Monday 18 March 2013

L'Auberge de la Source, St Flovier

The day we went to see the wall paintings in the Chapelle de Tous les saints with Niall and Antoinette we had also arranged to lunch together, along with Tim and Pauline. Antoinette recommended the Auberge de la Source in the nearby village of Saint Flovier. She and Niall had dined there a couple of times in the past, but neither Simon and I nor Tim and Pauline had eaten there before. In the event, Antoinette and Niall didn't join us, as they had some last minute work come in, but we went off to Saint Flovier to meet Tim and Pauline as arranged.

Pauline and I discuss the pot plants out the front.

We were very favourably impressed. The day we were there the menu was tuna in brick (a North African crispy pastry) served on a salad, a generous serve of rich and hearty beef casserole with mashed potato (I suspect the mash came out of a packet) and a very simple, but very delicious apple tart. Cheese and wine is included, but coffee is extra.

The menu changes every day.

Like most village restaurants, this is a husband and wife operation, with him in the kitchen and her doing front of house. The service is friendly and the restaurant and bar attractive. We enjoyed it very much, as it is one of those places that charges a standard price (€11.50), but provides a meal that is a cut above average -- good quality, simply but well presented, and dishes that are a bit more creative than the usual run of the mill offerings. It is deservedly in Routard, the ever reliable French restaurant guide that lists restaurants of all sorts so long as they offer good quality at a reasonable price. It's not on the main road though, so you have to know that it is there. St Flovier is one of those places where the centre of town ie the market place, is one street back from the main thoroughfare. The auberge faces on to the market place, opposite the church and the town hall on the other sides.
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Loire Valley Nature Updates: a new entry for Saddle-backed Bushcricket Ephippiger ephippiger has been added.
A habitat photo has been added to the Violet Helleborine Epipactis purpurata entry.
A new entry has been added for Drone Flies Eristalis spp.

7 comments:

Jean said...

Another place to add to our list of must-do's !!.....Roll on Easter !!

Sol said...

Hi there in the Loire Valley,

Interesting to read about - well, ok, scan then - your project with an old French house and ditto cars.

I'm a Dane in Champagne, married to a champenois, we grow vines together, and now and then face similar problems with old French houses. At the moment we breathe but we have a big room - with beautiful big beams like in one of your pictures - to deal with to use it as our winery.

One day we will be off to the Loire to visit some of those georgeous châteaux, maybe we'll come to try Celestine or Claudette then.

Have a nice day, Solveig in Champagne.

Diane said...

I love those one price restaurants, we have one particularly good one here that gives you a choice on the main course. Sounds like you had a good day out. Take care Diane

Leon Sims said...

Was that Hello and not bonjour on your very short movie?

ladybird said...

Mats, Vera and I had a pre-BBQ drink at the Auberge when we came over to your house in June. Vera was very intrigued by the menu and asked whether we could come back later to try it out. Our stay was too short though and our schedule already very busy. Maybe next time ... Martine

Niall & Antoinette said...

@We tried to go for lunch a couple of weeks ago and were turned away as it was full[not the 1st time this has happened to us either].
It's a good place to have lunch.

Susan said...

Sol: hello and welcome to our blog.

Leon: it was at the end of the meal when we were paying. I think she's saying voila.

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