We started chatting by the pool armed with gins and tonics and a glass or two of wine. Two hours later the electric car carrying Peter and Richard still hadn’t arrived, having delayed its departure from Ainsa, just inside Spain, to take in a local wedding. We were all becoming a little concerned as the days leg was near the range limit of the car, around 100 miles, and the journey included crossing the Pyrenees. Several attempts at contacting them by phone failed and we were just beginning to think there was a problem when the little red car arrived, still boasting 15% in its battery. It was immediately plugged in to recharge, a 14 hour job from scratch, and we returned to the poolside with a further glass or two. Then we thought we had better start work. We began by recording some chat on the history of Le Gardian, before moving into the kitchen where Judy talked about our regional food in general and dinner in particular – duck breast, melon soup, stuffed gigot of hogget with masses of home-grown vegetables and a goat cheese made by our neighbour, Monique. Finally, with the light already failing, we wandered down to the truffière and talked a little of Truffle Tree’s seven year history. Then dinner, featuring four of our local red wines and several hours of animated conversation, ending, in the early hours, with an Armagnac tasting. In deference to the early departures planned for later that morning the team was spared the customary, near-compulsory table tennis challenge. Almost on schedule, at around 8.30am, Peter and Kevin left in the backup car for meetings in Paris and, after a brief photography session, Rose and Richard climbed into the electric vehicle for the three day trip to St Malo less than an hour later. It had been a brief but very interesting get-together. And yes, I did get to drive the electric car – it was very like an ordinary automatic, just amazingly quiet.

I know lots of the recorded material will end up on the cutting room floor but please do try and listen to You and Yours on BBC Radio 4 next Friday 9th July or on iPlayer for a further seven days; there is bound to be a little bit about Truffle Tree.

For more details of transmission times and to follow the progress of the electric car, including shortly their visit to us, please click on the link below.

"You & Yours" Electric Car Journey