
Day 24 - October 2
Whoever said country life was peaceful?? We were both kept awake for most of the night by a barking dog and a hyperactive owl twit-twoo-ing and screeching, and an insomniac cockerel that crowed repeatedly well before dawn!
We set off for the Dordogne region immediately after breakfast. Peter has planned today’s route, which took us first to Villereal. This is one of the “bastide” towns, which were a series of fortified towns built in the 13th and 14th centuries as frontier towns to separate the English and French territories. They were built within gated walls in a grid plan systems, centred on a market square which usually included a roofed timbered “halle” as cover for the stalls. Those that are still standing are a fascinating study in carpentry! The next towns we visited, of Belves and Monpazier, are of the same design and they occupy stunning hillside locations offering fabulous views across the area, with the Dordogne snaking its way through the rich lands surrounding it. The agriculture here is mainly fruit of all types, planted in the same neat rows as the vineyards, and we drove for miles along roads twisting through orchards, enjoying spectacular views of chateaux nestling in distant forests and lovely red-roofed and shuttered farmhouses set in lush landscapes.
Beynac et Cazenac is one of the most photographed and beautifully situated towns in this region. As we rounded a bend in the river the town appeared before us, clinging to the cliff face and topped with a most impressive chateau once occupied by Richard the Lionheart. The town is built in the same beautiful honey-coloured stone typical of the region, and all the buildings and archways along the steep cobbled ascent to the chateau have been very carefully restored in total keeping with the history of the place. The views from the top are stunning.
Our final visit today, and our overnight stop, is La Roque-Gageac, again on the river. This village is a continuous winner of France’s prettiest village title, and it is easy to see why. The same honey coloured stone buildings run along one side of the road across from the river, climbing up the imposing cliff face to troglodyte dwellings set into the stone.
This is a great time to visit these places – the weather is still warm and sunny but the crowds have gone! We have been to this region before in the height of summer, and you can hardly move.
We surprised the Hymer today – we took her to a car wash! We managed to remove all the dead flies from the bonnet and generally get rid of all the dust and grime she has accumulated in the last three and a half weeks. We reckon she deserved a treat! I must say, she looks much better for it!