VIE DE FRANCE

From a former chef and erstwhile restaurant owner, a beguiling tale of a month in France when the living was easy, the friendships warm, and the food superb.

Refreshingly, Haller is as much intent on celebrating friendship as the good life abroad, though like all travelers, he records encounters with local characters and customs. In 1996, burned out from cooking, he decided to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday with good friends at his home in Maine. Over coffee, he and his guests began wistfully talking of spending a month in France in an agreeable setting where they could really relax and get to know the country. They learned about a 17th-century house for rent in Savonnieres, a small town in the Loire valley, and began making serious plans. The group would consist of six people: Haller and his partner Jack would stay the entire month; friends like Mona, Helmut, Madeleine, and her husband Mackie would visit for shorter periods; they would all chip in for expenses. Though it was a congenial group, Haller was understandably nervous as they approached the house. Happily, it was even better than its pictures. Wisteria covered the walls, flowers filled the garden, the bedrooms had ample closets, the bathrooms were modern, the kitchen well equipped. Haller, who had not planned on doing any cooking, found his old zest returning as he explored the range of fresh vegetables, pastries, and meats at the food markets and picked fresh produce from their garden. Soon, he was cooking all the meals (menus are included). The weather cooperated as they made side trips to Tours and Paris, visited local chateaux, shopped at farmer’s markets, and attended the local Donkey Festival. Perhaps the best part of their sojourn, however, was sitting out on the terrace overlooking Savonnieres and enjoying harmonious companionship.

An elegant tribute to friendship and joie de vivre that France still offers.