The truth, but not the whole truth

My third property visit of the week today - a collection of buildings ripe for renovation in a secluded location just outside Arques - apparently.

"I'll pick you up at midday and we'll view the property at one", said Michael. He arrived at 12.30pm and we met Nicole and Anna in Arques at 2.00pm and got to the property at 2.30pm.

In fact Michael and I got to Arques twenty five minutes before two and thought we might have a beer whilst we waited for the others. Alas, both bars in town were closed - at lunchtime in September - that's not a good sign is it? Three other cars pulled up outside one of the bars to see if it was open and were equally disappointed - all that lost business is a common factor in France but they just don't seem to care.

The half hour difference between the time checks above between Arques and the pile of stones that I had come to look at give you an indication of how 'just outside Arques' the property actually was. On and on up the mountain we went - past La Frau Basse and on up to La Frau Haute, which as it's name implies is high - about 600m high. Three kilometres said Anna but even allowing for the winding road it must have been at least double that, if not ten.

It was a charming and beautiful valley on a fabulous sunny Autumn day but it may be a bit more hostile in six months time in the depths of winter. At least it had the isolation that was promised - apart that is from the three other houses close by and the narrow entrance to the site that entailed squeezing the car past the neighbours front door on the left hand side and their washing line and vegetable garden on the right!!

It's frustrating but you just have to make the effort to look at these places to know if they are right and to work out in your mind if that is what you are really looking for.

Michael and Nicole decided not to come back to Carcassonne for supper with me so I had the roast chicken all to myself and delicious it was too - cooked with tarragon and lemon and garlic and eaten with a fresh tomato salad and a green salad. Yes of course I washed it all down with some wine.

In fact, despite the frustrations of the property viewing of the last few days and my constant nagging toothache, I was in a very good mood this evening. I roasted the chicken early and then left it covered under foil whilst I popped out to win a couple of games of boules with the boys down by the river as the sun set and the moon brightened. You couldn't really imagine a better location with the Cité as a backdrop and the dramatic sunset and a competitive but friendly sporting rivalry amongst friends. So, that would be two-nil to the English team then.

The one dampener on the day was that both my guest couples encountered disappointment with their lunch at Domaine Gayda. I had booked them on a wine tasting at VinEcole, which they all thoroughly enjoyed, and then lunch in the restaurant at the Domaine afterwards. It is a magnificent location with an unparalleled view of the Pyrenees on a day like today - but it's no good at all if they can't cater for vegetarians and it appears that they can't.

So my guests left without lunch and I feel terribly embarrassed about the whole thing because I didn't realise that Gayda was so backward in it's approach. I also feel a bit responsible because I have eaten there many times myself but just hadn't appreciated that it would be a problem for some of my guests.

I will write to them - in this day and age that attitude is just not acceptable. Probably 10% of my guests are vegetarian and I have no problem cooking for them here at 42rvh and no problem sending them out to 'enlightened' restaurants in Carcassonne. I am a little bit shocked that Gayda could not not provide for them.

But then, nothing is as it appears to be, is it?