Mirepoix, France

Our 7th night in Mirepoix, and sadly our last. The day was spent packing, catching up on emails and travel blogs, cleaning up and using up food in the fridge. We have cooked for ourselves all week, each couple taking it in turns to create something each night from ingredients bought in the village. We all contributed money to a kitty from which all groceries and wine where bought from, and we’ve had some pretty scrumptious meals this week. Rotiserie poulet (roast chicken), canard a la’range (duck & orange), foix gras (duck liver), boeuf bourguignon (beef burgundy), gnocchi. And of course, left overs, and frommage (cheese), and heaps of them. And wine. Tonight, our last night, was a local delicacy – quail. Tiny birds roasted with garlic, and delicious. Thanks to Richard. Then, we all gather around the TV for the opening ceremony and the first game in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, being held just up the road in Paris. There were several large screens set up in the Village Square bars for the locals to get into the spirit, and it swept us along with it, even if the commentary was in French. Our support for the home team did not help – Argentina beat France.

We are going to miss Mirepoix. We’ve met many wonderful people – the butcher made us laugh on the very first day, and it got better after that. Tonight, we talked about what if we had spent a week drinking wine in a village square back home, say Yorktown Square, and it would not have been the same. In Mirepoix, you are sitting where other people have sat for 7 centuries, and the buildings are the same now as they were then. It’s the history that makes this place so special. And the people. The people are special too. Our house has been extremely comfortable, homely but also distinctly provincial French, and we’ve lived together very nicely, as friends and fellow travelers. The friendship bonds have strengthened because each of us have a total appreciation for the town we’ve called home for the past week.