Lunch in Lot; or: Witnessing the Renovation of Two French Houses

This weekend we ventured south to Quercy and the limestone plateau of Lot. The landscape is dramatically different from the green Limousin two hours north: white, chalky soil and soaring cliffs cut by winding rivers. It was a weekend of contrasts also because of the two homes that we visited. First, a Saturday lunch with Lea and Mom's friend Lucy at her stunning historic stone house, followed by an overnight stay with our friends Fab and Audrey who have completely gutted and redesigned their house, doing everything by hand (including electrical wiring).

Lucy's house is straight out of A Year in Provence or Under the Tuscan Sun. It is magnificent, charming, and retains all of the historical detail while now also full of modern conveniences (though the fridge and separate wine fridge are camoflaged behind beautiful wood cabinets). The huge beams are still visible in the ceilings, and the kitchen has an enormous fireplace that is taller than I am. Lucy has exquisite taste, so all the furniture and paintings reflect that. (Check out the painting in the pic with me over-smiling. It's really awesome work- a local artist completely captured that South American landscape.) One of my favorite rooms was a cave, with arched, stone ceiling, that she converted into a cozy bedroom. Even with the cloudy, overcast day, we had gorgeous views from the terrace and kitchen windows. The house is well positioned-- on a hill, overlooking fields of lavender and wildflowers.

We ate well: a yummy zuchini quiche, plate of charcuterie, salad, plate of cheese, fresh berries from the market, lots of Rose. Their friend Bruno entertained us with stories of near-death experiences walking across Africa.