Another Visit to Solutré-Poully

Every year we try to visit the small town of Solutré-Pouilly, at the southern end of Bourgogne.  There are two reasons – it is a famous archaeological site, where one can take a short hike to the top of the Roche de Solutré [Solutré Rock], and we can also have lunch at La Courtille de Solutré, one of our favorite restaurants.

Roche de Solutré

We needed to rent a car to get there, and we needed a nice day, but not too hot, so we could hike up to the top of the Roche.  Another issue we had to be cognizant of is Anna’s right knee, where the tendon that holds her kneecap in place occasionally decides to go on strike.  She has a brace that holds it in place, and she decided to wear it just in case.

We picked up our car, which turned out to be a small van, as they were evidently out of the car we had reserved, a very small Fiat 500.  No problem – same price, and off we went, through the Fourvière Tunnel and on to the A6 Autoroute.  It takes about an hour to get to the area, and we parked in the small lot for the Roche and its small museum.  [We have visited the museum before – nice exhibit on the artifacts found at this prehistoric hunting site.]

Our lunch reservations were for 12:30, and we set off up the trail about 10:30, giving us almost two hours to do the 2-1/2 mile roundtrip.  It was a warm day, and the trail is steep and rocky in places, so we went slowly and carefully.  About half way up a small herd of Polish [Przewalski horses] horses graze, keeping the non-native vegetation under control.  The horses are small and have a distinctive stripe on their back and are thought to be genetically similar to the prehistoric horses hunted at the site.

We reached the top, joining other groups, including a group of young British men who had brought a bottle of Pouilly-Fuissé, produced here, and glasses, to celebrate reaching the top.

At the Top of the Roche

Anna with the town of Solutré-Pouilly below



Near-by Roche de Vergisson and town of Vergisson from the top of the Roche de Solutré

We spent a few minutes taking pictures and admiring the view before heading down.  We reached the parking lot and drove back to the small town, finding a parking place across from the restaurant. 

Walking over to the restaurant, we obtained an outside table, under the enormous tree in the courtyard.  Our serveuse appeared quickly, with the menu du jour on a chalk board, and explained the day’s specials.  We ordered a glass of Cremant de Bourgogne as an aperitif, to refresh ourselves, while we pondered our choices.

Menu du Jour



Anna with glass of Cremant in hand

Anna began with moules in a cream sauce, with small clams mixed in.  She pronounced the dish the best she had ever had!  David had terrine with a sort of fruit preserve that was an excellent combination.  For our plats, Anna had a wonderfully prepared beef tenderloin, with accompanying vegetables, potatoes, and beef marrow.  This was accompanied by Sauce Béarnaise.  Again, Anna pronounced it excellent.  [David can verify this as he has had the tenderloin at a previous visit.]

Anna's Plat

David’s plat was a stuffed leg of Pintade – really excellent also.  The wine was a very nice Sauvigny-les-Beaune, a red Bourgogne from a few miles up the road.

David's Plat

Because it was a warm day and we had hiked up the rock, we also disposed of two liters of Badoit sparkling water.

For dessert Anna had fresh pineapple with mango sorbet; David a Gâteau au Chocolat et Gingembre, with crème anglais and again mango sorbet.  Believe it or not, all these disparate flavors worked together perfectly!

Anna's Dessert

 

David's Dessert

After coffee, we crossed the street to a small shop, L'Epicerie de Solutré, where we could taste local wines and purchase wines and other local products.  The lady in the store was the co-owner of the store and the winery nearby - Domaine Pascal et Mireille Renaud.  The winery had been in the family since 1927, and she was pleased to tell us that their children were very involved and would be taking over. 

We purchased six bottles of local white wine from various surrounding areas such as Pouilly-Fuissé, along with a jar of honey and some specialty vinegars.

It was then time to sight-see around town a bit, and drive slowly back to Lyon, along the back roads mostly, enjoying the scenery.