insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 124

TRAVEL
THE DORDOGNE VALLEY CONT.
It was of course now lunchtime and
therefore the start of my gastronomic
journey. First stop on my mini trip
was to the medieval city of Martel.
Exactly how I imagined the setting to
be, with pale stone buildings. Being
market day, the square was full of
finest cheese, wines and foie gras stalls,
but lunch was calling.
Le Petit Moulin is a small but
high-end bistro set in the heart of
the medieval city. We sat down to
a delightful meal and a chance to
chat to one of the owners who runs
the restaurant with his brother.
Their family rear lambs and are also
local walnut oil producers; well
known in the region, I was instantly
hooked, ordering with every meal over
the journey!
We started with foie gras, which is
the first dish on the menu at
every restaurant in the region, proud
as they are of their local delicacy, and
of course a glass of red wine is always
on hand. This was followed by a
hearty main course of beef and
vegetables, with a delightful hazelnut
whipped cream-filled choux pastry for
dessert. A perfect arrival lunch that
also offered time to take in the beauty
and history of the city before heading
to our next destination, Le Pont de
l'Ouysse in Lacave.
The scenic journey was totally
relaxing. There are no housing estates
or office blocks, just breathtaking
countryside, and we also had our first
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chance to cross the famous Dordogne
River via a small bridge.
Before we checked into our hotel
for the evening we came across the
sacred village of Rocamadour.
Suspended between heaven and
earth, Rocamadour has been a great
pilgrimage site for a thousand years.
Built on three successive levels, old
stone houses, majestic towers and a
castle keep spectacularly cascade off
the cliff - you can see why it is listed
as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Whilst on the other side of the Alzou
Canyon, there are spectacular views
of green from the woodland below.
After driving round to the other side,
we descended on foot down to the
bottom of the site via a steep pathway,
walking the route of many pilgrims
around the village. We did cheat and
opt for the glass lift part of the way
back up, impressive as it was inside
the rocks!
Home for the evening was Le Pont de
l’Ouysse, a simple converted farm
house now hotel which offers 12 rooms
and 2 apartments, all of them bright
and sunny with gleaming hardwood
floors, and Michelin starred dining.
Its refined charm is the product of
careful growth and development, with
part of its newly-found space having
been reclaimed from the rocky cliff in
which it is nestled.
My quaint looking farmhouse room
overlooked an emerald stream with
views over the castle of Belcastel, a part ruined stone bridge was adjacent which
had caved in and was sat along the river side. Before dinner, Michelin-star chef
Stéphane Chambon treated us to a mini cookery course in his kitchen,
demonstrating several different ways to cook and present white asparagus, so
simple yet very effective.
Taste buds fully tantalized, I was ready to take on Stéphane’s fine dining
experience. We started with canapes and drinks alongside the stream before
heading into the restaurant. A sliced truffle on a carpaccio of duck was the first
of the sensational dishes to follow. Of course after our earlier cookery lesson by
the master himself, an asparagus dish had to make an appearance, this one a
delight of quails egg and Jambon de Bayonne.
The main dish’s cloche was whipped away at the table, unveiling a perfectly
cooked pork loin with garlic, carrots, new potatoes, asparagus and tomato. The
jus and accompanying herbs, poured by the waiter, tasted out of this world. This
is what French gastronomy is all about, and did I forget to mention the amazing
wines paired with each course went down a treat.
The following morning we were back on the road, heading to Périgord Noir,
stopping on route to discover one the most famous gardens in the south of France
- Les Jardins de Marqueyssac. Set on a rocky outcrop, the 22-hectare park
overlooks the valley with its high cliffs. From the Belvedere of the Dordogne,
130 metres above the river, unfolds the most beautiful panorama of the Périgord.
It was a short drive to our next destination, by far the most famous town in the
region and one of the most renowned and visited in France. The old town dates
from both medieval and renaissance times and the City of Art and History was
the first protected historical district in France to have been restored thanks to
the Malraux Law of 1964. No wonder famous film-makers have been making
use of the medieval backdrop of Sarlat since 1928. A guided tour is the perfect
way to make the most of a day before picking one of the many eateries or street
cafes to sit and watch the tourists go by on the cobbled streets.
For dinner we headed to La Garrigue Haute, a family farm inn set in a flowery
backdrop created by the owner’s great grandmother. Cooked by his parents, the
menu is typical of the locale; foie gras, duck breast and roast potatoes, with bread
and soft cheese to finish; before we headed back for an overnight stay in Sarlat
in the Hôtel Le Renoir.