and by all accounts a great lover) if Bergerac celebrated things oversized. Perhaps the moral to that story was to ask the ladies!

Bastille day cometh

Taking a quick peep at the history of our beloved France, it seems there has been a re-run of some of the US / European issues.

In the reign of Louis XVI, France faced a financial crisis, triggered by the cost of intervening in the American War of Independence. This was made worse by a system of taxation that was not in line with other countries.

There had to be a revolution. The 14th July 1789 the 'Bastille' was stormed.

Now we face oil crisis, the US has cash flow problems, crazy fuel and food prices.

Nowadays July is almost a permanent holiday in France, Garages, Notaires and Government offices totally shutting down (only beaten by a bigger shutdown in August!).

Bastille day is celebrated with village parties and street fetes, the best thing about living in France, they certainly know how to throw a party!

Remember after Saturday the shops are shut until Tuesday!

Just a bit concerned

...about

1. Constantly thinking about the weather

2. Wondering if I have missed Summer and I should be ordering gaz

3. Why on July 8th 2008 I am traveling to Eymet with my car heater on

4. My pool (with the solar cover on) is only 20degrees

5. Worrying what it will do to local tourism. Bodegas and Festivals are so good for villages, all that planning!

6. Where did I put my fleece, Oh yes! next to my hot chocolate!

Target

Plug in, spray, battery operated it makes no difference,

Even hermetically sealed windows seem to be defied by their ability to break in.

In the dead of night the intruder somehow manages to effect entry, and the target is the unsuspecting.

By the time deep quality sleep has set in, the scene is set.

A leg, arm or better still a soft juicy cheek is all that is required.

Sometimes the stalker is stalled by supersensitive hearing, occasionally the lucky get trapped but never-the-less

the nocturnal feast is apparent to the victim.

Yes, a mosquito.

It takes one, just one, to get in, as if by magic and the extra lucky ones get in a mozzie net!


How can something so small get so hungry and how can they bite so many times.

I am sure they take the role of Santa and come down the chimney, the gift (in the form of Christmas, New Year and Birthdays all rolled into one) is me!

4th July

Today the USA celebrates independence.

In a funny sort of way every ex-pat does the same everyday.

We may live by the ways of our host country,

there may be those who certainly do prefer a croissant dipped in a bowl of chocolate

to a bacon butty.

But when it comes to sport the Brits are by nationality patriotic!

Why 'we' are here

In the past week Summer has arrived with blistering heat.

It was only two weeks ago that the gardens & fields were wet through, and the poor harvests were predicted.

In true farmers style now we are going to have a heatwave and water shortage! Yet from the English residents the same words

are uttered over and over again.

This is why we are here.

However many problems we have with language, electricity providers or property renovations, it just takes a river boat trip, meal

and a glass of wine on a sunny day, or lounge by a pool and it all gets forgotten when the sun is shining.

Wimbledon

Gasquet v Murray, light fading...and who do you support???

...poised for the final serve

well proud to be british...eh

http://www.ledroptforum.com/


so we vote for Mr Whippy

Miramont Monday Market

Miramont's Monday market is a delight, it is everything a French market should be.

Local seasonal food, new potatoes, courgettes and juicy Marmande tomatoes and of course beads, slippers, baskets and cheap jeans.

The fields are brimming with fields of potential sunflowers, the wheat is cut and the romance of France

fills the warm air.

When the weather is like this we congratulate ourselves for our choice of location and following our dream.

Then just as everyone is complaining about the heat, the children break up from school and the sun forgets to come out.

EH, HELLO, who ever is in-charge up there please switch the sun back on!

Eymet is alive

In the past week the Bastide of Eymet has really come to life. I noticed the market during the past 2 Thursdays has lost it's winter and soggy drag and is full of blooms, fresh produce and streets are packed with visitors. The business owners must finally be breathing a sigh of welcome back!

There are certainly more places to eat and have a coffee and a cake, which makes it so much more appealing to ladies that lunch and family friendly.

It is amusing to see some of the English only speaking French to the English, it must seem awfully impressive and terribly authentic!

Night markets, festivals, music events and entertainment, France certainly knows how to put on a show in its 'villages'.

Sunshine

The sun is out...
the grass has riz....

I wonder where my sun cream is...

If all the rain has gone away,

please let me lay in the sun for another day.

I feel like we have paid a penance - we have put up with all this years rain,
and now we have been good and so the sun is here.

I hope I have been very very good because for the last few months I have been very very wet!

SALES

I ventured to both Bergerac and Marmande today. It was easy to park, few shoppers about then the cent dropped....boing....!

Wednesday 25 June the long awaited sales commence. It may be a different story parking tomorrow!

Casa has red dots galore reducing item after item. E.Leclerc has pallets stacked high and 40% reduction banners ready to

drag our hard earned cash out of us in the morning.

Many younger teenagers finish college for the summer.

So this is it!

Half of France will be on holiday, heading for the mountains, beaches and sales and by August the rest will be on holiday.

There was a flyer in the post today for central heating!!!!

That reminds me, only three months and the Christmas cards will be back in the shops.

Platagenet v Valois

The Franco Britainique weekend provided the best of all the reasons why we love France and it's spirit.

Sunday morning scared us all with impending rain, but undeterred in typical fighting spirit, Jo and her face painting pavilion and Lou & Lance decking the halls, and entrance and everywhere else a flag could be hung, gave the full flavour of the British summer fete and living in France in unity!

The games made 'Its a Knockout' seem like a nursery school fete, with the British ladies being rather victorious.

Whilst we wandered around seeing calender girl style cherry topped peTITe Buns being munched by baby tigers and butterflies, the grand finale was a gripping match 'tween the French and British tug-o-war.

Whilst historically the Plantagenets were supported by Aquitaine and subsequently banished, in true strength v strength the men were not to be compromised by any hint of lacking in testosterone or ego!

One win each and tense moments followed. The tug 'was' war, the tug was even 1-1, the tug was.....

........shit, the rope broke!!!

Personally I hope the event will become Nationally supported...it's fab

Just when you thought it was safe to venture outside

Sun sun glorious sun. Saturday was fantastic, into summer gear

Food for a BarBQ with emphasis on the beers & wine being chilled rather than the charcoals being warmed

all set for, eh did the solstice not mean anything?

According to rhymer.com the none event of the year also rhymes with:

bummer

dumber

plumber....we definately need one of those, there seems to be one hell of a leak in our sky

Reasons to be cheerful

Sun shining, dipping in the pool

Weeding plants that in the UK would only grow as house plants or in greenhouses

The summer markets start next week....

The weekend is the Franco-britanique in Miramont and will be a laugh...

The Euro is strong

.....and the sales are starting early because the government says the shops are not making enough money

(due to all the rain and fuel prices)



He ho off to the sales we go!!!!

Plans scuppered

There was a carefully laid plan for today. I was going to get up at dawn and start dismantling the car. My plan was that to combat rising fuel prices and protecting the environment I was going to recycle it.

Allowing for the current weather, I had decided to build an ARK

I have only got to call the dog and say 'come in the car' and she is tail wagging so I was pretty certain all our others would be happy to get in out of the rain. However it looks like we are in for a rare bout of sunshine.

I shall pin the plan to the fridge, it may come in handy later in the week.

Invited to Dinner

Last night we were invited to dinner. Our hosts were local french farmers.

We are poor farmers who just eat rustic food" said our host.

A song.....

On the sixteenth day of June my hostess said to me............

Seven different courses

Six different cheeses

Five meats to savour

Four fragrant wines

Three home made breads

Two stomachs needed

and a package with honey from her bees

In his visit to Britain today George W Bush and wife Laura comment on cutting the grass!
It makes a change from commenting on the weather. 

In rural Lavergne, a few miles from Eymet, Saturday saw the annual Fete of the Summer hosted by the village.

A moment to digress. How many of us have seen on TV  "Place in the Sun" & "Get a new life"? 

Suddenly, rather like the romance of the show, we see the vision of us sitting on a warm summers evening, sipping local wine under the trees, fairy lights strung above us and eating local produce, surrounded by our French friends and neighbours. This year the brutal reality was that it was a bit cold, we sat in the 'Salle de Fetes' and not out under the trees, yet all the magic of our place in the, eh sun, was still around us! There are no language barriers especially when everyone was dancing (imagine a 70's school disco or Four weddings and a Funeral -  if you can), everyone had a smile on their faces and a great time was had by all. 

Everyone here is urged to take part in these local events, they may not have much sophistication but you will have only fun!