Just a twenty minutes easy drive from Merignac Airport is the Cafe de L’Esperance in the village of Bouliac. We like to send our house party guests here for lunch if they’re flying from Merignac in the afternoon. If you set out to create a cafe to match the bar in Allo Allo then you’d do well to start here. Expect Rene to walk through the door at any moment, hotly followed by a string of stocking clad well rouged waitresses . If you’re going to be disappointed not to catch a glimpse of thigh then take consolation in the fabulous horsd’ouvre table. Why don’t more places embrace the horsd’ouvre concept? I think we should start one at the chateau. This week they had the most delicious Coronation Chicken, (yes, here in France!), plus some very mustardy remoulade, lentils, cucumber in creme fraiche, marinated feta, oh the list goes on and on, leaving very little room for their main act here which is the steak. Take it easy on the steak front though because for dessert they revert to something like the horsd’ouvre approach and you choose as many of the minature portions of tart and mousse as you like. It’s dangerous stuff. If you’re in the area for a wine tour then you’ll be pleased to hear that they offer an impressive wine list with an excellant range of wines by the glass. http://www.saintjames-bouliac.com/fr/index.php