LOCAL FLAVOUR

Our focus today is the Couchois, and in particular the historic village of Couches. Having spent the day exploring the local area and trekking to the top of Mont Rome with its spectacular panoramic views stretching to the Alps, it’s time to chill and have a beer or a glass of wine. So, we suggest heading straight for the Bar l’Oval, to be found in the ‘town square’, overlooking the Mairie. It’s a popular drinking spot for the locals and tourists alike and an opportunity to get some advice on where to eat a little later in the day – you can guarantee that the locals will have a well-informed view!
Probably one of their suggestions will be directly opposite to where you are sitting: the restaurant A l’Heure de Saveurs. This friendly eatery with a choice of interior or terrace dining gets a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor. The traditional style menu is reasonably priced between, starting at around 15 euro.
If we might dare to suggest, Couches also serves up a good Italian meal (Ed: Sacré bleu!). The place to go is Le P’tit Couchois where you will find chef Vincenzo turning out some delicious dishes. Don’t worry about the wine, you can have a glass or two of the local nectar!
A little more exclusive means a 10-minute drive down the D253 to St. Jean de Trezy. Here you find Domaine de Rymska, a pretty boutique hotel with a gourmet restaurant. This is a relais château hotel set in an 80-hectare (approx. 200 acres) estate. Much of the food is influenced by the estate’s livestock farm, vegetable garden and orchard. And the wine cellar is a tribute to the region. If you are splashing out then try the menu degustation; alternatively, there are cheaper options, especially during the week at lunchtime.
There are a lot more opportunities to eat out locally but for now, our final selection is Le Blason de Vair restaurant to be found at the Château de Couches. They have their own wine, grown on the estate – ask for the clin d’oeil (translation: twinkling of the eye / a wink) – it’s great value for money and is available as a red or a white. Have a look at their website (in French only) to get a better feel for the place... it’s definitely worth a visit for that special occasion.
And that brings us neatly onto wines and the ‘occasional’ sampling (Ed: I would suggest ‘frequent’!).
Worth a visit is the Domaine Royet to be found to the west of Couches near to Eguilly. Three generations of wine growers producing Chardonnay whites and Pinot Noir reds from their cellars in the hamlet of Combereau. They are perhaps best known for their Crémant (champagne-style fizz!). When you do visit them, make sure you buy the Royal Royet, an exquisite pink sparkling wine - a bit on the sweet side, but a nice present to take home especially as it is priced at less than €10 a bottle.
In our REGIONAL FEATURE, we mention the Cave de Mazenay in Saint-Sernin-du-Plain, where local and regional wines abound. The selection is a tribute to the Burgundian wines from the Côtes de Nuits, Côtes Chalonaises, and (of course) also including Côtes de Beaune. The winery is recognized by the Burgundy Wine Traders Associations with a prestige award – so this really should be on your list of places to visit while in the area.
All this eating out, wine tasting and buying are heavy on the wallet… occasionally you just want a night in, so a local baker is essential and luckily there’s one just around the corner in Couches at 22 rue St Georges. This is a family run business. Valerie is behind the counter and very welcoming, while Stephan and his sons make a large variety of breads and pastries. (Ed: By the way, remember to buy your sandwiches here for when you are on those walks that we mentioned in the regional feature).