The charming village of Saint-Généroux

28 km north of Gourgé heading towards Thouars is the charming village of Saint-Généroux. Nestled  beside the banks of the River Thouet in a rural farming area.

One is welcomed by the guardian of the village, le chat. He proceeds to follow you with boundless energy and friendly enthusiasm, ensuring you explore every nook and cranny within the village.

We had lunch at the Auberge du Vieux Pont. What a delightful place! For starters we had a salad, followed by wild rice and stringray wings (which was delicious), a platter of cheeses, apple tart & ice cream and to wash all this down 1/4 litre of rosé wine. All this for 10.90 € per person.

We will be going back!

à bientôt
Peter et Donna

Thouars Markets

 Every Friday there are Markets held in the village of Thouars, which  is 35 km north of Gourgé, heading towards the Loire Valley.

Markets are held every day in different villages within the Deux-Sèvres, varying in size and stall products. Each village has is own uniqueness and you just never know what you will discover!





We went for a leisurely drive yesterday and whilst there we took some photos to temp you!

à bientôt
Peter et Donna

Fishing Season Commences

Saturday the 9th of March was the official commencement of the Fishing Season. The banks of the Thouet River and both bridges on either side of our property were lined with keen fishermen, awaiting the 'catch of the day', in particular, Trout.

We decided to skip the fishing part and went to lunch next door at Jean-Michel's with some of the fishermen. Listening to their tales, was far more entertaining! Plus lunch was delicious. It was generously prepared by Stephane, the gentlemen that manages the Auberge at Thenézay. We got so carried away with lunch and copious amounts of wine, that we almost forgot to take some pictures. Unfortunately it was later in the day and most of the fishermen had gone home to feast on their fish, washing it down with some good French wine & bread. However, we did mange to take a couple.

Le pont, the 11th Century Roman Bridge

  

No Fishermen, however the sheep look contented

The new bridge, built in 1969

The medieval water mill and the weir

A bientôt
Peter et Donna

Banquet des Chasseurs (Hunters)

Tonight we are off to the Salle de Fêtes (town hall), in Gourgé for a culinary delight. Hunting is a common sport in this region. It is well controlled and there are strict regimes for the Hunters to follow. We will let you know what the meal was like on our next blog.

Had to take a photo of the flyer as it is in a .pdf file. The menu reads:
Apéritif
Terrine de gibier (game)
Dos de cabillaud sauce crevettes (Cod with shrimp sauce)
Trou du milieu (I think this is some kind of alcoholic spirit?)
Rôti de sanglier et ses légumes (Roast wild boar and vegetables)
Salade - Fromages (Salad-Cheese)

Gâteau (Cake)

All this for 20 €. 

à bientôt
Peter et Donna