Limoux town square

Peyriac de Mer was our intended sketching and painting destination today but it was a day of traveling mishaps and when we finally got there, it was a bit of a disappointment for some. 

The plan was to have lunch in the main square but being a busy Sunday, the lovely cafés were pretty much booked up and the one they ended up in left a lot to be desired... They also felt that the choice of painting subjects was not what they had hoped for. Their enthusiasm in general was at a low ebb...not because of the town itself - it was lovely - but because of the combination of the day's unfortunate circumstances.

My sister and I had some misgivings about the day too, but we totally enjoyed our short time in Peyriac-de-mer. In search of lunch, we had ventured a little beyond the actual square and found a tiny cafe called La Fabrica, run by a wonderful young French woman who prepares fabulous healthy luncheon dishes (including desserts)  and speaks perfect English! 

We were then joined by a very friendly French couple who could not speak a word of English but with the occasional translation offered by our host, we all managed to communicate quite well and had a lively and enjoyable visit.. good food, good wine and lots of laughter. (extra)

When we reconnected with the group, the decision had been made to leave early - but to take an hour first to find a subject and do a quick sketch before heading home for a wee rest before heading out to dinner in our own town square...(extra)

So the moral of the story is that a lovely lunch can save the day... and it is the people we meet that often provide us with the most lasting impressions of a county, a village or town and a trip...