IT IS NOT THAT UNUSUAL IN THIS FAMILY for some sort of civil engineering to be visited on a day out, and not unusual at all for such a construction to be the principle reason for the trip. OK, the target for the subject of this post is Crest but I receive no dissention when I suggest we take in the impressive viaduct below en route to the aforementioned town that I have already established in the previous post is situated on the Drôme. After all, we'd been around and under it in the year that the bridge opened and while the powers that be were still tidying up the area after the construction work.
So, after we've witnessed a number of TGVs and OuiGos pass over the viaduct, at speed, north and south, we motor on under it and through some quite singular country to the target town of Crest. Yes, river-bridge is open and there is easy parking. Two of our number take it into their heads to climb up to the church and then on up to the keep, when what they should have been doing is seeking out the optimum venue for a plat-du-jour.
By the time they get back down, the limited and preferred eateries of Crest are all full and/or fully booked, so we end up in a rather oddly decorated riverside bistrot, filling up with clientele as we decide to patronise it ourselves, aussi. The walls exhibit serveral painterly renditions of naked and provocatively posed lovelies… I'm broad minded heaven knows but…… Two of our party seem well pleased with the provender however, whereas one of us, me, is less than impressed. It is adequate… but not to my taste I regret to report. Nor is the decoration opposite my seat on the far wall… but I don't comment about it, until now that is! These young entrepeneurs, what are they like. I realise now why many of the customers headed up to the top floor ……
And so to Saou where we don't get a coffee or a tea or a pression or any other form of refreshment for some reason or other. Mme Melling retrospectively claims that I was against the idea. I do get a picture without a van right in the foreground, under the village belfry (see Drôme Day Out, q.v). But there is a treat coming and it's in Dieulefit…
Truth is, Mme Melling has a nose for these things. At her direction, we enter an establishment dedicated largely to cocoa and coffee based products and with an excellent and extensive saloon complete with a forest of easy chairs in which to take our comfort while we await what will prove to be the best hot chocolates known to man. Honestly! For me at least, it is the climax of a champion day, this second voyage to the hillier parts of southern Drôme. Re this chocolate: one has to spoon the beverage out of the beakers it is served in, it is so thick, although occasional indelicate slurps are in evidence also, resulting in chocolate moustaches for those that succumb to the more usual way of drinking. The accompanying ice-creams/sorbets are artisanale as well. Oh my. Oh my. How would one, could one, resist being an almost daily patroniser of this establishment if one lived in this town, or anywhere within a reasonable radius?
Sympathies here are belatedly expressed to the s-&-h who is still being afflicted at this juncture with insect bites sustained of an evening in our (his) guest bedroom. He manfully bears up, uses our stocks of fly spray liberally before retiring to his couch each night, as well as ensuring windows and shutters are barred and, well, shuttered.
We extend our concern to him (which does no good) and apologise for the discomfort caused and for the inflammed bite-marks left by the biters, which can be seen on his arm, below left. Sorry.
Note the coffee roaster in the background. We wonder if they roast their own cocoa-beans as well?
