A day in Poitiers-- my family's ancestral home... Any suggestions?

[vlydawg]

Hello all-- has anyone ever been to/eaten in Poitiers? My mother's family is from here, dating back to at least 1632, based on church records, and I'll have the opportunity to take a day trip from Paris in May. Anyone know of a good place for lunch? My many-times great grandfather moved from Poitiers to what was then the Louisiana purchase, so I'm a Cajun in both temperament AND palate. it will be fun to eat in the place where all us crazy people came from ;-) Any recommendations would be appreciated!

[Ptipois]

You'll find lovely yellow round buttery sablé cakes at bakers' shops, they look like giant cookies and they're called "broyé poitevin". Very nice with tea or coffee or anything. Also the tourteau fromagé, a lean cheesecake, rounded in shape, with a blackened top half.

Don't know about restaurants. At least the absence of any reference in Le Fooding's list - either to Poitiers or to the larger département, la Vienne, which is remarkable - would tend to indicate that traditional-style cooking still rules there.

[vlydawg]

Thanks so much for the tips. I think, if nothing else, we'll picnic by the river, but I'm always open to good suggestions!