Taking water with the wine

Holiday in France

May 2001

Our holiday in Dégagnac in the south of France had a distinctly liquid theme.  It wasn't just the Cahors wine.  We also took a lot of water with it.   We stayed in a house called La Bonne Etoile  - thanks to Ian and Jane for the use of their holiday home - and lounged by the pool...

...we got pleasantly soaked kayaking down the Dordogne river, past the numerous cliffs and ancient castles...

...we swam and took pedallos out on the lake (not a relaxing experience, pumping the pedallo along, particularly when racing Etienne)...

...and we did a lot of swimming...

...and being pushed in.  Here Andy falls for Alice's "Oh look there's a fish at the bottom of the pool" trick.

There was a weeny bit of culture - the visit to Castle Castelnaud on the Dordogne river...

...where Andy acquired his latest addition to his hat collection...

...and there was plenty of wildlife to keep Henry happy.  Here's a Steve Irwin impersonator showing off a tiny snake that we fished out of the pool ("Isn't she a beaut.").  We saw plenty of lizards, and Black Kites and other exotic beasts.

And there was the food.  Meeting up with our friends Carol and Etienne we went to a restaurant at the end of the world - le Restaurant du Bout du Monde.

And for the delectation of our vegetarian audience here's that dish in detail.  Yes.  That's right.  The chef has stuck the duck's head back on its body, stuffed it with crayfish and soused it all in rum.  It tasted better than it looks actually. 

...et une glâce pour les enfants.  Henry's idea of a good chocolate ice cream is one that can be liberally applied as a face mask.

...and suitably reinvigorated, bouncing up the north face like a natural.

All in all - a hot holiday that was reeeally coool.