Merci from a small country to a big country
Our GPS, Navgirl, was taking us the pretty way. Apparently, it’s a shorter distance but we didn’t realise that it would be so meandering. We decided to go with her choices because the countryside was so beautiful; however, French lunch time came and went and we still had not found anywhere to eat. When we just started to lose hope, we came across ‘Le Chat Noir’ Epicerie Bar Resto https://epicerie-resto-bar-le-chat-noir-saint-ciers-d-abzac.eatbu.com/?lang=en
Le Chat Noír, Saint-Ciers-d’Abzac, France
Now, at 1:30pm, it’s not the ‘done’ thing to ask for a lunch booking but, if you don’t ask you don’t get. We sheepishly entered. The owner was a little hesitant but then said he could offer us moulés frites (mussels and chips), which we gratefully accepted. He then engaged a lady at the only other occupied table to help us. She was with a group of 8-10 companions and could speak English. A friendly conversation developed as we learnt that she was a local lady who had married an Englishman. Her two daughters were living in Australia. She translated for the rest of the group, who were interested in our story and travels. A huge bowl of mussels and chips was served with as much grace and enthusiasm as you could possibly want. We enjoyed it with a pichet of rosé, whilst watching the Tour de France on TV and continuing our conversation.
Chris enjoying the Tour de France at ‘Le Chat Noír’
The lady and an elderly gentleman, who introduced himself as Michel, from the other table arrived beside us and he was holding a bottle of rosé, which he then presented to us as he started to tell quite a moving story speaking in French, with hand on heart, and the lady translating. He described both what the Australians did for France in WW1 and how he wanted to express his country’s gratitude … “Thank you from a small country to a big country”. He spoke with heartfelt passion and a tear in his eye. The lady was in tears and we were heading that way too. It was so lovely, completely unexpected and we still feel very emotional when we remember this chance meeting.
Keep in mind that we had just enjoyed a pichet of wine, when the owner kindly suggested that we could either drink it now or take it with us. Yes, this was rural France but we thought drinking it and driving was a bit too much! We suspected that he was actually being quite kind in indicating that we shouldn’t feel compelled to drink it ‘in house’. When we did end up drinking it, we experienced the best bottle of rosé that we had ever tasted. Whilst we were frustrated that we had blindly followed Navgirl’s directions yet again, we do think that this was a truly wonderful experience that wasn’t to be missed. By the way, the mussels and chips were fabulous too!
Leaving the tiny village of Saint-Ciers-d’Abzac, near Bordeaux, France
