Hunters Lunch March 2009

This year we didn't arrive too early, the invitation said from 12 noon but after last year we knew that there would be a prolonged session of pre lunch drinks before sitting down to eat! So we arrived at 1pm and managed to get away with just one aperitif before sitting down to lunch at 1.45. The tables were beautifully decorated and about a hundred people sat down to eat. I had Nigel on my left and opposite us was Mme Lamothe, the lady who sells Armagnac and lives at a farm in the village. Next to me were 2 men and opposite another 3 men who were all obviously keen hunters. I had seen a horse box going down our lane, most weeks, containing hounds and a horse. I had asked Alain, our neighbour, and he said that the hounds and horses were stabled in the village and that they hunted on horseback in the forest North of here. Listening to the chaps next to me I deduced that one of them was the master of this hunt. I introduced myself and said that I had hunted in the UK prior to coming here. They explained that it was very different to hunting in the UK that sometimes he was the only mounted follower and that most of the followers were on quad bikes! Apparently they cover long distances and they are hunting red deer. We had a very copious meal, lots of sanglier, wild boar, in all its forms and of course lots of wine flowed. The meal ended at about 5.30 with coffee and Armagnac. A very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.