270. Maximus Augustus Temperaturae

31st August. From the "How Times Flies" Dept.. Tomorrow, it will be 12 years to the day since we arrived here in the Pays Basque - thus fulfilling a long-held dream. There's always an element of risk in taking the decision to live out a dream - as dreams can sometimes turn out to be fantasies - but, prior to making our decision, we tried to think of all the likely (and unlikely) possibilities that could arise and assessed the likelihood of any of them happening. We tried to have a plan for each one. Our biggest risk was moving to the eurozone with our sterling pensions (but that's another story). In the end, it came down to a yes/no decision - and we took the plunge and it worked out very well for us.

A few years ago, we encountered someone who was clearly something of a fantasist. One hot summer's day, we stopped for a drink in a traditional café in the heart of an ancient market town a few miles inland from here. On trying to order a citron pressé from the waiter - and getting the blankest of looks in return - our suspicions that the café was owned by a "subject of her gracious Majesty" (as they say here) were confirmed when we spotted beer-battered fish & chips chalked up on the menu board. Again, nothing wrong with that - but here, in a traditional village in la France profonde? 

The waiter went back inside and a few seconds later, a lady - clearly the owner - came out to help.

Even I could hear that she had attended the "Edward Heath School of French" (for readers with long memories!) and she was as English as could be. Again, nothing wrong with that of course, but a café plays such a central rôle in the life of a village community here that her rudimentary language skills and inability to be able to serve standard menu items doomed the project to failure from the start. I admired her pluck in trying it but the odds were heavily stacked against her making a go of it. Sure enough, a few weeks ago, we passed through the village and sadly her café was no more. 

29th August. In 1975, the UK held a referendum that addressed its continued membership of the EEC. The question as asked was: "The Government has announced the results of the renegotiation of the United Kingdom's terms of membership of the European Community. Do you think the United Kingdom should stay in the European Community (the Common Market)?" In a 64% turnout of the electorate, the country voted to stay by 67% to 33% (figures rounded up/down to nearest whole number).

In June 2016, the UK held another referendum to ask the electorate a simple yes/no question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" In a 72% turnout, the country voted 52% to 48% to leave. 

It should have been a straightforward process for the UK to leave an international organisation it had joined freely and of its own volition some 40+ years ago. After all, it's not as though the EU is the Warsaw Pact. However, the EU has treated the democratic result of the UK referendum with outright hostility from the outset. France's erstwhile president Hollande threatened darkly that "there would be consequences". Perhaps the reason why UK should be subject to the EU's punitive and frankly hostile stance may emerge in the fullness of time. 

Amid a storm of protest, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acted with characteristic decisiveness to suspend Parliament for just over a month. As I see it, this was to forestall those in Parliament who have been working furiously to derail any moves to leave the EU without a deal. The protesters claim that Parliament is being denied its voice. To that, I would say that we have endured 3+years of listening non-stop to parliamentarians and endless media speculation and we are still no nearer now to implementing the referendum result than we were in 2016. As long as our efforts to leave the EU remain stalled, the worse it is for Britain and the EU at large across the board. We need closure on Brexit and we need to move on. So - well done Boris. At last, we have a prime minister worthy of the name.      

27th August. Here's a recent shameful quote from Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator: "My mission will have been a success when the terms are so brutal for the British that they prefer to stay in the union.” This comment merely serves to confirm my belief that, for all its fine words, the EU remains a deeply politicised club that we are well out of.

Barnier's appalling statement was followed by one in similar spirit from Donald Tusk - the president of the EU Council - who declared just before the G7 that "the one thing I will not cooperate on is no deal."

Barnier contrived to lock the UK into a 'brutal' deal - one that no freedom-loving country could accept - and so the only alternative now is to leave on No Deal terms - and in this Tusk says he will refuse to cooperate. With "Friends and Partners" like these, who needs enemies? 

I can't imagine for one second that Winston Churchill, Britain's greatest-ever Englishman, Prime Minister and statesman, would have ever uttered either of the statements quoted above.

He had it right: “Never Give In, Never, Never, Never, Never Give In – In nothing great or small, large or petty – Never Give In, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” There's an excellent overview of Churchill here. To get a sense of this true giant of the 20th century, I can unreservedly recommend taking the time to visit his home - Chartwell, in Kent. 

25th August. I was out with the dog this evening - it was warm and sultry - when I saw that a substantial metal barrier (about 3 metres high) had been erected from wall-to-wall across the road at the top of our avenue, thus securing access to the Law Courts (which have been fenced in and guarded by armed gendarmes). I noticed that four armed gendarmes - all in full heavy tactical kit - were watching me closely and so I thought I'd go across and congratulate them on providing a safe and secure environment for the G7 - and in doing so, show them that no, we don't all hate the police.. Their surprise turned to pleasure when they realised I was on their side and, amid smiles all around, we had a friendly chat (one or two even tried out their English on me!) and we shook hands. For those who think the gendarmes have it easy, I'd say try standing out in the heat and the humidity all day wearing all that heavy kit - being provoked and abused by elements of the public. Given that Biarritz was selected (rightly or wrongly) as the venue for the G7, I think the forces of order (as they're known here) did a superb job in providing a secure environment for it. Well done!

A bit of action in town last night - an entirely predictable protest by the usual suspects that turned into a "let's confront the police" situation. Surveillance helicopters chuntering overhead all day. Protesters and people with cameras in equal measure looking for saleable photos or videos with protesters only too willing to oblige. Protesters shouting "We all hate the police". I wonder how many of them could explain what capitalism is? And what viable economic system they would propose to replace it with? All very sad.

24th August. While I love Irish rugby - I love English rugby just that little bit more. The two sides met today in a Rugby World Cup warm-up game - and this was the first time that coach Eddie Jones showed his hand. There were plenty of fast, powerful and mobile players out on display from both teams today - but I'll leave it to you to decide who deserved the most plaudits. Pity there's no full length video of the match - but despite that, these highlights should give an idea of which way the wind was blowing.. I wish commentators would refrain from using words like 'humiliation'. It was a heavy defeat - nothing more.

 Meanwhile, north of the border at Murrayfield, Scotland recovered from being 3-14 down to France - only to show remarkable spirit in fighting back to win 17-14..

22nd August. You're getting some real musical treats this afternoon - and all at no extra charge! With jazz, I always think less is more.. (you're entitled to differ of course) but this track by Chet Baker is very close to perfection (in my opinion). Guess who wrote it? (answer at the foot of the page):

I never tire of listening to this piece by Beethoven - his Sonata Pathetique, Op. 13: II. Adagio - and it was one of my father's favourites that he used to enjoy playing (only I had no idea at the time). A few months ago, I posted Matthew McAllister's version on the classical guitar - remind yourself of it here. Now listen to Daniel Barenboim's sublime interpretation of it on the piano (it starts at 9:46).

Here's the great Ry Cooder with his slide guitar and his "Feelin' Bad Blues" on the soundtrack of the cult film "Crossroads" (1986) - the guitarist in the clip below is played by actor Ralph Macchio: 

21st August. I came across this poster (right) for the Train Bleu earlier and it was a timely reminder that we are far from being in a Golden Age for travel. There was once the old-fashioned notion that the actual travelling was part of the pleasure of a holiday; this, however, has long been overtaken by the grim reality of travel in the era of mass tourism. 

Nowadays, we have to park - with our luggage - in windswept lots that have different post codes than the airport; with check-in two hours before take-off; then there's the mandatory queueing; the printing of our own boarding passes & tickets and now self check-in (this happened to us on our recent trip to Naples); the searching of personal belongings (shoes off/shoes on etc); walking down interminable corridors looking for the departure gate, plus the sheer numbers of fellow travellers - not all of whom make for ideal travelling companions.

The Train Bleu dining car

This photo of the dining car of the fabled Train Bleu puts me in mind of the age when the "getting there" could be just as enjoyable and memorable as the holiday itself - for the lucky few. 

For them, the overnight train journey south on the Train Bleu must have been a highly pleasurable method of launching a holiday on the Côte d'Azur between the wars. Those well-heeled travellers maybe would have kick-started their holiday at the magnificent Le Train Bleu restaurant (below) at the Gare du Lyon, Paris (more here) before descending to the platform to join their train for the delights of the south. (Thinks: "Now where did I put that cheese sandwich..?")

(Here's a little known factoid for when it goes quiet in the snug: In most countries, the “rule of the road” for trains is the same as for road traffic. For example, in England, where cars drive on the left of the road, trains run on the left hand of a pair of rail tracks, while in Germany, where cars drive on the right, trains use the right hand track of the pair. France is an exception to this rule. Cars drive on the right, but trains run on the left. This is because the early railways were mainly built using British expertise and standard equipment “out of the box”.) 

18th August. With less than a week to run before the 45th G7 Summit takes place (24th-26th August) at the hyper-luxurious Hotel du Palais at nearby Biarritz, security in the area is getting tighter than a tight thing. Biarritz itself has been divided into two zones (only accessible by those who are accredited) with pedestrian access only in the immediate seaside area. Those not attending the G7 are being advised not to try to access the town and/or its beaches. The frontier with Spain is being closed and commercial flights into Biarritz are prohibited.

Looking at the attendees, I'm asking myself why the EU is there - represented by messrs Tusk and Juncker - neither of whom have been elected. It begs the question why on earth are two of them needed?

The declared theme of this G7 is - and I quote - "the fight against inequalities" which explains why the attendees and their entourages will be roughing it at the 5 star Hotel du Palais (above and below). You couldn't make it up.

I've just heard that counter-demos by the usual suspects (aka G7EZ) are likely to be mounted as of tomorrow and it seems that Hendaye and possibly Bayonne will be likely locations (gulp!). The heightened security profile was evident during our return from the Ossau valley last Friday. At the final péage on the A64 autoroute from Pau, gendarmes (and possibly CRS) were pulling cars over for a document check if the occupants fitted the profile. As we've now come to expect, we were waved through! 

"Aaarrgh! You don't have to reply
when a biker thanks you..!"

Changing the subject, I don't think I've ever mentioned a ridiculous gesture employed by French bikers (motards). If you move over to the right slightly to enable them to overtake (as they inevitably must), you will often be thanked - motard-style. That's to say - he will stick out his right leg as a thank you. As gestures go, I must say that this is one of the weirdest. Where else in the world does an extended leg mean thank you? Apparently they are unable to raise their right hand in a thank you gesture that lasts maybe ½ second - as presumably in their eyes, the right hand belongs on the throttle. As a former rider I think I could bear to raise my right hand for that long without being a danger to myself or others. This extended stiff leg looks anything but cool (which I think is the effect that they're looking for).

17th August. We're just back home after a few days away in the Vallée d'Ossau.. a spectacular valley in the Pyrenees that made me think I was in a different country. And it's only 1 hour 40 mins away from home. Here's a stunning view of Bielle:

Vallée d'Ossau

We stayed at a hotel buried deep in the countryside just outside Sévignacq-Meyracq - it's not somewhere that you would be likely to stumble upon by accident. (It's part of Logis Hotels group) It was our third visit there and as ever it was a delightful experience. (Edited in 2023 to add: The owner J-P Paroix has left - unsure what the current situation is?)

The owner and chef Jean-Pierre Paroix is clearly doing something right as every table was occupied! The restaurant features a fairly limited* spoilt-for-choice menu and the cooking is of an exceptionally high standard - and in fact, our whole stay there was perfect.

We're now seeking excuses to make another visit!

* always a good sign.

Hotel-Restaurant Les Bains de Secours, Sévignacq-Meyracq 

This video (shot by someone else) shows the drive we took yesterday morning from the lake at Fabrèges down to Laruns.. via Gabas (where one of our favourite restaurants was - now closed). In what some consider to be an ill-advised move, wild bears from Slovenia were re-introduced into the Ossau valley. Start at 6:00.. (it gets 'interesting' from 29:00)

The houses there were of a completely different style to those on the Côte Basque. Look at these sensational properties that are on the market - I would be prepared to sacrifice several body parts for the opportunity to live in some of them!

13th August. I was recently offered a "waiter's friend" corkscrew ostensibly made by Laguiole - the ne plus ultra of such things from that quintessentially French brand. These corkscrews are hand-made and they are incredibly tactile objects. French craftsmen seem to have a real affinity, a craft tradition and a great gift for designing and making small metal objects that are seldom equalled elsewhere. More here on Laguiole. These same skills are apparent in northern Italy as well and it's no accident that some of the world's greatest cars originate from there. Back to corkscrews!

In handling it out of its box, I was astonished to find a small sticker on it to the effect that it was made in - wait for it - the PRC! I've said this before elsewhere in the blog that we in Western Europe are dooming our native manufacturing capability to extinction by exporting our ideas, design, tradition, craftsmanship and know-how to China and elsewhere. Laguiole built up its reputation for top quality French craftsmanship over the years and now - what? What will we be making a few decades from now? Will we have any craftsmen left? 

The security operation that will be mounted while the G7 conference is taking at Biarritz is remarkable. Major security measures are being implemented to ensure that our leaders will be able to carry out their business unmolested by the ranks of the seriously disgruntled. This (below) is how protests used to be conducted in the UK! (if only..!)

For those of you who have tried, and failed, recently to access my interactive map of restaurants in France that still serve meals that are cooked in the traditional way - ie, from scratch, using fresh ingredients, without resorting to the use of microwaving 'bought-in' meals* - you will have noticed that the map could no longer be accessed as it had been blocked by the provider. I'm pleased to be able to tell you that thanks to the generosity of the map provider (Zeemaps) I can continue to offer it as a free service. There are some nice people 'out there'. Thank you, Zeemaps!

* Sadly, the use of bought-in meals and microwaves in restaurant in France, as elsewhere, is becoming increasingly prevalent as restaurateurs seek ways to cut their costs - and one of the major suppliers of these meals is Brake - a formerly British company that's been owned since 2016 by Sysco, a US corporation.  

Here's how the map works:

- to access the entry for a restaurant named in the list below, simply click on its entry -  & click on the photos to enlarge them.

- to slew the map to a particular area of interest, use drag and drop.

- use the +/- buttons to zoom in or out.

- to see the map full size in the blog without the accompanying key text, click on the >> arrow at the top right of the map.

- click here to see the map in full screen. (useful if the text entry for a particular restaurant appears compressed and unreadable)

- the position of each pointer is accurate so if you select 'Satellite' at top left and zoom right in down to house level, you can see exactly where the restaurant is.

My only caveat about any of the restaurants mentioned above is that it's a fact of life that the restaurant business is fluid and that some of the owners and staff running restaurants inevitably move on. My comments relate to the situation that prevailed at the time of the visit. Enjoy exploring the restaurants on the list. Bon appetit! 

12th August. It's been a while since I've featured the great Django Reinhardt - here he is wiz Stéphane Grapelli:

10th August. We've decided to have a few days away next week as the peak of the high season draws near on the coast here. We're going to return to a small country hotel near Laruns (south of Pau) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We've been there twice before - and there's good food, empty roads, good walks.. and the mountain air is like wine. This time we're taking the pooch! He came out of the kennels a few weeks ago with a spectacular dose of 'Montezuma's revenge' - plus I don't think he'd slept for the 3 days he'd spent in there.

9th August. We drove down to Saint-Jean-de-Luz last night for a few attitude-adjusters in the place Louis XIV where we found a band was setting up.

We found a table at the Bar de la Baleine.. and, over a couple of long glasses of sangria, watched the square fill up with August visitors.

If you happened to see that funny, quirky and highly entertaining Irish film "The Commitments" (1991), you'll know what I mean if I tell you that the group last night started playing that same brand of 60s Soul music.. and they weren't bad either - the square was jumpin'! One elder statesman (not me) caused some amusement by dancing along to the music - alone! If I had to choose one song from the film, it would be this.

If you haven't seen the film  it's well worth searching out (I believe it turned into something of a cult classic). The story? A young would-be promoter/ entrepreneur gathers together a group of dysfunctional musicians in Dublin to form a soul band (the film is worth watching for the audition scenes alone!). After grinding through rehearsal after painful rehearsal, and just as they appear to be within touching distance of "making it", they self-destruct spectacularly. (Warning: If you watch the film, you'll need to set your "Bad Language Filter" to max!)

7th August. Words You'll Never Read Here Dept: these are some of my current favourites: 'nuanced'.. 'conversation'.. and 'narrative' (might have had this one previously).

5th August. I saw the first graffiti today about the G7 meeting at Biarritz later this month - all it said was G7EZ.. It's the acronym for the usual rentamob (aka eurotrash from all over Europe) to turn up, protest - oh yes, and while they're at it, break a few shop windows, loot shops, throw stones at the police, steal someone else's property or set fire to people's cars. Very democratic..(!)

I have no objection whatsoever to people protesting - but I totally fail to see the connection with all the associated vandalism, violence, thievery and destruction of someone else's property and/or livelihood. Then there are those who come equipped with powerful catapults and other weapons. I have zero sympathy for any of them should they get hurt. This is not a fashionable statement but I hope the CRS give as good as they get - plus a bit of interest. 

4th August. I was idly watching someone smoking (if that's the right word) an e-cigarette earlier today. As they walked along and exhaled, they emitted a prolonged cloud of vapour reminiscent of an old steam train. It looked like they were boiling a kettle! Instead of faffing around with these ridiculous e-cigarettes (which are cigarettes in name only), why don't they just give up? It ain't that hard.

Years ago, long before we moved here, when Winter would slowly morph into Spring each year, I'd start getting restless thinking of the possibilities for summer. Just to set foot in France at one of the Channel ports already involved a considerable expense as the cross channel ferry companies would jack up their prices in time for the holiday season - or the airlines would find an excuse to ramp up the cost of their tickets (no low cost airlines back then). It occurred to me the other day that my feet no longer start their seasonal tapping as we're now in the fortunate position of being able to travel any time at all - subject to the dreaded finances of course..

Hotel du Palais

We got up early this morning, took the short 10 minute drive to Biarritz and "installed ourselves" (as the French say) at the Bleu Café at Biarritz's Grande Plage. Perfect way to start the day, watching people and the ever-changing sea. In a few weeks this won't be possible as the "Great and the Good" will be ensconced at the palatial and hyper-glitzy Hotel du Palais, Biarritz, for a meeting of the G7. Security will be tighter than a tight thing - I'm not even sure if the tide will be allowed to come in while they are here. As Biarritz will be in full "lock down" mode, I've heard it suggested that Bayonne could well receive a visitation from the Black Bloc. The Romans understood the benefits of guard dogs. (Cave Canem = Beware of the Dog) I have an 18kg attack spaniel with a hair trigger tongue!☺

2nd August. I went out on my ebike this afternoon for a short ride up the Nive as far as Villefranque (at the bottom of the map) and return. My right knee is still talking to me so no harm done!

1st August. I had the third and final session of treatment on my right knee this evening - using a Swiss-made device that delivers a pneumatic drill-style hammering at the location where I'd previously told the doctor the pain was at its maximum. If I understood him (a rhumatologue) correctly, the idea behind the process is to create scar tissue around the knee ligaments. I tried to maintain a Zen-like calmness throughout but I was reduced to reflex squirming on several occasions. As a fun activity, it's one that's hard to beat on a summer's evening!  

(The post title is just a bit of meaningless cod-Latin!)

Answer to the who wrote "Almost Blue" question: Elvis Costello..