I was very lucky some 15 or so years ago to be holidaying in a lodge as part of a larger property owned by a very friendly UK couple and their young family, based in the Cognac region. On arrival they “warned” us not to be concerned by the topless Frenchman who rode his pushbike past the swimming pool along the pathway at the top of the property, and he was harmless…. With two under 10 year old children at the time, I wasn’t convinced….
However, we exchanged the odd awkward Bonjour over the coming days.
On our final night, our hosts invited us to a BBQ, and when we arrived, said topless Frenchman was also there, fortunately with his top on. We got chatting in very broken French and English, only to discover that he was the ex-head taster for Remy Martin (I think that’s what he said!). At which point he produced a large cardboard box that he usually kept in his garage, and it was full of his personal collection of Cognac that he’d “acquired” during the past 30+ years. He was insistent that I try every one - “cognac avec citron, cognac avec orange, cognac avec caramel…..” and so it went on all night. God only knows how old and valuable some of those must have been!
I didn’t win any best dad/husband of the year awards the next day trying to travel home with the most expensive hangover I’ve ever had
next to the road sign of the town of Condom...
