Between Clairac and the hamlet of Fernan, the Méric plot is remarkably well situated, on a south-facing hillside overlooking the Lot loop. In 1810, it was still inhabited by the Méric family – well known in the history of Clairac – who ran a renowned nursery there. Mrs. Méric's widow, born Fortunée Perin, entrusted the management of the property to L. Limouzin, “nurseryman, pupil of an arborist from Orléans”, probably after the death of her husband Guillaume Méric.
This recently discovered and unpublished sales catalog offers the reader a tasty and fragrant journey; apricot of Algiers, head of Venus, early royal, bon-chretien, thigh-madam, virgouleuse, louise-bonne, short-hanging, heart-black, or the famous “plum robe-de-sergent entée” will make him salivate, without any doubt! And why not take the opportunity to decorate his garden with hairy sumac, sugar maple, Christ thorn, or Persian lilac. The attentive reader will notice that no grape varieties are proposed, whereas the vineyard of Clairac at that time counted 44 different ones: their commercialization was not assured by this type of nurseryman.
At the end of this precious catalogue, Limouzin's recommendations are no less appetizing: “In general, if the trees are more vigorous in strong lands, the fruit is sweeter in dry lands. The rising is the best aspect for peaches, pavies, apricots; for early and delicate pears, such as virgouleuse, saint-germain, autumn bergamot, etc. Sunset for plum, apple and pear trees that are neither hasty nor delicate, such as marquise and others.”“The Méric nurseries are among the oldest in the department; and although this kind of culture has multiplied considerably, they have always preserved their reputation. It is in the hope of increasing it that Mrs. Vve Méric has just hired a skilled arborist for several years.”
“The catalog I publish is less extensive than those of some other arborists. I could have extended it further by producing the same species under different names; but this method is repugnant to my delicacy.”
Even today, the beautiful stone house of Meric dominates the valley. Nearby you can still see a pretty dovecote dating from 1786.
