La Maison Fournaise with Adam & Abby

Hi, I'm still here, and the blog - as my friend Pierre suggests - is not on a holiday. Although thanks to his inquiry, I am reminded that other people actually do read the blog, and I'd better get going on writing the three or so stories that are queued up in my head before I start forgetting details.

So, to rewind a bit, our visit with Adam and Abby was already a few weekends ago. Adam had written that he and his fiancée were on their way to a road trip in France, and could they stop by? David and I were so impressed that they were completely blowing off Paris for the scenic countryside, and I was delighted to get an exclusive preview of Adam's future wife. Besides, Adam is always welcome in our home, and if he'd asked to stay for a month or even longer we wouldn't have thought twice about it.

They arrived on a Sunday, rolling into Paris on the Eurostar from London. Then rented a car in the city and took a detour to Versailles on their way to Conflans, arriving just as I was chewing my fingers off watching the Roddick/Federer Wimbledon final progress online (not NEARLY as fun as watching real tennis, and I do not recommend it). I can't imagine I made the most mentally stable impression on Abby, as I fluttered up them in an excited rush of "HI, nice to meet you, can you BELIEVE this match??? Oh, do you follow tennis?"

We had drinks on the balcony as I tried to remain on mature, calm behavior and not check the score every 30 seconds. Roddick's serve was finally tragically broken just as we were winding up the drinks and getting ready to leave for dinner, so at least I had closure and could get on with enjoying our company.

We piled into Adam and Abby's rental, which was substantially larger than our C2, and made our way through the Saint Germain forest to the town of Chatou and the Ile des Impressionistes, an island in the Seine river. The Ile des Impressionsistes is aptly named because many French impressionists used to like to hang out there.

Especially Renoir, as written in a letter to a friend:

"I've been staying in Chatou for painting for a long time. Come and visit me here for lunch one time. You won't regret doing so. This is the most beautiful place in the suburbs of Paris"

His lunch spot is where we were heading for dinner, La Maison Fournaise. This beautiful restaurant was featured in many paintings, perhaps most famously in Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party.
When I'd called to make the reservation I'd asked for a table on the terrasse, with the wistful hope of getting the same table in the painting. Alas, we weren't seated on the upper terrasse, but we had a lovely table along the Seine and I couldn't complain at all.

The summer evening weather was fine and we shared a great meal together there. At dessert, Abby ordered the violet ice cream and everyone tried a bite, if only for the experience of tasting the flavor of a flower. And it was delicious, yet still reminiscent of...soap.

Back at home, we retired to our separate rooms for the night after early goodbyes. The next morning David and I headed off to work before Adam and Abby were up (or at least quietly waiting for us to finish our showers) and on their way. It was a short visit, but we talked about them fondly for the rest of the day and I missed them that night. As for my preview of Abby, I can confidently attest that Adam has found himself a truly exceptional mate, and now we can look forward to seeing not just Adam, but the couple - hopefully soon.