DINNER
Dinner will be served around 8:30 pm at the long dining table on the terrace in front of the kitchen. Sometimes we eat in the kitchen itself or on the covered terrace. If there are children, we suggest you prepare their meals earlier and separately. Every day you will be spoiled with a different cuisine from around the world. However, Rinell and Eric prefer to respect your dietary needs, risks of allergies or other diets, so do not hesitate to inform them of your habits. The evening meal consists of a starter, a main course, a dessert and coffee or tea and costs €23 per person for an adult and €15 for a child under 12 years old.
ITALIAN CUISINE
Italian cuisine is one of the world's most important cuisines. It is characterized, for example, by virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese, which comes from Parma and is one of the oldest cheeses, well-known for its grating. Golden toasted pine nuts and fresh basil from L'Xpérience's garden are just a few flavors of Italian cuisine that are represented in Rinell's dishes.
JAPANESE CUISINE
Traditional Japanese cuisine consists of fish, rice, noodles, vegetables, and seaweed. Rinell loves making sushi, the typical little rice sweets with a surprise inside and wrapped in nori. It's a celebration to eat these festive and delicious little creations with chopsticks. It often doesn't go smoothly, and the evening is a joy. The poke bowl has now also earned a place on the table.
MEXICAN CUISINE
Mmm… Corn in soup, tacos and tortillas, chicken with a spicy chocolate sauce! Chip tacos with guacamole, flambéed bananas or a Mexican risotto with green vegetables are among the Mexican dishes at L'Xpérience. To entertain the palate there will be small sausages and the Mojito cocktail at aperitif time, and these are ingredients for a relaxed and joyful evening.
ASIAN CUISINE
Spicy and surprising! Travel influences from Egypt, Thailand, India, and Jordan are to be discovered in L'Xpérience's Asian cuisine. Rinell enjoys working with fresh garden chili, grated ginger, lemongrass, and lime leaves. These make chic combinations with fish or strips of beefsteak.
FRENCH CUISINE
To better prepare French cuisine, Rinell and Eric took cooking classes from their friend Mireille. This purebred Ardèche resident prepares her pig, slaughters her chickens, and organizes days where we work hard to prepare sausages and foie gras. Ardèche is known for its dishes featuring wild boar, chestnuts, and goat cheese. One of the residents of Valgorge makes very, very good jams. The Sunday morning organic market in the Village offers a wide range of local produce. Rinell is a fan of English chef Jamie Oliver and combines his distinctive style with the beautiful ingredients of French cuisine. At our house, garlic always comes in its small purple leaves, which are incredibly fragrant. In Jamie Oliver's garlic soup, Rinell adds at least three heads, caramelized in the oven. A very mild, velvety soup that won't leave you with bad breath.
MOROCCAN CUISINE
And yes, a wide variety of dishes: couscous, tagine often garnished with dried fruits, chicken or fish, delicious salads with lots of vegetables, chickpeas and cheese. Rinell takes a trip to Morocco once a year to stock up on spices.
BREAKFAST
Is there anything better than a slightly warm butter croissant for breakfast? Rinell starts baking flutes, baguettes, and croissants early when you're still tossing and turning in bed. The smell of freshly baked bread from L'Xperience can, however, awaken the senses of the nose. But if you're mainly someone who prefers yogurt to cereals, grains, and nuts, you won't be disappointed either. Breakfast is served from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. This way, people sleep in, and early risers can be happy. If you want to have breakfast earlier because you've booked a canoe tour or for any other reason, don't hesitate to ask! We'll be happy to help.
SNACKING
At lunchtime, L'Xpérience offers simple, but good quality snacks prepared to order. We serve you everywhere in the garden and at any time you have a snack, a snack or a sandwich. If you are planning a long hike or other all-day activity, we will be happy to prepare a picnic for you.
ON THE MENU
Tuna sandwich
Egg sandwich
Hot goat cheese sandwich
Caprese sandwich (mozzarella, tomato and basil)
Croque Monsieur and or Madame
Mac The Experience
The drinks menu includes sodas, fruit juices, and a few beers that even our Belgian friends enjoy. After your meal, we recommend trying the digestifs. The chestnut liqueur is highly recommended. Many French people drink a 51 or a pastis as an aperitif. The house wines are from the Lablachère cellar. You can also order a glass or a pitcher. Of course, you can also choose a wine from the wine list.
DRINKS
L'Xpérience offers you wines from the Lablachère cooperative winery. First, Rinell and Eric tested all the local wines blindfolded. Lablachère was elected winner and official supplier. The winery was founded in 1928 by a handful of people who believed in the quality of the soil and the future of the region and its local products. Young winegrowers benefit from the dynamism of the older ones who have adapted their vineyards to the 80% dominant terroir; L Trias Cévenol. The 420 hectares of vines in very fragmented plots are located at an altitude between 200 and 500 meters with a hot and dry Mediterranean climate. A weekly tasting is possible between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and between 2:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. For a visit to the winery, you must make an appointment. At L'Xpérience, you'll be served Cabernet red by the pitcher, but you can also order a bottle of Pinot, Gamay, Syrah, Merlot, or Chatus. Chatus is a historic grape variety in the Cévennes Ardéchoises. It's a real success. Chatus is a late-ripening red grape variety that ripens in late September and early October. After 2 years of vinification in oak barrels, it becomes a wine for aging par excellence. It reveals its full potential after 5 years. Chatus is the absolute favorite for Rinell and Eric. http://www.cave-lablachere.fr/
Merlot: Merlot is a red grape variety with small black berries. Its terroir is on cool, clay-limestone soils. Dark and dense in color, with aromas of red and black fruits and a superb aromatic palette, Merlot transforms during its aging to give way to notes of prunes, undergrowth, and spices. On the palate, it is supple with distinguished tannins.
Syrah: Syrah is appreciated for its aromatic intensity, its rich color and its aging capacity – with or without barrel aging.
Viognier: Viognier is a white grape variety that was originally only cultivated in the northern Côtes-du-Rhône. After almost disappearing, it has become one of the most popular varieties worldwide since the last quarter of the 20th century.
COCKTAILS
At 7:00 p.m., aperitifs tempt you to approach the bar on the covered terrace. Eric will be the bartender, offering you seductive cocktails. The cocktail of the day always pairs well with dinner. A small amuse-bouche prepares your taste buds, and what's more, the mood for a great evening is set.