Showing posts with label Ascain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ascain. Show all posts

Wednesday 2 January 2019

263. What will this year bring?

31st January. Still strong winds and rain here.. I took advantage of a pause in the rain to go out to the garage yesterday evening to bring in a sack of logs.. When I came out of the garage 15 seconds later (at most) there was a downpour that had come from nowhere.. (as someone once said, "like a cow peeing on a flat rock!") 

30th January. This short video ('De roc et d'eau' translates as 'Of rock and water') shot from a drone shows what spectacular landscapes await the intrepid traveller if he puts the pleasures of the Basque coast behind him and ventures inland - and yes, they are griffon vultures that make an appearance at 2:35. Here's a story to put you off your breakfast!
I occasionally watch televised live sessions of the UK Parliament (please don't laugh!) and I'm often struck by the arcane and, to my mind, archaic procedures in use. This document may help in decoding what's going on! (Having read that link, I still think they're archaic!) The unexpected referendum result in June 2016 threw a large rock into the UK political and establishment pond and it caused widespread mayhem in all directions - except in the media. For them, it was manna from heaven - the story that gives and keeps on giving - we've had 2½ years of 24 hour rolling media speculation ever since.

It's taken 2½ years for the aftershock waves to settle down enough for the nearest thing to a political consensus to emerge. However, the approach of 29th March (the date when the UK will leave the EU) has focused minds and - finally - it appears that there is a majority parliamentary view that supports the approach that Theresa May wishes to take with the EU negotiators.

However, I suspect though that the EU is prepared to resist any attempts to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) - and forego the UK's £39bn - to show that they can stand firm as a "27" to protect the integrity (as they see it) of the Single Market and, perhaps more importantly, to discourage any member state from emulating the UK. If the EU refuses to re-open the WA, the UK negotiators may request that a codicil is added that addresses the Irish border question. The danger for the EU is that if they were to give way on the Irish border issue - a difficulty that they themselves have created - then that could well trigger further dissension within the EU ranks - which could, with a bit of luck, bring the whole rotten edifice come crashing down.. One can but hope! I think the outcome will depend on how badly the EU needs the UK's £39bn.. It should be remembered that Germany made a 48bn€ budget surplus in the first 6 months of 2018 - so they will naturally be keen to preserve the status quo. 

To all those who take a jaundiced view of the unruly House of Commons, the challenges we've witnessed to the elected government are all the evidence we need that the UK's democratic traditions are alive and well -  this is real democracy in action. This cannot be said for the serried ranks of nodding dogs who populate the EU Parliament, let alone the unelected bureaucrats who sit astride the whole structure.

29th January. The weather forecast for this evening is for 80mph (130km/h) winds on the Basque coast. I've just spent an entertaining minute or two closing the shutters upstairs! I should add that our shutters aren't the lightweight louvre'd variety as seen in Provence - no, these are sturdy solid wooden doors, with z-bracing on the inside - and when the wind catches them as you try to close them in a howling gale - well, that's when the fun starts! Traditional Basque shutters are made solid to resist the storms such as we've been experiencing over the last few days. Meanwhile, the wind is starting to whistle and moan around the rooftops now. 

28th January. Wintry wet weather is upon us in the form of squally showers that are blown in at frequent intervals by blustery winds straight out of the bay of Biscay. The dog's ears were unusually horizontal this morning when I took him for a walk on the coast! Wood burner weather..

We were invited out for lunch yesterday at the home of a former choriste. She hails from Arzacq in the Béarn and she served us her native speciality - poule au pot. She'd spoiled us once before with this magnificent dish and I was delighted and honoured that she'd chosen to prepare it for us again yesterday. There were six of us around her table and after a home-made chicken noodle soup (made, I'd guarantee, with the carcass of the chicken) she brought out a huge serving platter laden with the plat principal - a delicious distraction from the rain and hail rattling on our hostess's windows. What a treat! 
I was seated next to a lady who'd lived in many countries in Africa for almost 40 years and during the inevitable passionate discussion of all things edible, she turned to me to ask (at the very moment I was having that very same thought) if I found it astonishing that French people habitually talked about the pleasures of the table. Once upon a time I would have agreed with her, but now I see this passion for good food for what it is - the driver in the endless search for perfection - as opposed to the merely adequate - and I'm used to it by now. So no complaints from me!

Restaurant des Chasseurs,
Ascain
Side view
Later on, she told me that the restaurant des Chasseurs, our erstwhile favourite hotel / restaurant at Ascain, a beautiful Basque village in the foothills of the Pyrenees, had changed ownership. We'd discovered this simple hotel / restaurant almost 30 years ago and we spent many happy summers there before we moved here 11 years ago. The original owners served country cooking of a very high standard that was beyond reproach. The prospect of another summer holiday there was always eagerly anticipated and the thought of our next visit there sustained us during the long dismal winter months in England - until the day came when they retired. The years that followed were sadly marked by a slow decline of everything - except the prices. We'd always had this dream of becoming regulars at the restaurant for Sunday lunch when we moved here but under the last ownership we regrettably had to set that idea aside. However, my neighbour at lunch yesterday told me that new management had taken over the restaurant a year ago (photos here), and so we are looking forward to a speedy return to the place where we spent so many happy times. Fingers crossed. (I'll update its entry in the restaurant map in the left hand column after our visit)

By the way, if anyone has visited "Des Chasseurs" under the new ownership, I'd be interested to hear your views. (Either use the 'comment' feature at the end of this post - or contact me via the email in the left hand column - just below the Translate widget. Thanks!)

Here's a montage of Ascain showing the pastoral life in and around the village at, I would say, around 1900 (turn the sound down!) - the restaurant appears at 2:42 tucked in besides the church:
 
24th January. It seems that we're in for some snow next week - according to Madame who believes the local forecasts! Since we've been here, I think we've only had snow twice - and then it only lasted a day.

We've been invited to an evening with the Mayor tomorrow evening to "receive his best wishes for the year" - but talking to someone who's already been to one, it seems that the occasion is one where we are told at length what the Mayor has done in the last 12 months. I'm tempted to plead a previous engagement involving tidying my sock drawer..

20th January. If, in an idle moment, you've ever wondered what the F1 - F12 keys do (on the top row of your keyboard), ponder no longer - look here. I realise that, in telling you this, I'm running the risk of getting dangerously close to proving the truth of the old adage that "life's too short to stuff a mushroom..". 

I took Nutty (aka "Bulldozaire" - our 17kg 4x4 cocker spaniel if you've just joined us) down to the beach this morning for a good morning run and a blow out. It was a blustery morning with broken cloud and showers blowing in periodically from the Bay of Biscay. I waited in the car for a couple of minutes while a shower blew through and then we set off. There's a jetty - although jetty's not the right word as ships can't moor up against it - they call it a digue in French - that sticks out (right - the nearest one of the three) and, as a small coaster was lining up to enter the river, it seemed like a good idea at the time to walk out to the end. There were quite a few surfers out there too. Just as I got out to the far end, a heavy shower made its presence known! I had to keep telling myself "It's only water..". It was a loong way back to the car. Nutty's a water-magnet - he took some drying off!

18th January. This is a well-known piano concerto that, despite being played to death on Classic music stations, can withstand repeated listening.. Here's Anna Fedorova and the North West German Philhamonic Orchestra conducted by Martin Panteleev at the Royal Concert Hall, Amsterdam with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor:

(I confess that I'll never be able to understand how anyone can play this demanding and complex piece with the music in front of them - let alone from memory!)

16th January. Went down to the beach early this morning to give Nutty a good run. According to the car at 8.30am, it was 2°C.. and it felt like every bit of it. The sea was almost a flat calm except for some beautifully formed waves that were rearing up at the last moment. Looking south down towards Biarritz, there was a silver'd mist hanging over the beach lit by the early morning sun that had just made an appearance. My shadow was about 20 yards (or 18.3m if you insist!) long. It was c-o-l-d ! 

Here's the latest picture of Nutty - glaring at the camera, as he'd been left alone over lunchtime (we'd been invited out). The object that looks like a gift-wrapped parcel between his front paws is his new rubber 'squeak' - and he guards it jealously..!  

George & Janet,
Pyrenees 1955
Regular readers might remember references here to the Comet Line - the Belgian-run WWII network designed to repatriate shot-down Allied aircrew. Sadly, I have to report that George Duffee DFC, one of the more notable wartime RAF evaders, passed away peacefully on 21st December aged 94. His beloved wife Janet predeceased him by 2½ weeks - they'd shared 72 years of a very happy marriage together. They were a lovely couple and I was very fond of them both - they'll be greatly missed. Here's George up in the mountains (above) during their annual visit to the Pays Basque in 2012.

RIP George and Janet.

13th January. There was a feature on Penne-d'Agenais (Lot-et-Garonne) on the box a day or two ago - and a very charming village it looked too. Might try a short break there in the Spring.

Down to the beach this morning for the first time since the New Year.. a grey blustery morning with showers blowing through every few minutes. Very low stratus with the cloud down to the sea. Not a day to linger down there. It can only improve!

A former British Prime Minister (aka John Major) is pushing for a second Referendum (how on earth did he ever make Prime Minister?) Are we heading for best out of three? If our MPs and our brilliant Oxbridge-educated Civil Servants - with all the government facts and figures at their fingertips - can't agree on what's best for the UK, how on earth does Major expect the average 'Joe on the street' to be able to when 'Britain's brightest' can't? It begs the question why we are paying them.

Churchill got it right: The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. I certainly wouldn't go for a second Referendum.

12th January. Watching a cracking game of rugby this afternoon between Leinster and Stade Toulousain.. (It finished 29-13) It reminded me that the Guinness 6 Nations starts in just under 3 weeks time.. with a mouth-watering clash on the Friday evening (terrible time to have a game of rugby) between France and Wales.

7th January. Biarritz staged another mass release of some 3,000 Chinese/Japanese lanterns from la Grande Plage last Thursday evening (3rd).. A pity we had to miss it - but I picked up a real winter cold the other day and it wouldn't have been a good idea to have gone. I'm wheezing like an old set of bellows! (aka Man Pain!)
2nd January. This beautifully restored Bentley straight six engine is from a Mark VI model (1950-ish). I could look at this for hours! Period review of the car here.
Looking ahead, the opening round of the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Tournament is only a month away.. 
We spent the New Year at the home of Madame's sister-in-law on the bay of Arcachon.. where, on New Year's Eve, we and three generations of family enjoyed a wonderful feast of the freshest of fresh seafood - coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops) to start with; then gambas and crevettes (prawns or shrimp for English readers) of all sizes, followed by sea bream in a creamy sorrel sauce. We'd brought a crisp white Irouléguy. After that, it all gets a bit hazy - but I do remember having some magnificent cheeses (with a red Irouléguy) before we finished up with an assortment of decorated ice cream logs!

On New Year's day, we took the dog down to the sea-front and tried to walk some of the excess off. For lunch, we had a delicious veal stew (can't remember the correct term) - Madame's late brother knew his wine and with it we enjoyed a memorable 2001 Premières Côtes de Blaye from the dwindling reserve of his bottles. It struck me that drinking and enjoying a wine that he'd chosen - 5 years after his passing - was a touching way of remembering him - it brought him near to us all - and I silently toasted his memory. I hope you don't think this is a morbid thought but I think I'll lay down a few selected bottles in the cellar for friends to enjoy around our table one day, hopefully far in the future.

As always, the year stretches ahead as a series of blank pages. Who knows what the coming weeks and months will bring? All I know is that these are days to be filled with laughter and good times - and I'll try to share as many of them as possible with you. Madame and I hope that 2019 will bring much happiness to you and yours. 

Tuesday 16 August 2011

162. The archetypal Basque village

13th August 2011. Another 'Bismarck' moment down on the river this morning as we had a coming together with a submerged log or something similar that wiped the rudder of our VIII clean off. We turned around and returned as it would have been impractical to continue along the winding Nive with little or no control over the steering. Did 9km in the end. (Running total: 915km) 

16th August 2011. Yesterday was Assumption - a public holiday here in secular France! To be honest, I had to ask Madame what Assumption is all about and the link above explains all. This event seemed to have slipped by me when I attended (as in 'slept through') my CoE Sunday school a few centuries ago. Needless to say, many if not all local shops were closed. In the Pays Basque, this holiday seems to have more significance than 14th July, France's national day.
We'd booked a table at our favourite restaurant in our 'old village' - the one we returned to every summer for years. This was the scene outside the restaurant  as a local band took up residence!



The village - Ascain if you must know! - was in full Fête mode with the road through the village being blocked off and the regional heats for the National Creative Car Parking Championships in full swing!☺
Fronton, Ascain
There were strolling bands in the streets and the fronton was surrounded by a 6 deep crowd watching a bare-handed version of Pelote Basque.
La Rhune as seen from Ascain
Ascain lies at the foot of La Rhune, the Sphinx-like sleeping giant of a mountain (a smidgen under 3,000ft high) that looks out over the Pays Basque. The other day there was a foot-race from Ascain up to the summit - and back.. (ouch!) The winner crossed the line in a staggering 63 minutes! A 73 year old veteran also completed the run!
 
This clip gives you the view of La Rhune as seen from a microlight before swooping down over Ascain. The restaurant can be seen just on the right hand side of the church that dominates the village.
Some more pictures for you of this most beautiful of Basque villages:



We loved this village from the first time we found it and these were the images (Flickr slideshow here) that sustained us through many a long cold winter in England - and when we returned each year, it was like coming home. The village is situated on the Nivelle right at the point where the coastal plain stops and the Pyrenees start.. 

When we first stayed at the small hotel/restaurant there, it was managed by the parents of the current owner - his father - M'sieur L - was the chef while Madame L looked after 'front of house'. 
Typical Basque house
We'd return at around 6pm from wherever we'd been and feeling fresh after a shave and a shower to wash away all the salt, sand and sun cream, I'd wander downstairs to take a seat under the platanes. This was the highlight of the day for me - a clean shirt, and with the temperature starting to cool a couple of degrees after the heat of the day. Madame L would bring out a drink and a small earthenware pot of nibbles for me from the small bar and then she'd stand next to me - she'd never sit - and we'd talk while French families squinted at the menu board outside - serious business! Madame L was always 'impecc' as they say here - she was always elegant, bien coiffé and her back would be ramrod straight. With Olympian self-control, she never showed a sign that I was mangling the French language as I surely must have been back then. She'd been brought up near Oradour-sur-Glane, a name that, even today, still resonates with many. When she found out that I was in the RAF I could do no wrong.. and she and her husband treated us like family. Under her watchful eye, the hotel and the restaurant ran like clockwork.

Had lunch out on the terrace today which is shaded until about 2pm. Afterwards, I brewed up a Turkish coffee and lit a wee cigarillo. The heat was fully on today - think the forecast is for 26 but it feels hotter - and it lay upon us like a warm, damp blanket. All that could be heard was the distant roar of the traffic and nearer to home, the buzzing of bees as they worked their way around the garden while I watched the blue tendrils of smoke rising up on an absolutely still day.

18th August 2011. If one glass is good... then surely two glasses is better.. non? (Good try!)

20th August 2011. A hot & humid row on the river this morning - did 14km in an VIII. (Running total: 929km). Went for a walk in Biarritz this evening to cool off - trouble was, at 10pm it was still 32C! It did feel a bit odd to be walking around in the dark with the temps up there..

21st August 2011. Thought I'd take some heavy wooden shutters down this morning and paint them (Rouge Basque - what else!) in the relative cool of the garage. Just finished and looking at our thermometer which is in the shade, it's already 29.. which explains why I'm drenched. That pastis is going to hit the spot..!

We lurked in the 'coolth' of indoors most of today as the temperature climbed.. and then climbed some more. It peaked at 37° (98°F) this afternoon.. before it mercifully cooled off. By 8pm it was cool enough to take the dog out for his long awaited walk after he'd spent the day spread-eagled on the tiled floor in the kitchen.. We had a 5 minute downpour late in the evening and sometime during the night we had a Close Encounter of a Meteorological Kind as I'm sure I heard the wind howling outside rattling the shutters.

22nd August 2011. This morning..? All appears as normal again.. Word of the day? Easy - it's canicule.. or - as we Anglos would say - a heat wave. El Scorchio again this afternoon.. Spent the morning painting some more shutters and the garage doors while it was relatively cool but, having just returned from posting some mail, I'm dripping again.. 30 in the shade.. (mustn't grumble!)

Tuesday 28 June 2011

154. Lunch in the Pays Basque..

28th June 2011. Just back from a very pleasant lunch to mark the passing of another marital kilometre stone. We returned to 'our' old restaurant where we'd spent many happy holidays in the past. They have a nice new set menu now that includes 2 glasses of wine.

Today, we started off with a celebratory glass of champagne before the food arrived.. Madame had chosen to start with a delicious salad with St Jacques (scallops) while your scribe had foie gras. Despite the menu offer of 2 glasses of wine, in typically generous fashion Bernadette (the owner) brought us a 50cl carafe of Colombelle white wine instead (must try and find where to buy this locally).

For the main course, we'd chosen the pièce du boucher (for 2) fully expecting a quivering chunk of juicy beef. However, when Bernadette brought it, the oval serving platter was covered with slices of v rare beef.. (just as we like it!). And somehow, between leaving the kitchen and arriving at our table, the two glasses of red that we were expecting were transformed into another 50cl carafe of rouge..!

We were surrounded by dog lovers and Chibby (our cocker) was in his element. A couple at a neighbouring table asked - "Does he like sausage..?" (Was the Pope Polish? Do bears.. etc etc) It reminded me of when we went to the Jura last year and we had lunch at Madame's cousin. Pooch had the charm cranked up to max and, after 2 minutes at the table, we had the classic question - "Your dog looks hungry - don't you ever feed him?"  (he should get an Oscar!) Here he is with his famous impression - "The light's on but there's nobody in.."

And then to cap it all - with the coffee, Bernadette offered me a large complimentary armagnac. According to a 14th century cardinal, armagnac has forty virtues: 
"It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralysed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits."
I've said this before but they really spoil us..

Afterwards, we went around to the kitchen and met J-M, the great stalwart in the kitchen, who's been there for years. Built like a rugby prop forward (which is not surprising since he was one), he's a superb chef and we were surprised to hear that he's retiring next year. He always looked after us well. Needless to say, we had a prolonged walk around the village before setting off for home.

Here's a nice evening shot of the 'our' village with the restaurant in darkness just below the church. 

30th June 2011. There were surprisingly few down at the river this evening - just enough to put together a coxless IV and a pair.. I was out in the IV and it went quite well.. we did 16km. (Running total: 823km) There was enough of a wind blowing up river to form waves. However, boats like ours don't ride waves, they just cut through them and with their low freeboard they are vulnerable to shipping water at speed! Most of us were well & truly soaked by the time we got back to the pontoon!
 
I was just deleting some old files when I found this old clip.. Now, be honest, who amongst us hasn't ever tried to dance the syrtaki when on holiday in Greece..? 
I was once quite a dab hand at it.. late at night, with a few ouzos onboard, by the light of the silvery moon etc etc.. Hup-haaaa!

Not long after we were married, I took Madame to what was advertised as the last unspoilt Greek island. Walking barefoot along the beach there one evening, just as I was about to put my foot down, I caught sight of something glittering in the sand right where my foot was going.. Aargh! A hypodermic syringe.. Talk about a mood-shattering moment.. What with that and the late night bars for the tourists (young N Europeans mainly) selling 'slammers' - cheap spirits guaranteed to put them straight into an instant coma - well, yes - I thought the islands had changed greatly since I lived there in the sixties.

2nd July 2011. Hot morning on the river - felt like 24° or so.. Had a very forgettable outing in a coxless IV - which actually got worse as we went on. Lack of concentration, timing all over the place, sloppy bladework, untidy finishes, rushing on the slides - where to start! Did 15km (Running total: 838km).

The DSK affair rumbles on.. I must admit to finding it slightly strange that a poor black woman in New York who reportedly has $100,000 in the bank was still working as a chambermaid! It's odd that no-one has mentioned this so far. Think there's much to emerge still in this case.

In the meantime, I think a restorative armagnac could well be on the cards this evening.. bearing in mind all the benefits I can expect according to that list above!

Thursday 30 September 2010

87. Strangers in town!

Friday 24th September 2010. This time last week I was picking up three of my relatives at Bordeaux airport who were going to be staying with us for a few days. The first to arrive were my cousin M and her Canadian husband R who had flown over from Toronto via Paris; they were followed a short time later by S, my cousin from England. We'd been greatly looking forward to their visit since we first invited them over a year ago. I'd been looking at the long range weather forecasts for weeks and, after a prolonged spell of great summer weather down here, clouds and rain were being predicted over the five days of their stay in the Pays Basque. I shouldn't have worried as far as they were concerned - for Canadians like M & R, anything north of freezing point is a bonus! They'd have been just as happy here if it had been snow and ice!

Hotel/restaurant Ramuntcho, St Jean Pied de Port
As it turned out, despite all the gloomy predictions of the weather forecasters, they were treated to perfect weather every day they were here.. it couldn't have been better for them with blue skies and temperatures up in the mid twenties. They really saw the Pays Basque at its very best. For me, one of the many highlights was a lunch we had one day at St Jean Pied de Port. We had thought of taking them to one of our favourite places, the hotel/restaurant "Ramuntcho", an excellent family-run traditional establishment set squarely in the historic part of town.
(Edited to add in 2023: It appears that the restaurant could be closed. Worth checking)
Unfortunately, when we arrived there we found it was their closing day so, after exploring the picturesque street with its Pilgrim* signs everywhere and walking along the old fortified walls of the town, we found our way across the main road to the Hotel Central** (below), situated on a bridge high above the Nive. While its stylish and cool dining room was tempting, we found a shaded table for five out on their terrace that overlooked the river and - well, all I can say is: try it for yourselves..! That lunch will live long in the memory.
* Santiago de Compostela
**Needless to say, I have no commercial interest in this hotel or any other business recommended here.



We also took them to San Sebastian and stopped for a lunch of pintxos (tapas) at our favourite dog-friendly bar Aralar (follow the link for photos) in the heart of the old town.

There was the usual colourful and mouth-watering display of pinxtos - bite-sized appetisers made with prawns, fish, crab, croquettes, tortilla, jamon, egg, red peppers stuffed with cod and many other tasty morsels too numerous to mention - set out all along the self-service bar-top which you then take to the friendly multi-lingual barman (who speaks at least 5 languages) for him to total up.

Aralar
What to drink? Sangria is the drink of choice at Aralar which they serve in an oversized glass (tough job but someone has to do it!). After a bracing 130 octane unleaded extra virgin cold pressed Spanish espresso to finish off with, we emerged blinking into the sunlight, stuffed to the gills, feeling suitably mellow and riding 'very low in the water'*, to wander around the beautiful old streets of San Sebastian for a while in the late afternoon sun.
A saying of Bill McLaren's, rugby's greatest ever commentator.

La Concha, San Sebastian
We narrowly escaped bumping into Julia Roberts who was breezing through town and due in a plush downtown hotel on a whistle-stop tour around Europe to promote her latest film. Her loss! This review suggests to me that the film has all the essential ingredients that any successful chick flick needs. Without being too dinosaur-ish about it all, when it plays in Bayonne I reckon I'll be otherwise engaged giving my sock drawer the Mother Of All Tidyings ..! Anyway, don't let my curmudgeonly ramblings put you off. Here, for all you ladies out there, is the trailer.. (tell me I'm wrong!)
Another unexpected bonus occurred during a visit to a sunny St Jean de Luz.. We found out on arrival that the Patrouille de France were going to be displaying a little later over the bay.. so we found a good vantage point on the sea wall. The team is led this year by a woman - Commandant Virginie Guyot.

We took our visitors around all our favourite places in the Pays Basque - as well as San Sebastian, St Jean Pied de Port and St Jean de Luz, we visited Ascain, Sare, Ainhoa, Saint Etienne de Baïgorry (where we bought some Irouléguy from the cooperative), Biarritz and of course Bayonne. It was great to see them here but suddenly it was the day of their departure for Carcassonne and their stay with us was over all too soon. It seemed as though we'd only just said hello to them before we were saying goodbye. There is so much more here we could have shown them. For instance, one of our favourite villages is Sare - notable for the distinguished old Hotel Arraya in the centre. We had lunch there one day - it was worth the trip just to see the dining room (below)..

Being totally honest, we both found the portions on the light side - even accepting that in these days of nouvelle cuisine, a groaning table is a thing of the past.

If you do visit the region, you have to try the wines.. They're not quirky oddities, they don't fall into the "don't travel" category and you definitely won't regret it. Just ensure that both the reds are not cool from your cellar.. pop them into your airing cupboard to bring the temp up a few notches.

Having tried many of the Irouléguys I'd recommend the Irouléguy Gorri d'Ansa (expect to pay ~8-9€ in a shop). There is a white Irouléguy but I've not tried it. I'd say 9 out of 10 bottles of Irouléguy are red. (Edited to add: these are 2010 prices)

Madiran? Chateau Peyros would get my vote. Yes, there are cheaper alternatives but as always... fill in the rest yourself!

As for the Jurançon, I don't know it sufficiently well to recommend one above another. You can find dry and doux (sweet) Jurançon. The dry is excellent with seafood whereas you should save the doux as an apero or with foie gras or dessert. (Edited to add: We had a Domaine Cauhapé recently.. wonderful!) If unsure which one you're looking at, the doux Jurançon has a hint of amber in the colour whereas the dry is very pale.

If you find yourself standing in front of a shelf feeling a tad confused, always remember this tip.. Look at the label to see if it gives the name of the Propriétaire - it might say Mis en bouteille par - bottled by Gaston Dupont (made up name). As a quick rule of thumb, I think if someone is prepared to put his name on his wine it counts for more than one produced by a Société.. How will you know if it's been produced by a Société..? At the base of the label, you might see the word Société or you might see an acronym - something like SCEA or something close to.. That means the wine has been produced by a number of growers and well.. human nature being what it is etc etc. Reading the label though is no substitute for tasting a wine at the right temperature and with food. At this point I'll put my tin hat on and await the incoming!

25th September 2010. The skies looked a bit threatening this morning on my way down to the rowing club.. The river was in full flood mode and there was one heck of a strong downstream current. We had about 3 yolettes (beamy 'fours' for beginners) out on the water and they were barely making any headway up-river. I went out in a quad sculler and, sure enough, fifteen minutes into the outing there was a downpour.. Ah well, 'tis only water.. Did 12 km (running total 190km).

26th September 2010. Down to the beach at Anglet this afternoon to enjoy the sunshine and we sat and relaxed watching the rollers surging in and bursting in explosions of foam and spray against the jetty there.

28th September 2010. My cousin brought me a fascinating book about the Royal Flying Corps and that's enough of an excuse for me to replay the late Rik Mayall at his very best:
Out in the VIII (rowing, not sculling) this evening.. Set off late due to a small tech problem so we headed off down river to join the wide open spaces of the Adour. There was a rolling swell as we neared the sea which made for uncomfortable rowing so we turned about and came back. 12km (running total 202km)

30th September 2010. We went to Biarritz this morning - Madame had an appointment at the hairdressers there so I ambled around with the pooch doing pensioner impressions for an hour - shouting at passing traffic, blocking pavements, pulling doors marked push - that sort of thing. Then, after she'd finished, we had a pizza in a place opposite Barclays Bank (near Hotel Windsor). Delicious pizza - highly recommended..

Went rowing this evening in a quad sculler - 12km (running total 214km).

2nd October 2010. 15km this morning in a IV. (running total 220km)

5th October 2010. 12km (total 232km)

9th October 2010. 16 km (total 248km)