Right on Dordogne

Within minutes of reading Paul Dean’s excellent article of March 31 on the Dordogne, and Gloria Lopez’s sensitive piece on Mme. Gorse and Le Coux et Bigaroque, I shot off a letter reserving a place for my wife and me for this July. Now that I am actually here, I want you to know that Dean and Lopez were right on target. Castang is a kind of oasis in Paradise. The inn where one can speak English is a restful change for the weary American trying to remember high school French, and paradise is the marvelous food, gracious ambiance and, of course, the Dordogne Valley itself.

Considering how exciting it is here in July, I can just imagine how gorgeous it must be in early autumn, when the leaves are turning red and most tourists have left. Score another hit for the Los Angeles Times.

PAUL FAIRBROOK

Stockton