Rebecca Jackman
It’s not every day you find yourself invited to a wedding in the French countryside. So despite the poor exchange rate (R14 to the euro) I felt inclined to make a plan to get there.
I had never heard of the wedding destination, Lauzun – pronounced in several ways depending on which local you ask – and all of which I got wrong (the most popular seemed to be law-zon).
After a little research (a Google search) I found it is located in the North of Lot-et-Garonne in south-western France.
I found myself on a very long journey to get there, using every mode of transport, bar perhaps a donkey. The closest airport I could fly to from Cape Town was Bordeaux. Many of the wedding guests were flying from England to Bergerac airport just a short, and beautiful, half-hour drive from Lauzun.
But Bordeaux is roughly 130km away with a ring road that I hear is an absolute nightmare to navigate by car if you don’t know the area well. I opted for public transport – there’s a very handy shuttle between Bordeaux’s Mérignac Airport and Gare Saint-Jean train station, near the city’s centre, for about e7. It runs on the hour and takes about half an hour, but unfortunately the one on the hour I needed it didn’t come. I was ordered on to a bus that took me to Place des Quinconces, which I later realised is a much nicer area to stay than near the train station.
But as it was, I found a tram to take me to the station where, an hour later, I boarded a train to Bergerac (e17). It takes about an hour-and-a-half, but it’s a wonderful way to travel and take in the countryside. Travelling from A to B in the south of France, whether by car or rail, the countryside is mesmerising. You’re either looking at fields of wheat or vast amounts of sunflowers taller than you or vineyards as far as the eye can see. And wherever you go, the beautifully fresh smell of lavender follows you. It probably sounds like a nightmare to hay fever sufferers.
From Bergerac there are no trains or buses to Lauzun so it’s a rental car, a lift, a pretty expensive taxi, or nothing. Fortunately, I had a lift with the bride’s father, who introduced me to the region’s famous fois gras, confit duck and red wine before the drive. There should be no other way to arrive at your destination in France, unless you’re a vegetarian in which case you can indulge in the equally-wonderful pastries, breads and cheeses.
My good friend, the bride, told me before I left she was worried I wouldn’t see much of France while staying in little Lauzun for her wedding. But when I opened the French shutters of her family’s incredible home (a large renovation project) to reveal a quaint French street and was greeted by a man looking up at me saying “bonjour”, I had to stop myself from bursting into song. Little Town from Beauty and the Beast sprang to mind.
Lauzun is truly special. It’s rare for a person not to greet you in the street. It’s a pleasure to pop into the local bakery for fresh croissants in the morning. It’s a wonderful place to just walk around, swinging by the lake to feed the ducks or popping into the beautiful church.
We, the wedding party, were fortunate enough to be there for the 21st Gasconnades in August. The town’s annual all-day festival brings locals and tourists from all over France and the world out into the streets for a market, street foods and drinks, culminating in a street party in the evening. The main street was lined with long tables for the entire town and its guests and friends to dine together – on garlic soup, bread, paté, confit duck, rosemary potatoes, cheese and honey cake. And of course no meal in France is complete without hefty carafes of wine.
To work off the feast, dancing is encouraged to music by local band Les Tourists. Donning novelty sunglasses, hats and Hawaiian shirts, they play French and English classics with a large dose of cheese.
The street bar opens late and with bottles of wine for e4 it was no great shock that not a single shutter opened in the town the next morning. Both restaurants were shut that day. There are only two – Le Lion D’Or and Mana’s, which is actually called something else, but all the locals I met named it after owner, chef and server Mana.
Le Petit Casino supermarket and the local tobacco shop also remained closed. If you hadn’t stocked up, you would have been very unlucky that day.
The day before, we had visited Chateau de Lauzun, a former medieval fortress turned Renaissance palace. We were told it has two of France’s top five fireplaces and, with little knowledge of the rest of France’s fireplaces, we could believe it. Don’t try to see the chateau, with its opulent suites and furniture, on the day after the Gasconnades – that too will be closed.
There’s plenty to see outside of the town though. Nearby Eymet has many accommodation options, which Lauzun has very little of. They also have taxi services, which Lauzun has none of. But note: Taxis in the south of France must be booked in advance as they are usually not a company, but a person with a car who may or may not feel like working.
The medieval town of Eymet, located in the Dordogne region of south-western France, has plenty of restaurants, places to stay and things to see – including the Dropt river covered in water lilies Claude Monet would have wanted to paint, and impressive architecture. It’s a good base to explore the region if you don’t know people in the area.
Just 15km away you’ll find the market town of Castillones with views of the Dropt river valley and quaint cafés from which to people-watch. Nearby is Villereal – not a football club but another market town with a lovely village square, 16th century wooden architecture and the beautiful Notre Dame church. Villereal has everything you could need in a small town with plenty of shops, restaurants and more pharmacies than anyone could possibly need. A ramble around the narrow streets and alleyways in the bastide (fortified) town of Monflanquin is also worthwhile. Once the home of “The Black Prince” during the Hundred Years War, the town is no stranger to re-enactments and you can buy your own jousting gear in shops on the town square. Walk through the narrow lanes steeped in history to the outskirts of the town, on a hilltop with vast views of the region.
Other places of interest, which sadly I did not get to but heard great things about, include Chateau de Beynac, a 12th century castle atop a limestone cliff, and Dune du Pilat, Europe’s tallest sand dune.
I ended my trip with a few nights in Bordeaux before flying home. I did discover that a hotel next to the train station might not have been the best choice as while I felt comfortable walking around during the day, walking around the area at night wasn’t ideal.
With a few days of freedom to do as I wished, I opted for a day exploring the city’s many monuments and a DIY day trip to St Emilion.
The centre is about a 20-minute walk along the tram line from Gare Saint-Jean.
Or you can hop on a tram.
I found walking worthwhile as I navigated my way to the centre via churches, monuments and other places of historic interest and great beauty.
At the end of the tram line is the Place des Quinconces, the city’s large square which holds the Monument aux Gorondins, a tribute to the Gironde political faction who fought in the French Revolution.
Just off the square is the 18th century Bordeaux Grand-Théâtre, which proved to be a magnificently opulent venue for the topsy-turvy illusions and twisted perspectives of the Au-delà du miroir exhibition. Part exploration down Alice’s rabbit hole and part history of theatrical costume, it was a bright and beautiful couple of hours.
If you have the patience to queue for your food, just down the road is the famous Entrecote restaurant, serving only perfect steak and frites. Or you can go to HQ right here in Cape Town which is based on the same principle. I may never know if the original is best.
You will also find the start of the 1.2km shopping street Rue Sainte-Catherine nearby, known as the longest pedestrian street in Europe.
On the walk back I found myself at Cathedral Saint Andre and decided to tour Pey-Berland Tower just next to it. For just e5.50 you can take a very narrow walk up 231 steep stone steps to see the bells the tower holds and breathtaking views of the whole of Bordeaux from the top. The walk was entirely worthwhile, but absolutely not recommended for those with a fear of heights or claustrophobia. Tours of St Emilion and its world-renowned vineyards can be booked through Bordeaux tourism (the main office is in Place des Quinconces) for upwards of e100, but it can also be done much cheaper. I took the bus in the morning for less than e6 for a return ticket. It leaves from the tram station and takes about an hour-and-a-half.
You can also take the train, which runs more frequently and is quicker, but costs a bit more and involves a steep but straightforward walk to the town itself.
The bus drops you in the centre of the medieval village, the perfect location from which to take “le train des grands vignobles” sightseeing train that chugs through the vineyards for just e6.50 a person. You get a history of the region’s vineyards in English and French and for just a few extra euros you can add a tour of the underground wine cellars at Rochebelle.
The best advice I received ahead of my day trip was to wear sturdy shoes to navigate the steep cobbled streets that are so hard to walk down that handrails are required for the young and old. I was there on a rainy day and skidding down the slope felt like a genuine option. While there, I recommend the tour of the monolithic church, catacombs and the cave where St Emilion himself lived.
Our tour guide said most tourists come for the wine and forget about the history.
I recommend the wine, the history and plenty of their famous macarons…