The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur
May 9 - Chateau de Brissac
The Chateau de Brissac is spectacular. The family still occupies the building but part is open for tours. The photos above were taken off their website as no photos are permitted inside the building. You can see the living room, one of the historic bedrooms (there are LOTS of stories about events that happened here) and the third floor theater where the concert was held.
The classical concert was put on by the Anjou-Hungary Friends Association and featured, not surprisingly, a Hungarian pianist and a French clarinetist. The pairing seems unlikely until you learn that the Marquis de Brissac is married to a Hungarian princess. Following the concert, we retired to the old chateau kitchen for dinner. What a treat!
Our tablemates were wonderful people who suffered our limited French ... and occasionally made a brave stab at English. While conversation was limited, I felt that we communicated pretty well and parted as friends. Marie and Claude chat with the Marquis after dinner. He is in line to be the next Duke of Brissac, but the aristocracy doesn't pay that well these days. Both he and his wife are schoolteachers and seem like very down-to-earth people, despite the fact that it is obvious they have been born to privilege.
© 2004 Restaurant Doctor
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