FLEURS D'OLARGUES, FRANCE

"Sublime" 

"Favourite restaurant in the world".... 

Checking out Trip Advisor for local restaurants in the French village where we are staying, it looks like we have struck lucky; sounds as if we are down the road from The Fat Duck crossed with The French Laundry. 

Fleurs D'Olargues is a quick (ok, bloody hot) walk from our rented house and it is a beautiful little place. Tables are set on a pretty terrace with a view of the medieval bridge; red geraniums and tomato vines tumble down to the river below and plane trees cast welcome shade. We arrive for Sunday lunch as do the locals, gathering in large convivial family groups. 

The staff are lovely, finding toys to hand out to the children, skipping down to the little vegetable garden fringing the terrace for bunches of herbs and bowls of tomatoes.  We order a bottle of Cremant de Limoux and, like David Cameron, chillax.....

This is a long leisurely affair in the best of French traditions, with amuse bouche and starter, then beef and then cheese and then 'oh what the hell...' pudding. 

This is not French rustic cooking, though, (it is no surprise to learn that the owners are Danish) leaning toward modern European. And it is all good and this, I think, is the key to the plaudits on TripAdvisor.  Nice food, a cool river breeze, a timeless view, the company of loved ones: this is all one could wish for in a restaurant. I may even write my own TA review.