The Causse Mejean doesn’t have too many places to eat out and enjoy local products nor sleeping options… but it wasn’t always the case… until 15 years ago there was a magic place where to eat and that was also an inn. The place where my parents went while looking for a place to sleep when they were honeymoon touring the region. I have never known the name of the inn it has always been “chez madame Fage”. This place was where you could have delicious soup made from the kitchen garden vegetables, a salad just freshly taken and dressed simply, the marvelous chocolate mousse the daughter Eliane would make for dessert. It had the rustic flavors while being perfectly prepared and fresh. I keep beautiful memories of this place. The aperitif under the wisteria, the big wooden tables, the check table cloth and napkins… a picturesque place. Mas Saint Chely, where “madame Fage” was is just a 30min walk from our house through a pasture track, and of course we decided to take the walk up there, not knowing what to expect as madame Fage closed 15 years ago, the bread-shops and the other very few places in the village also closed down more than 20 years ago.
As we were making our ways through the village I instantly recognized the kitchen garden, the winding street and the terrace covered with the wisteria. Nothing had changed. I climbed up the stairs and knocked and Eliane opened the door as she would always do! For a moment time had stopped!
She offered us drinks on the terrace, with the same glasses and the same fresh water, what was new for us was her lavender syrup. Made with the wild lavender flowers found on the causse, it was devine so I needed to ask her recipe and share it with you.
Lavender syrup
– a large handful of lavender flowers rather fresh
– 1L of clear water
– 600g to 1kg of sugar
Wash the flowers gently. In a large pan filled with the water, bring them to a boil for 2min then stop and leave for 24h. Add 600g to 1kg of sugar for 1l of liquid depending on how sweet you like it and how long you want to keep it (the longer the sweeter). Bring to a boil and cook at low heat for 10min. Let cool down and bottle the syrup… that’s it!! Drink diluted with water or use in cooking… with grilled white meat, desserts…
