We always try to reserve before going to a restaurant, and suggest to our guests that they do. Obviously in cities there is another restaurant around the corner, but in the country that is not always the case. Why would you drive somewhere only to find that you can't get in? Over the years we've found restaurants closed on the particular day we want to go (normal weekly closing, or 'exceptionellement ferme' for a family event,) or perhaps already booked by a wedding party - even one day, when we went with people who hadn't reserved, and were late, found the chef had gone home. It was off season, about 8.30, they figured no one else would come, so off he went.

Not to mention that it's polite to advise the restaurants, often small, so they have an idea of how many people will be coming.

Today another, less common example. We plan to go out with friend next week, and decided on La Belle Etoile in La Roque Gageac. Just as well she called - if you know this village, one of 'Les Plus Beux Villages de France' and one year voted THE most beautiful, you know it is built at the foot of a cliff. Over the years bits of the cliff have fallen off - most recently, and most severely in 1957, when 6 houses were smashed and 3 people killed.

Well, apparently there is a risk of another large chunk of stone falling, and La Belle Etoile is closed for 5 weeks, until 14th July, they hope. Not sure what they are doing and certainly last week when we drove through the village the road was open. But not the restaurant or the hotel. Another one of those 'we're not in Kansas any more Toto' events of our life here.

And so a suggestion that if you are booked into the Hotel Belle Etoile, to check with them about their re-opening. And that you do call ahead before you go off to a restaurant, at least in the Dordogne.

Oh no! I have been to La Roque Gageac several times and have dined at La Belle Etoile. We planned our last trip to the Dordogne almost entirely around food and were sure to make reservations in advance for every night, even though we were traveling in the low season (late October). But to have a restaurant closed because the cliff is falling - that is something new.

The trials of living in the Dordogne...

Carlux -- I should've looked first before I just posted a notice to this effect. We have a large group staying with us who had scheduled a dinner for fourteen for Sunday night at La Belle Etoile and the woman from the hotel called yesterday afternoon, very upset about the situation, having to cancel the dinner which was arranged several months ago.
This is going to be a very difficult situation for the restaurants in LRG -- I only hope there is some sort of support available for the government, or perhaps their own business insurances, that will help them survive this nearly six-week closure during a very busy time of year. La Plume d'Oie and La Belle Etoile will need a lot of support from the community once they reopen -- I will do my part!

I learned my lesson about booking ahead on a visit to the Dordogne about three years ago when I drove from Cognac to Monasties (near Albi) and made a huge detour to eat in a little place in La Chapelle Aubareil. It was pouring rain and the drive took longer than we had planned. We walked in at 1:50 and the proprietress would not seat us since the kitchen was due to close in 10 minutes. She told us if we had called ahead, she would have accommodated us. I never again will drive out of my way to dine where I have not booked ahead.

So sorry to hear about LRG. We have just returned from the Dordogne and ate at La Belle Etoile and La Plume d"Oie both. I do agree about reservations. I did not make any before we left. Anyway, upon our arrival in Sarlat, the owner of the place we stayed made all our dinner reservations then. Only one night could we not get in to where we wanted in Saralt and had to go elsewhere.

I concur with the advice to book ahead. Even if the restaurant of your choice is open sometimes the chef will buy in food based on the number of bookings. So, even if you can get a table, you may have to resign yourself to the plat de jour (not that this is necessarily a hardship - but it may be frustrating if you were hoping to order something in particular).