Me, my holidays will be at the end of September, a period that I particularly appreciate. However, it's a bit of a long wait. So I told myself that a weekend break, full of tranquility, would be welcome. A little tour on the Internet, some research in the neighboring regions, when I said to myself that I really did not want to drive too long or suffer traffic jams. I then remembered that I had been told about very pleasant guest rooms in La Réole, one hour from Bordeaux: The parenthesis. A few exchanges of emails later, the case was heard. I was also going to be able to take advantage of the small city of La Réole which is, all the same, a City of Art and History.
The least that can be said is that I was fully satisfied by a room full of charm with the very evocative name of "Madder": madder like the color of the plant, the dominant color of the room or the heroine of Children of Paradise. But La Parenthèse wouldn't be what it is without the enthusiastic welcome from Anne and her husband, who take great care as soon as you walk through the door. The departing customers I met were all smiles, the house cats were asking for their share of caresses and I enjoyed an excellent organic Crémant de Bordeaux (in moderation), because I had taken the Carpe Diem option for this summer weekend. Equally pleasant, my dinner at the restaurant on Solendo located a few minutes walk away.
After a hearty breakfast where all the hosts tried, sometimes without success, to guess the original flavors of the jams concocted by Anne, I set off to discover the new thematic route of the Reole. The heritage there is so rich that I couldn't explore it all at once in the steep streets: yet it was my third visit. The old town hall, the church of Saint-Pierre, the priory and the former monastery of the Benedictines, the ramparts, the old prison, to name only the most emblematic monuments, can be discovered thanks to a booklet distributed at the tourism office. Then just follow the signs for the "small" or "large" route and make beautiful discoveries such as the ironwork of Blaise Charlut or the local hero Jean de la Réoule celebrated in a song.
At the end of the morning, I particularly liked the large market on the banks of the Garonne where all the inhabitants of the area seem to know each other and find each other. I extended the pleasure with a trip to the neighboring Lot-et-Garonne, stopping off in the charming village of Meilhan-sur-Garonne and its famous mound which offers an incredible view of the river, as well as in Couthure-sur- Garonne where I was surprised by the museum People of Garonne. In the evening, I greatly appreciated the high quality traditional cuisine at the restaurant. The fountains, a famous local table, in a tropical-looking garden.
On Sunday, I made the most of the peace and quiet of La Parenthèse by having breakfast in the garden with the cats. Nothing to say, Anne: I too left a message full of enthusiasm in the guestbook. To end this weekend in a relaxed way of life, I went for a walk on the Monco botanical trail to Auros, which meanders from the forest, before having lunch at theLock 52 along the Canal de Garonne. A magical place, but that I had you already talked about last year.