Perigord

After our wonderful stay in Provence, we went to stay with friends at their magnificent home in the heart of Périgord, a couple of kilometers from the spectacular Cingle de Trémolat (an oxbow).

Our friends' magnificent home in Périgord

Although the distance between St-Rémy de Provence and Périgord is not huge as the crow flies, it is very far as the car drives. Not being eager to spend a lot of time on charming winding roads, we opted for a simpler route, stopping first in Arles and then spending the night in Albi on route. Both are great places to go. Arles was having a black-and-white photography festival featuring works of sixty contemporary artists, including some of the best in the world. Albi has one of the best cathedrals in the world, an amazing Toulouse-Lautrec museum (he was from there) and a delightful and beautifully kept old city.

Arriving at our friends' home, it was into the pool to cool down, then drinks and dinner on their terrace. The next night we went to the justly renowned Vieux Logis, in Trémolat. This is a Relais and Château hotel with a Michelin starred restaurant (it has one star but based on our experience deserves two). We had the 5-course seasonal menu dégustation, a real buy at 80 euros (60 if you make the mistake of omitting the fish course), 100 (or 80) if you include a matching tasting of local Bergerac wines. Beautifully crafted and interesting food -- far from the heavy, foie-gras focused fare that is typically associated with this region -- as the following pictures attest.

 

Pigeon at Vieux Logis: roasted breast and confited leg

Périgord is a beautiful region with lots to do, chateaux, prehistoric caves, etc., although we just relaxed, having seen the sights on earlier trips. I highly recommend visiting the area and staying at the Vieux Logis.

Bobby Jay