Lunch in Olargues

It was lovely, despite the grey skies and flat light, to once again be driving familiar small roads north to Olargues -- our sixth visit to this village of some 600 people, nestled into the rocks around it. It is one of just three villages in the Hérault département classified as one of France's most beautiful villages, of which there are only 150 in the entire country.

On our previous visits, we had spent a week each time in a rented house or apartment in or near the village. Our vacation was briefer this year, so we could not rent a place there, but we did not want to miss the opportunity to see our long-time friends C and J, and to once again have lunch by the Jaur river at Fleurs d'Olargues.

C and J generously treated us to lunch, and as always, we enjoyed the creative, delicious food and wine at one of the best restaurants we've ever experienced. Complementing the meal was our four-part conversation, which ranged widely, from shared memories to present pursuits and future hopes.

We returned to Roujan via the Orb valley for part of the trip, and stopped at a little bar in an obscure location that Phil had been told had Belgian beers. Of course we had to stop...

(You can see a photo of the beer blipper here, as well as more photos of Olargues and Le Couvent. Some of the Le Couvent photos in the Flickr stream list Sept. 15 as the date they were taken, but they were indeed taken the morning of Sept. 16. Something to do with the 9 hour time difference between our home and France...)