Be there, Be square

Touring Europe is admittedly a dream come true, but let’s be honest--- after more than a thousand small villages, they start to look the same. When we first arrived in the Dordogne, we noticed a square checkerboard symbol below certain village names, and there was revived excitement at discovering something new. These marquees told us we were entering a bastide, or medieval fortified town, and while these villages also started to look the same, we realized it was in their conformity that they became unique. These fortified towns, unlike most villages, are laid out in symmetrical (checkerboard) grids around a market square. They exist elsewhere in Europe, but not in such density as found in Southwestern France. The bastides of the Dordogne are living monuments to the medieval strife that plagued the region, as well as a glimpse at early urban planning.

In the Périgord, approximately 25 bastides were built but only 18 were completed. Join us in Monpazier, considered to be the 'perfect' bastide, and meet Arjan and Mirije, a couple who has broken into this deeply guarded community to become successful restaurateurs, and who have become part of the new history of Monpazier. Read their entertaining story of local rituals and friendly neighbors, and of life as a foreigner in one of the most historic villages of France.

Party --Dordogne Style!

One of the many reasons we love the Dordogne is for its willingness to party. During the summer, not a weekend goes by without a fête (celebration). These convivial scenes bring out locals in waves who are eager to share their music and customs with visitors, whether honoring a season, the wine, the food or an ancient way of life. Flip through the local guides and you will see the calendar is jam-packed with something to suit any taste. We spent an evening in a tiny village (140 people) eating, dancing and singing in the shadow of one of the region's largest castles. Tables lined the village square and we sat elbow to elbow feasting on a meal prepared all day over the grill by locals. Brigitte, whose father-in-law was the mayor of Biron for 25 years, shared her recipe for a unique Dordogne dish. Despite the language barrier and a lot of hand signals, we even managed to make La Mique, and it is included in the book! Meanwhile, back in Biron, bring your own bottle applies, and beware the village punch! Fireworks over the castle culminated the evenings festivities that didn't stop until the DJ played polka music. To participate yourself, sign up for the culinary tour that houses you 30 steps from this one of a kind Bastille Day Party. www.vagabondgourmet.com accompanying photo taken by Ken Cooper

Market Life

Open air markets are ritualistic in France, and nowhere more so than in the Dordogne is this social and convivial scene brought to colorful life each and every day. Meet Nadine, a grower of 'Mara des Bois' strawberries so sweet and succulent, you can't eat just one. We know! Once a nurse, Nadine says she now takes care of strawberries instead of patients because, "they complain less". (they probably taste better too). Meet a few of these Vagabond Gourmets, many of whom travel hundreds (even thousands) of kilometers each month to the large and small, lively and full-of-life markets that make the Dordogne a moveable feast you'll want to sink your teeth into over and over and over... Bon Appetit!