However, I do have to say that when we found "our" patisserie, there were no leftovers and the pounds started rearing their ugly heads! Certainly we had a perfectly filling and fulfilling breakfast each morning (along with the newspaper) and really didn't need to get too out of control. It's easy to do when everything around you is so overwhelmingly fine.

My hotel dinner was beef with bernaise sauce and was SO very good. I don't remember what else came with it other than the eel appetizer (which is their complimentary presentation when you don't order an appetizer I guess) which I wasn't overly fond of. My daughter wouldn't even touch hers, even not knowing what it was (and especially after). And then she ordered lamb of all things. I was truly surprised with her choice since I'd only had lamb once and sworn off it and never cooked it at home. She'd had 4-H friends with sheep however and she'd dined in their homes, and she was assertive and even got me to try a bite - it was delightful! What a pleasant surprise (but after this vacation, why are we still surprised with surprises?). She chose to follow her entree with an assortment of petit fours.

But the post-entree assortment of local cheeses I was treated to was optimum! That was gourmet excellence! I became an addict to French camembert the very moment I tried it! That alone is worth another trip to the continent as the U.S. uses different techniques to process camambert, and being first spoiled by the real thing put ours promptly in second place.

While the restaurant per se wasn't spectacular in physical presentation (we were totally spoiled by now), the service was perfect; better than I've ever experienced and our waiter was tipped quite well. Sorry I didn't go into the kitchen and tip the cook - it was all so outstanding. This epicurian wonderland was all such fun for both of us with every taste and turn being an adventure to savor for a lifetime!