The Enchanted Well

(Note: the picture is nothing to do with anything. I just liked it - Scrap Iron Merchant French Style)

Here we are for an overnight stop - Hotel Au Puits Enchante, in Saint-Martin-en Bresse, near Bourg en Bresse. We have been staying here overnight for many, many years - our patron called us 'old guests' - can't disagree with that!

Why here?

Convenience?
Well, it is about as far as we like to drive from Calais, without pushing it, but it takes a bit of finding and inevitably means coming upon lots of local traffic and several roundabouts. So that's not the reason.

The hotel itself?
Well, it's a pleasant enough place with a nice history to do with an enchanted well. But the rooms are small. They are nicely cared for and have been refurbished over the years, but palatial this hotel is not! That's not the reason.

The area?
Well, there are no mountains, no water, no views. It's not on the tourist trail. In fact it is suburbia with lots of housing close by. Picturesque it is not! That's not the reason.


If you're still with me and you've travelled in France, you will no doubt have guessed the answer. Alberta will most certainly have guessed!

We come here for the food. Day after day in this unassuming, out if the way, family run hotel, superb meals are served. It isn't cheap, but neither is it expensive. It's elegant, but unpretentious. We have had some of our very best meals here. A few French, Belgian and British tourists search it out, but mainly it is full of locals. So I'm off down now for something cold and sparkling . . .

. . . we carry on south tomorrow.