The Diabolo-Fraise, in Nabirat, is the genuine article. A village restaurant serving well-prepared fresh local produce.

One piece of advice though, make sure you book! We had, and arrived just after noon, the first through the door. Within minutes other tables started to stream in, farm workers, families, locals, holidaymakers — soon 40 or so were seated. There’s no menu, you just take your seat and wait.

Icy water, a carafe of very drinkable chilled red wine and crusty bread soon appeared. Then a tureen of steaming vegetable soup — broth with beans, carrots, courgettes and garden herbs, tasty but not too filling.

Next a slice of jambon in parsley aspic with melon which was followed by the hearty main course – a platter of roast beef, thick slices, perfectly pink with oven-cooked sliced vegetables and jus. We left nothing.

Nabirat is famed for its strawberries and these featured in the dessert, a rich strawberry syrup with ice cream, whipped cream and palmier pastry biscuit. And then an excellent coffee to finish. Our hostess looked after the tables single-handedly, cheerfully delivering food, clearing plates away, replenishing bread and water and greeting customer’s dogs (we had two well-behaved greyhounds near us).

And all for 14 euros per person (no cards).

Nabirat is 20 to 25 minutes from Mercadiol taking back roads via Grolejac, or 30 minutes if you go via Gourdon.

Le Diabolo-Fraise, Nabirat, 05 53 59 36 83.

Note: closed Saturday and Sunday lunch. Themed meals Saturday evening. Evening menu 24 euros.