Thursday, 20 May 2010

Prepared a fresh fruit salad with our purchases yesterday, including great rasberries and strawberries, now in season. Had a quiet morning - went to nearby Hauteville-Lompnes with Brent to pick up some rose bushes for the garden at a sort of smaller Bunnings type store. The garden around the restuarant is lovely. Brent has constructed a retaining wall at the back with massive old railway sleepers - quite an impressive job. Rosemary produced another great lunch: Blanquette du Veau - veal cooked with white wine - and mashed potato - but not any old mashed potato - these are sieved through a moulix with plenty of butter and cream - delicious. In the afternoon Brent and Rosemary drove us all to Lac du Bourget, France's largest lake, about one hour away. We crossed the Rhone River at the northern end then drove down the eastern shore - very spectacular with mountains on each side, vineyards and castles up on the higher points (this area is just an hour from the Alps skiing area of Annecy). Stopped at Aix-les-Bains a very attractive, and prosperous, small city where Queen Victoria and members of the English aristocracy would come to "take the waters". Had a walk around the centre, a beer at a sidewalk table (it does not cost any more in these parts to have coffee or a drink served outside), then had a look at the famous old Casino which has recently been restored - beautiful ceiling and its own opera. Drove back up the lake and had dinner on the lakeside at Restaurant de la Plage, at Chatillon at the northern end - lake fish grilled with almonds, very good, followed by Creme Brule and digestive to finish - the now famous lemoncello (getting to be an expert). It was a sunny day but just a bit too cool to sit outside. The sun was disappearing over the mountains on the western side and still shining on the tops on the eastern side as we finished. The twilight goes for a long time and it was only fully dark when we arrived home at about 10.00pm. A very enjoyable afternoon and evening which it was great to share with our lovely hosts, Rosemary and Brent.