As there was no direct flight to Lyon, we took Cathay
Pacific (CX261) from HK to Paris and transit, originally departing by 00:05. Everything
went smooth during check-in and customs at the HK Airport, and we had good time
enjoying ourselves in the lounge with some local brewed beer.
Arriving at the gate ready to board, we were told that the
flight would be delayed for 30 minutes due to some issues on the cleaning of cabin.
Having no choice, we waited at the gate but during that time continued to see a
number of staff boarding the plane. Something apparently was wrong. 
After a while the ground staff made the announcement that
the flight had to be delayed for another 2.5 hours because of technical issue, and
requiring passengers to change to another aircraft. We began to worry our vacation
would begin with the stress of missing the train in Paris.
Originally, we had about 3 hours for transit in Paris, and there
should be plenty of time. But now everything was in jeopardy. Going back to the
lounge to wait out we checked the train schedule and evaluated whether to change
to a later departure train, while also seeking advice from others. 
Finally we decided to stick to our original plan but also doing
a couple of things: first was to arrange ground assistance in Paris to help
speed up immigration and customs as much as possible; second to obtain the
proof of delay so I could claim for insurance in case I could not catch my
train. The Cathay staff was helpful and supported both readily.
Boarding the flight around 02:45, the journey went
uneventful despite the delay, and the pilot did make up some time on the way as
well. I watched two movies and slept for the rest of the journey comfortably,
and landed Paris around 08:49. I breathed a sigh of relief since with one hour
I should have a good chance to make it for the transit. 
Using the fast lane through immigration, and despite the
baggage system was not particularly efficient, we were able to get out of the terminal
around 09:35. With 20 minutes to go we made it to the TGV station in time but
found that the train was in fact delayed for 15 minutes. So in the end we ended
up having to wait on the platform for quite a while!
The train (TGV9812) from Paris to Lyon went smoothly, with
only one stop in between. We arrived Lyon Part Dieu station by 12:15, and Wladimir,
our local tour guide and driver for the first part of this trip, was already waiting
for us on the platform. He then took us to our car, a nice Mercedes 7-seater,
and officially our journey began! 
During the ride, Wladimir introduced himself to us. He was
from the Beaujolais region and had a deep and strong passion about the area. A
couple of years ago he decided to quit his job and set up this tour business,
not because it earned more but more to allow himself the freedom to do something
he liked. His wife was also in the same business and we would meet her a few
days later.
After a 45-minute drive, we arrived at the medieval village
of Perouges. Located about 30km northeast of Lyon, there were evidence of human
beings living in the area since 2500BC, but the first written record of the Perouges
fortress was dated to the beginning of 12th century. 
The village was built between the end of 14th
century to beginning of 15th century, under the Earldom of Savoy.
The village prospered under the wool weaving business, as well as the merchants
traveling between Lyon and Geneva. In 1601 it became officially French
territory under Henry IV.
Just like many such villages, with the coming of Industrial Revolution,
many folks left the village to go to the cities to work. At the beginning of
the 20th century, the village was essentially abandoned with only
one family remaining. 
Fortunately, in 1911 the Mayor of Lyon, Edouard Herriot, decided
to save and restore the old village. Successfully maintaining its historical ambiance,
the village attracted many famous people to come visit, and many films were
also shot here. It was now one of the most beautiful villages in France.
After parking the car outside the village we went straight
to a restaurant for lunch, and our guide recommended us to Hostellerie du Vieux
Perogues. It was one of the oldest building in the village, originating in the
13th century, and now both a restaurant and hostel, where one could
rent a room and live in the historic building, with its medieval décor and
furniture. 
The restaurant was likewise kept in the same era, with
everything immersing you for a meal back in time. All the staff were dressed in
traditional costumes. I found the wine list particularly interesting, written
on a sheep parchment, the first time I saw and touched one.
I picked one wine from an appellation I had not even heard
of, Le Caveau Bugiste Manicle 2016, from Bugey AOC (€42). The wine was 100%
Chardonnay, decent, full-bodied and rich. Although I almost finished the whole
bottle over lunch by myself, it was mainly because I was so thirsty (it was hot
and there was no air-conditioning), not too much because of its quality. 
I ordered the Menu Mousquetaires (€67), because I
wanted to try the famous Bresse Chicken with Cream and Morels, with my wife
going for Menu St. Georges (€49). I opted for Homemade Duck Foie Gras in
Terrine while Ivy chose Poultry Liver Cake. Both were decent but not particularly
impressive.
My main course was the chicken which has delivered the
promise, with the flesh firm yet not tough, and there was minimal fat under the
skin. It was a great match with the cream sauce. The mushroom added an extra
dimension to the dish and the generous portion of half a chicken allowed me to
enjoy this dish to the fullest. Ivy in turn had the equally nice Bresse Chicken
Roasted in a Large Oven.
Then came the Gratin Dauphinoise, which was Baked Sliced Potatoes
in Milk. Quite nicely done, rich and tasty. This demonstrated how something
simple could still be delicious if done properly. The next was the Cheese Platter,
with a wide range of local and regional cheese to choose from.
The dessert was the renown Galette Perougienne, a baked flat
shortbread with sugar on top, and I paired that with some Homemade Sorbets. Ivy
decided to pair with Fresh Raspberries. Not particularly special if I may, but worth
trying given it was the village’s signature. 
With a bottle of water (€6), and two cups of coffee (€5),
the total bill was €169. Overall the food was quite decent, and with the
interesting medieval ambiance and décor, friendly and nice services, I did recommend
others to try it out when visiting this beautiful village. 
Finishing lunch we walked around the village. In the square of
the village there was a famous tree, which was already in the square before the
French Revolution, and now probably a bit too old so requiring poles to support
some big branches. 
The village was quite quiet and peaceful, not having a lot
of tourists on the day probably due to the heat. We had a good walk around on
the cobblestone road and visiting some shops. Re-joining with Wladimir, we made
our way to the next stop, Domaine Laurent Perrachon et Fils. 
The wine estate was located in Julienas, one of Beaujolais
Crus. Arriving there we were greeted by the owner of the estate Laurent Perrachon
himself. While the estate started when the Perrachon family acquired their
first property Domaine de la Bottiere (Julienas) in 1877, in fact the family
had been involved in the wine trade as early as 1601. 
Subsequently the family acquired Domaine des Perelles
(Moulin-a-Vent) and lately Domaine des Mouilles (Julienas), where we were visiting
and being the heart of their operations. The family also owned other parcels in
Chenas, Fleurie and Saint-Amour. Laurent was the fifth generation of the family.
Walking along the vineyards, Laurent illustrated to us the Cordon
de Royat method in pruning the Gamay vines. Seeing the healthy grapes we chatted
about the quality of the fruit and expectation of a good vintage in Beaujolais.
He showed us some old vines of more than 80 years as well. 
Then we moved to his cellars. Laurent explained that all
harvesting were done manually, and concrete and stainless steel tanks were used
in the winemaking. Fermentation with carbonic maceration was typically done in
6-8 days, but for special cuvee it could be up to 14 days. He also used some
oak barrels to age those special cuvees for up to 18 months.
We then sampled the wines in the tasting room. The estate
had one of the most comprehensive offerings in Beaujolais, from Cremant de
Bourgogne, white and rose Beaujolais, to the Beaujolais-Villages and six of
Beaujolais Crus, including Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Chenas and
Saint-Amour, from a total of 26 hectares of vineyards in different parts of the
region. 
In addition, I tasted the special cuvee Julienas
l’Irresistible, made from the best grapes of the parcel with average age of 80
years. There was only a very limited production of 1333 bottles with each
bottle individually numbered. I rated this wine as the best among those I had
tasted and I bought a bottle of 2015 (at only €12!). It would need to age
another couple of years before drinking though.
Then Wladimir drove us to Auberge de Clochemerle, located in
the Clochemerle village at Vaux-en-Beaujolais, where we would have dinner and
spend the night. The hotel was small with only ten rooms, and you could
immediately feel it was well-kept, with everything clean and tidy. However, as
there was no lift to the second floor if you were carrying a lot of luggage it
could be a bit challenging. 
Our Prestige Double room was decent, cozy and comfortable.
The only concern I got was that it had no air-conditioning. Yes, this was a
surprise to me, and considering we were in the midst of the hottest time in the
year (and the week was also considering exceptionally hot by the locals) it was
quite tough. Fortunately the hotel had provided a fan which helped to increase
air circulation.
Taking a quick shower to cool down and changing to nicer
clothes, we proceeded to dinner at the famous restaurant in the hotel. Led by
Romain Barthe, who got his Michelin 1-star status since 2012, the restaurant had
a nice modern setting, well-lit, elegant and comfortable, with good space
between tables and a refined ambiance. However, there was also no
air-conditioning inside. 
Ivy went for a fruit juice while I had the special house
aperitif to start. We were served two amuse bouche from the chef before even placing
our order. Unfortunately I didn’t write down the details of each so I could not
remember well but they were both good in appearance and taste.
I decided to go for Menu Evasion (€88), which got four
courses, cheese and two desserts, along with wine pairings (€51). Ivy instead
opted for the lighter Menu Plaisir (€68) with three courses, cheese and one
dessert. Both menu were prepared by the chef on the day, depending on what he
could get from the market and the best in-season ingredients.
I was quite impressed by the wine pairings, with each course
having a different wine served, selected by sommelier Delphine Barthe, wife of
Romain. The matching was good, and the wine was also poured in good portion.
Finishing all the seven wines, you could imagine it made me a bit drunk in the
end.
All the dishes were beautifully rendered and good in taste,
but I thought some of them were a bit too salty for my palate. Also, the wait between
each course was a bit too long for us, particularly considering we had been
traveling whole day. We were seated around 20:15 and by the time we finished the
meal it was close to midnight, spanning over more than 3.5 hours.
Really too tired, we had to skip the last coffee snacks
before returning to the room. The staff however took the effort and brought
those to the room so we could enjoy it later. With all the great food and wine,
impeccable service, the total bill was €229, which to me was very reasonable.
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