Bon Appetit!

Ev Holt gives her account of a rather scrumptious day out in France:

As I pulled up in front of the Land Registry at 6.15am, I was amazed at the number of cars waiting to be let into the secure parking area behind our building - obviously the warnings of those not on time being left behind had put fear into the hearts of all! So, somewhat bleary eyed, I undid the padlock, let them through and then counted them onto the coach, hoping that my inability to focus before my second cup of coffee didn't mean I'd left anyone behind.

An hour and a half later, I got that coffee at Thurrock and, feeling much refreshed, we headed for the Eurotunnel. Another quick stop to pick up a family from the service station before the Tunnel and we were booked in with time to spare. We managed to catch an earlier train so waiting in the terminal had been minimal. I am always impressed with the way you can only tell if the train is moving by looking out the window (it is so smooth), though once you get going there is some movement, not unlike the London Underground. Then, a half hour drive and we were at the Moulin Snick.

The Moulin is a watermill, which has recently been restored to working order by the owners, Graham and Jean-Pierre. We had been to the mill some years ago and it was great to see the big wheel turning, as before it had been merely decoration. As always, we got a warm welcome with a glass of kir (white wine with blackcurrant liqueur) each before the meal. We had all ordered our meals before-hand, which meant there was no delay - unless you couldn't remember what you had ordered - before the first courses came out. I think most people were pleasantly surprised by the size of the French starters. They seem generally to be the same as the main course and, with a cheese course before the sweets, we were all stuffed. Lunch is a leisurely affair in France, accompanied by wine (included in the cost) or beer, which was available from the bar. We took a good 3 hours to complete our meals! Graham and Jean-Pierre came out to wave us off, which was a nice touch before we headed off to the Hypermarket at Calais.

An hour in the Hypermarket meant time for looking at the wine, which is no cheaper than here with the rise of the euro - hence the looking only, and buying croissants for tomorrow's breakfast. Though you can get most things in England now, there are still a few things that are quintessentially French and I managed to fill my Morrison's carrier bag with goodies to bring back.

The return journey was smooth and we were back in Peterborough for about 11pm - a long but satisfying day.

The image shows Rebecca (Chair) toasting us through the window of the Mill.

To read more Member Focus stories, click here.