Friday, 15 February 2008

Memorable hosts #1

Since Honfleur we have mostly stayed in Chambres d'hotes, and the character of the people who are our hosts has become key. Often we will have walked between people's homes deep in the countryside and not seen anywhere to eat or even to buy food at any point in the day - so have fallen on the generosity of their 'table d'hote' in the evenings.

The hosts can affect everything, and can redeem an unpromising lodging with their memories, humour or kindness. So here is a paon to some memorable hosts along the way:

- Julian Wood, the then-new owner of
The Bell in Alresford, was great fun, chatting long about our adventure and sharing his experiences of recently cycling all the way to Istanbul through the Balkans. He has plans to make an already good menu and wine list even better; and was a lovely, engaging person.

- Chrissie Johnston and her husband at 5 Clifton Terrace in Winchester served up grand breakfasts and made sure all the guests got to know each other round their large dining table. They had lived in many places, she said, including Papua New Guinea - where their gardener was a canibal! Thanks Chrissie for the laundry and for squeezing us in for an extra night.

- Odile Anfrey at La Ferme du Pressoir in Conteville juggled raising calves, making cider, and all the needs of a kitchen garden with the demands of the guest bedrooms in converted barns. Out of kindness when she heard we were on foot she served us an evening meal snuggled around her big log fire, while she chatted about farm life.

- At Les Sources Bleues in Aizier, Yves Laurent was voluble in the massive old bourgois house that had been in his family for decades. He was a source of information on just about everything and his wife, too, was charming and humourous. Together they were perfectly natural with guests, bickering and finishing each other's sentances like in all families. The meal was a delicious secret recipe and afterwards Yves gave us many tips for our walk through the forest the next day - all invaluable - and insisted that if we got into difficulties we should phone for him to rescue us and take us to Jumièges. We didn't; but for the offer I'm deeply grateful and thank them also for sharing their old family home and memories.

- Marie-Lys and Jean-Yves Aucreterre of Sweet Home in Martinville-Epreville had given up their busy jobs as purchasers to take up a life where they actually saw each other - and now the rooms keep them more than busy. Jean-Yves spoke with regret that he has no time anymore for journalism, his passion; and Marie-Lys has had to stop going for long hikes for the same reason. They had given us shelter despite having a big family party to prepare, so we were doubly fortunate that they found time to chat and get to know us over breakfast.

- At L'Epicerie du Pape in Vascoeuil Karine, Nina, cats and dogs spent the most leisurely breakfast yet - and the most family-feeling since we'd left our friends' house in early January. Nina could count to ten in English and was keen for her mother to know the word 'lollipop'. She drew us a picture for our record book, full of angels and butterflies, while Karine unembarassedly quizzed us on how we got our clothes clean along the way.

- Alain and Liliane Javaudin of Le Clos de la Normandière near La Hallotière run an almost permanent house party from their five chambres d'hote. They offer lunch as well as evening meals and organise parties and festivities for groups. For them it's all about spending time with people. We were part of the family: they ate with us during a long, delicious and well-thought-out meal. Great company, we shared a lot of laughter and learned many things from them and their eclectic house in its south-facing valley garden.

- Anne-Marie and Claude Tirel of the Clos des Avettes in Espaubourg are like a favourite aunt and uncle. Within minutes they were joshing us about getting lost and we were teasing them back. They used to run restaurants in Paris and had this cottage for holidays and for produce for the kitchens. The chambres d'hote and meals became a semi-retirement, though they're planning full retirement soon. They were both lovely and talkative: we now know the lore of cider- and calvados-making and of keeping bees - and much more besides. They're possibly descended from the first person to write a recipe book in French, in the 14th century, so good cooking is in their genes. In the morning they contacted the daughter and son-in-law of friends who are also about to set off to Santiago de Compostela. Then Anne-Marie, Claude, José and Josette and we sat round the table all morning, drinking coffee and talking all things pilgrim. And we all drank to chance encounters and new friendships.

14 February 2008

1 comment:

tirel said...

Bonjour de Claude et Anne-Marie du Clos des Avettes, nous espérons que vous allez bien et que la marche se passe bien de nouvelles rencontres, de nouveaux paysages, de nouvelles régions et de nouvelles cathédrales, le temps pas trop mauvais nous pensons, merci de votre petit message pour nous cela nous à fait plaisir, et nous gardons un excellent souvenir de votre passage dans notre maison.
Nos amis partent bientôt il vont venir nous dire au revoir avant de partir. Nous vous disons à bientôt et bon courage. Claude et Anne-Marie et Arverne