Wednesday 12 October 2016

The Dordogne Valley: Issigeac, Château de Panisseau, La Tour des Vents, Maison Vari (Monbazillac)


I'm quite sad to say that it's the last instalment of my blog trip to the Dordogne Valley. I was there in May so it's about time, but I'll miss these excuses to relive this trip.


After our visit of the food market and lunch in Sarlat we hit the road to our next destination: Château de Panisseau. We didn't drive direct and we stopped in picturesque Issigeac, a lovely medieval village where every single house deserves its on photo on Instagram. Seriously.


A few hours later we made it to Château de Panisseau, a 12th century castle surrounded by vineyards. We checked into one of their beautiful self-catering accommodations for the night.


It was then time for dinner! We were in for a treat as we headed off to Michelin-starred restaurant La Tour des Vents in Monbazillac. We had a truly unforgettable meal there, but unfortunately I don't think my photos do justice to the food. I will never forget that foie gras opera let me tell you...

Caviar tasting

Salmon gravalax, raw and cooked beetroot, kiwi salad, caesar dressing and wild salmon eggs

foie gras opera with mango and passion fruit jelly, fresh fruit chutney and gingerbread

roast pork, ears and pig's trotters tartine, crispy black pudding cake, homemade ketchup, broad beans and pea ragout

Tuna, mashed peanut curry, parmesan milk, green asparagus, marinated radishes with sesame
Chocolate sphere with mango, vanilla creme burlee, mango sorbet with Sichuan pepper and hot fruit coulis

After this glorious meal we headed back to our accommodation for our last night (sob) in the Dordogne Valley. The next morning after a very French breakfast we visited the castle and the winery at Château de Panisseau where we learnt how they produce the wine on their property.


Then came lunchtime in Maison Vari, for our last epic meal of the trip A delicious tasting plate of cheese and charcuterie with some exquisite Monbazillac wine. I was sad not to have enough space in my suitcase and wished I could have brought a full case of it with me.


With a full belly we headed off to Bergerac airport to fly to London. I really didn't want to leave and can honestly say I had a brilliant time on this trip. I spent five days eating and sleeping in beautiful places, I got to see my parents and had great travel buddies (Yaya and Lloyd, Rachel, Karen, Hannah and Clémence).

I spent all my summers there and now my parents live in the Dordogne Valley so I'm totally biased, but if you love food and are looking for picturesque France I highly recommend you spend some time there. A car and a good appetite is a must, you can have a look at all my posts about the Dordogne Valley if you need help planning.

This trip made me want to explore the region more and I'm looking forward to my next stay in this special part of my native country.


Disclaimer: I was a guest of the Dordogne Valley tourism board, the local tourist boards and airports on this press trip. The full trip was complimentary, however I was not paid to write the articles about the trip. As usual, all opinions (including my love for French food and France) are my own. 









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