The Dordogne was the launchpad to our summer holiday this year and while its verdant rolling hills, winding rivers and rich regional fare are reasons enough to explore the area, our visit was largely sentimental.
My husband’s former colleague, insatiable traveler-friend and matchmaker – the man responsible for introducing us – was preparing to embark on his own love story with an Australian woman he became smitten with during a trip to Vietnam. His was to be the latest in an array of multi-cultural nuptials we’ve attended in the last several years. I always look forward to these weddings because not only do they share an air of my own experience – in-laws who can’t communicate with words but convey warmth in ebullient expressions and kind gestures, guests who fly in from all over the world, poignant toasts from loved ones – but blend cultural traditions that keep things interesting.
Our friends chose a secluded pocket of the Dordogne (the Perigord Vert) to host their festivities – specifically at the Château La Durantie, a mansion built in 1845 and renovated by private owners for private events. As someone who once dreamed of marrying in a Château (haven’t we all?), I instantly fell…
