Monday, 13 January 2014

Sunday Lunch at Le Puy à Vins

A wonderful blue sky sunny Sunday today so we took a walk through the vines from La Grande Maison to our local village of Le Puy Notre Dame for 'Sunday Lunch' at Le Puy à Vins.


The appellation of Saumur-Puy Notre Dame and it's vineyards


Le Puy à Vins specialising in great local organic and biodynamic wines from the Loire Valley


Rillette de Saumon Et Tartine Grillé


Volaille Rôtie au thé fumé, ratté du Touquet


Dacquoise amande, praliné feuilletine et chocolat

Great selection of wines from the local Saumur-Puy Notre Dame appellation 

If you take the chance to visit the Church of Notre Dame look out for the Misericordia a carved wooden altar stall from the 16th century featuring a monk drinking from a barrel.


This has become the symbol of the Le Puy Notre Dame vineyards and you will see it outside many of the local wine domaines around the village.


Take a closer look at the carvings and see if you can find the headless bishop....
(apparently this is Denis of Paris you will see a similar carving on the portail of Notre Dame in Paris. Denis was the first bishop of Paris who had his head chopped off but carried on walking 10 km's preaching a sermon along the way!)

 ...or the disgraced angel.


The pretty village Le Puy is well worth a visit as it is on the Route of Santiago de Compastella a pilgrimage route that makes it's way to Spain and you will see the many shell symbols such as the St Jacques dotted around the houses of the village.
 
Making our way home through the vineyards after lunch (or dinner) is an ideal way to work off those extra calories.

If you are visiting any of the Loire wine salons during February such as the Dive Bouteille then make sure you take the timeout to dine at Le Puy à Vins and sample the great selection of natural, organic or biodynamic wines.

Santé !!