A Pinay in Europe

A Sunday morning walk in the little commune of Fontenay de Briis, in the autumn, is simply spectacular! 

I am extremely lost for words gaping at the fiery colours of the changing season and the English-style gardens.  It is a sight so sublime,  my heart sings with joy at the staggering beauty of it all…

“The leaves fall patiently,
Nothing remembers or grieves
The river takes to the sea
The yellow drift of leaves.”
- Sara Teasdale

“Colors burst in wild explosions
Fiery, flaming shades of fall
All in accord with my pounding heart
Behold the autumn-weaver…”
- Dark Tranquility, With the Flaming Shades of Fall

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.”
- Elizabeth Lawrence

“I would rather have one small rose
From the garden of a friend
Than to have the choicest flowers
When my stay on Earth must end.”
- author unknown

Fontenay de Briis, a modest commune of about 1700 inhabitants, is 30kms southwest of Paris.

This is the Mairie (town hall) which is attached to the Church of Fontenay

Vestige of the old church which was built towards the year 1200

A barometer on the Mairie’s tower

The old Pigeon House (pigeonnier) which is part of the Chateau.
Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in Western Europe and were kept for their eggs, flesh, and dung. (source: Wikipedia)

Read what Colombo has to say….

My wife who loves activities of the Festival Committee asked me to make a reservation, quickly, with the Fontenay Club  for the show, “Enigma”, which will take place right after the Association Day on 10th September, but how to find it out the price, the food and the venue….

I think H is doing a Colombo…He knows that I am a festivalphile ….

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Jardin des Plantes
5th Arrondisement, Paris

I was surprised to see a family of kangaroo in the Jardin des Plantes!  I thought that you have to fly 27 hours to Australia if you wish to see a real one. 

There is a small zoo in this 23.5 hectares of Botanical Park.  I saw at the entrance that they even have a lion and a collection of reptiles.  I saw these deers at the fenced grounds and I was hoping this guy would stand up and pose for my camera but he prefers to slob.

It’s only in this park that I saw a big kiwi tree.  They are usually low and climbing like vines.

Many gardens, public and private, shared or belonging to the church, schools or hospitals are open to the public this weekend in observance of the Fete du Jardin.  A lot of activities were prepared for all ages and one of them is the free Guided Visit by an expert gardener.  Here, the guide is explaining to us the different styles of gardens, this particularly is Alpine where only low plants can grow at high altitude.  

An interesting flower similar to orchid

Inside the greenhouse, we saw this tropical tree that grows a network of surface roots.

Plants that grow on rocks

In the desert zone of the greenhouse is a cactus that produce a flower the shape of a star.

The spikes of a cactus.  What a symmetry!

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France seems to have a festival being celebrated about each day of the year and for a Festivalphile like me (yes, I just made that up as there must be a term for it somehow..) I must attend!…… especially if it is all about food, gardening, photography…..Incidentally, the Salon de la Photo is happening next week and I already have free tickets for H and me, hurray!!!

Last Friday the 23rd, was the Fête de la Gastronomy, the next day or the whole weekend actually, was the Fête du Jardin.  Unfortunately, I missed the former, but the latter I successfully attended and that will be my next post after this.

Now what happens when you get to ”experience” both gastronomy and garden all in one day, in one place and with H as company? 

I call it Sublime with a capital “S”! 

Why?  Because it blissfully quenched our five senses:  hearing of the birds singing, sight for the artistic way the food was served, the explosion of colourful flowers in the garden, touch of the semi-formal table setting set in rustic surroundings, smell of the floral and herbal scents wafting in the air and taste for the divine courses served one after the other …  this is truly Gastronomie Française!

It all started in a fortified 17th century farmhouse turned restaurant in a little commune of Saint-Cyr-sous-Dourdan.  

Thirty-nine kms southwest of Paris, we always drive past this medieval-looking stone structure with a brick red cone roof and a courtyard bedecked with flowers and antique displays.  It has a restaurant with a façade so charming it reminds you of the covers of country home magazines.  

We promised ourselves that we shall dine there one day …

That day came last Sunday.  The patron (owner)  met us at the entrance and were extended the warmest reception even shaking our hands as if we were his guests. 

When he asked if we made a reservation, my heart stopped, I thought we would be turned away if we said no.  But when he directed us to a table dressed up in dark burgundy, it’s like we won the lotto! It was a lucky day!

I like dining in classic restaurants but nothing excites me more than French dining in a rustic setting…

Old things combined with the earth’s natural bounty is like Art in three-dimension

While we got seated in the garden, others preferred the “grange” (barn).

This is the menu board which gets shifted from table to table.  They give you enough time to think so not to worry…although it’s quite difficult to make a decision when there is so much to choose from!

The star of the show, the food. 

This is H’s entrée:  Terrine campagnarde maison (home-made country Pâté)

My own entrée:  Croustillant de fromage de chevre et lard (crispy goat cheese and bacon)

The main dish where I would applaudingly give the title …….”To die for”

Agneau de 7H au thym et au romarin (Lamb of 7H, in thyme and rosemary)

7H means the meat is braised in the oven for seven hours until it becomes ultra-tender, moist and full of flavour. 

The green beans that accompanied the lamb, not only artistic but it tastes ephemeral!

And the dessert: Fondant chaud au caramel (hot fudge caramel, with ice cream)..I think I’m in heaven…..mmmhhhh

Despite the 49euros bill including the table wine, it is definitely worth every centime…. After all, money cannot buy the experience of dining like a King!

Dining experience over, it’s now time to enjoy the flowers..

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