La Guinguette - Valence-sur-Baïse

Attention the establishment has changed its name since mid-June and is now called the barge. arrived one night rather late...More

The frame is pretty but it doesn't excuse everything. The waiters are kind even if one can brouillon, look for the tables...The cook arrived with 0h30 delay and visibly did not want to work, orders that arrive in the disorder and the pumpoon a basic salad prepare in 0h45, to cut in 4 three tomatoes without preparing them and accompany a little green salad and ham from country, all for 12€. the restaurant was not complete fortunately because otherwise what disaster. a avoid for the moment or change the cook

Very good food. excellent from entering the desert in a very beautiful setting and served by a dynamic and friendly person.

We had boated hard on our hire pénichette from Agen, up the charming River Baise, usually eating on the boat in the evening. Having risen through the final, deep and turbulent, lock, we arrived at the head of navigation - not a busy inland port as we had imagined, but a pastoral idyll of tranquil, sunlit meadows, with free-range dogs and children ambling amiably around. Spotting the Guingette just before the road bridge, we decided to treat ourselves to a meal out as a reward for our boating exertions.Coming up the river, we had noticed that there were few ducks on it. This was explained when we sat down to our meal: we must have eaten parts of several of the dear little creatures as we sat at our table in the evening sunshine by the river bank (there are tents in which you can eat if it's wet.) A salad with warm ducks' gizzards (gésiers) does not sound especially appetising, but we ventured to try it and found it delicious. More duck followed, in a casserole style, for our main course which was equally toothsome and copious, leaving room only for a sorbet for dessert. The house red wine was most quaffable, as we proved by imbibing a litre of it between us during the evening, and the Armagnac which I had as a digestif was even better!The service was unfussy but willing and efficient, and the number of fellow diners (the place was about three quarters full, and this on a weekday) showed that the restaurant was popular with local people. All in all, relaxing and rather magical evening, in a charming tucked-away corner of rural France, which we'll remember for years to come. I hope that we shall return here one day, though I'd like to find a way of getting to Valence without going through that blasted lock.

Rural setting on the banks of the Baise, friendly welcome, the "armed" attendance on Sundays says long on its kitchen(recommended booking ) traditional gersoise cooking.to the devil the diet!!!