Enjoy Brissac through the changing seasons
Spring
With the days getting warmer and the outstanding wealth of spring flowers and butterflies in the Languedoc in spring this is the ideal place to start your summer early. The temperature is pleasanter than in summer and the crowds are still to come.
The joys of walking in the area in spring are well summed up by the Visitors Book entry from a couple who stayed in No. 5 during the Spring 2004.
"What a wonderful place this is!! Physically beautiful, peaceful, gorgeous weather. Although much of our time was taken up with work, we had ample opportunity to explore the surrounding country, its culture and its people. The hill walking in the Causse du Larzac and the Cévennes is splendid. We particularly enjoyed walking in the valley of the Coudoulas around Aulas. The hike up to Prenticastails provides some spectacular views and the flowers in spring and early summer are gorgeous. We managed to photograph over fifty different species. Another great hike is along the Ravin des Arcs (about 15 mins drive from Brissac on the Montpellier road). The walk up to the Roc Blanc on the Montagne de la Serrane (above the castle) is very agreeable, up to Notre Dame du Suc and then on up to the ridge."
And from another guest who stayed in early May 2006:
"The wildlife is the major attraction for me and in the throes of spring has been stunning. It is great to see the landscape which we know in summer as parched and dry, now green and coloured with wild flowers. The nightingales have been beautiful: singing at night and all day. Walking in the hills it is often possible to pick out 4 or 5 or more competing with their songs. The frogs were less tuneful but you get used to them at night suprisingly quickly.
"There are three short toed eagles living around and about - one morning we saw one fly past carrying his breakfast - a long long snake. A good place to see them seems to be the walk up the Buèges valley near St Jean de Buèges where we saw them twice. They look a little like pale buzzards from a distance but have quite a distinctive sea-gull call the book describes as "mee-ok"! There are also black kites nesting aplenty outnumbering the buzzards and a pair of buzzards nesting in the château as well as on the cliffs beside the castle at St Jean."Lastly - surely the most beautiful European bird - bee eaters. We heard them many times, but they often fly very high and are difficult to spot. One evening driving on the D1 from St Mathieu de Treviers to Notre Dame de Londres we saw a small flock nesting on the telegraph wires beside the road - magical"
Lamb roasted with new potatoes
Put the lamb chops into a metal oven tray which can be used on the hob. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and drizzle a light olive oli over. Heat the tray and sear the chops on both sides on a high heat. If you don't have a dish which can go on the hob, do this part in a frying pan. Then put the lamb in the oven at approximately 180 degrees centigrade.
Wash the potatoes and cut larger ones into half. Cover them with water in a saucepan, and put on the hob to boil. Also prepare any other vegetable which looked good in the market.