Country Roads in Autumn. Ten weeks in country France.
Jan 5th, 2017, 08:18 AM
#21
really enjoying this, Rhon. when our kids were small [and not so small] we used to go on holidays where we stayed in one or two places over the space of a couple weeks and we rarely ran out of things to do.
reading this makes me think that we should consider going back to it.
reading this makes me think that we should consider going back to it.
Jan 5th, 2017, 06:02 PM
#22
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Thank you for your kind comments.
WEEK 4 – BASQUE COUNTRY.
It was raining as we left on Saturday morning but it was quick travelling as we were on major roads that took us around towns. The Landes is flat and not very interesting, but once we turned off the major road, it changed. We crossed the Adour River into the Pyrenees Atlantiques and from then on we began to see the red and white buildings so typical of the Basque region and the country was lush and green.
Our gite this week was in the small village of Sare and we were greeted warmly by the friendly owners and whisked into the kitchen for un petit cafe before being shown to the gite which adjoined their house. It was small but well appointed with a good kitchen and WIFI. A Basque cake awaited on the table and there was dozen eggs from Madame’s own chickens in the fridge. We will have frittata for dinner one night.
On Sunday we set out for a drive to La Bastide Clairance [PBV]. It was slow going as the roads were busy, narrow and there were lots of groups of cyclists which were difficult to pass. But finally we arrived at the village which is very pretty. The church there gave us our first glimpse of the wonderful churches of this region with the tiers of galleries around the sides. They are almost theatrical. We then came home by back roads, with a stop for a picnic. The views were wonderful with green hills and valleys and the lovely red and white [with an occasional black or green trim] villages. Later that afternoon, we followed the stone path from the gite into the village [about 1 km]. Sare is a lovely village with a small Spar and boulangeries, a boucherie under renovation and several restaurants. Once again there is a wonderful church with galleries. We followed people in costume and sat around the pelota court as the villagers rehearsed for a future event. We were treated to folk dancing, a wonderful Basque choir and a mock trial. It was lots of fun to watch.
Monday was nice and clear, so we took the first train of the day up La Rhune. The little train is a rack railway which travels slowly up the mountain. The views are wonderful as it goes up and you also see cattle, sheep and horses near the line. Once on top there are stunning 360 deg views down to the coast and inland. We spent a couple of hours up there walking around and watching the Basque ponies grazing. It was lovely and we enjoyed it immensely.
On Tuesday we drove down to St Jean Pied de Port which is where a lot of pilgrims begin their walk. It is a beautiful small town. P had to drag me out of a fragrant spice shop stocked with an amazing array of spices, salts and peppercorns. It is a lovely walk up the Rue de Citadelle past tall houses with inscriptions over the doors. Vauban’s influence could be seen in the Citadelle which is now a secondary school, and we walked around to the old bridge and back to town. On the way out we stopped in at a charcuterie which was an outlet for a farm and bought some dry chorizo and a boudin Basque paysan [boudin noir]. It was not pretty and brought to mind the children’s book “The Terrible Wild Grey Hairy Thing“.
We detoured through Irouleguy which is home to a very nice wine, before stopping in at Espelette, and it is here you see the houses with peppers drying on the front. It is an attractive village and was very busy with tourists and we liked it a lot. We added to our supplies with a piece of the regional cheese, Ossau Iraty aged for 17 months.
What did I do with our ugly boudin? It was too big for one meal, so the first night we sliced it and fried it. To accompany it, I sautéed eschalots, potatoes and lots of apple. It was very nice. The next time, we had my version of the basque dish Piperade with it, using madame’s eggs and peppers, and toasted baguette with lovely sea salt encrusted butter. Yum.
One day we drove down into Spain along what is known as the Smugglers’ trail, and first stop was the village of Zugarramurdi which is lovely with a large church and lots of red sandstone. We were surprised by the number of bars and restaurants in this small place, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We then went on to Urdax which is another pretty place with a large monestery and a stream running through the village. Less attractive was the border town full of, we assumed, tax free or reduced tax shops. Ainhoa was our last stop for the morning. This is a PBV and is really just one street lined with typical basque houses. The cemetery was interesting with lots of simple headstones of a disc with engravings, sometimes the basque symbol and sometimes others.
After lunch at home we drove back into Spain, this time following a narrow winding road through dense but beautiful forest and over the Col de Lizarietta with some great views. We came to the charming village of Etxalar where we saw a variety of building types – basque, dark stone, small stone, rendered, half-timbered. There is a beautiful church with a lovely garden forecourt and more simple headstones. It was a lovely drive and after dinner we walked down the path to the village.
On Thursday we went through the tax free village again and up and over the Col de Goizamendi and back towards France through Erratzu and the Col dIspeguy. This is a wonderful drive with stunning views at every turn. We stopped in St Etienne de Baigorry which is a small village on the Aldudes River. There is a church beside the bridge across the river which makes a lovely photo, and further down is a lovely roman bridge. From St Etienne we began our drive down the pretty Aldudes Valley. Trout are farmed in the waters here. The Kintoa pig was a dying breed until farmers, in particular, Pierre Orteiza, began to develop the breed and they are now an industry here. Pierre has a shop and farm which you can visit and walk around to see the pigs. The nursery had several sows with adorable babies of various ages, and a longer walk allows you to see the free range animals and also provides stunning views of this beautiful valley. The walk took us up to lunch and the bistro offers enticing platters of charcuterie. We decided on one of pork and one of duck smallgoods. They were delicious and instead of wine we chose a basque cider which was just perfect. The cold, crisp cider paired very well with the richness of the charcuterie. After seeing those gorgeous babies, we did feel a bit awful coming away with some lovely jambon. We returned home the way we came and it was great to see the magnificent views from the opposite direction. It was a most enjoyable day.
A week goes so quickly, and soon it was Friday again, and we could not leave without a trip down to St Jean de Luz. This is a charming town on the Atlantic coast. We have not seen a lot of coastal France, so it was a treat to see the fishing boats and harbour and to walk along the front of the houses facing the sea. It was market day which added to the experience. We could not resist a stop in a lovely patisserie and also bought some bisque d’homard and a small jar of pastel d’anchou. Before leaving, we drove along the Corniche Basque for more views of the cliffs and sea.
This was a totally new region for us and it is certainly lovely and different from other regions. The Basque people are passionate about their culture and this was obvious all week. But it was time to move on to another new region. The bandaids are packed and, hopefully, the hiking boots are broken in enough because next stop is the Pyrenees!
WEEK 4 – BASQUE COUNTRY.
It was raining as we left on Saturday morning but it was quick travelling as we were on major roads that took us around towns. The Landes is flat and not very interesting, but once we turned off the major road, it changed. We crossed the Adour River into the Pyrenees Atlantiques and from then on we began to see the red and white buildings so typical of the Basque region and the country was lush and green.
Our gite this week was in the small village of Sare and we were greeted warmly by the friendly owners and whisked into the kitchen for un petit cafe before being shown to the gite which adjoined their house. It was small but well appointed with a good kitchen and WIFI. A Basque cake awaited on the table and there was dozen eggs from Madame’s own chickens in the fridge. We will have frittata for dinner one night.
On Sunday we set out for a drive to La Bastide Clairance [PBV]. It was slow going as the roads were busy, narrow and there were lots of groups of cyclists which were difficult to pass. But finally we arrived at the village which is very pretty. The church there gave us our first glimpse of the wonderful churches of this region with the tiers of galleries around the sides. They are almost theatrical. We then came home by back roads, with a stop for a picnic. The views were wonderful with green hills and valleys and the lovely red and white [with an occasional black or green trim] villages. Later that afternoon, we followed the stone path from the gite into the village [about 1 km]. Sare is a lovely village with a small Spar and boulangeries, a boucherie under renovation and several restaurants. Once again there is a wonderful church with galleries. We followed people in costume and sat around the pelota court as the villagers rehearsed for a future event. We were treated to folk dancing, a wonderful Basque choir and a mock trial. It was lots of fun to watch.
Monday was nice and clear, so we took the first train of the day up La Rhune. The little train is a rack railway which travels slowly up the mountain. The views are wonderful as it goes up and you also see cattle, sheep and horses near the line. Once on top there are stunning 360 deg views down to the coast and inland. We spent a couple of hours up there walking around and watching the Basque ponies grazing. It was lovely and we enjoyed it immensely.
On Tuesday we drove down to St Jean Pied de Port which is where a lot of pilgrims begin their walk. It is a beautiful small town. P had to drag me out of a fragrant spice shop stocked with an amazing array of spices, salts and peppercorns. It is a lovely walk up the Rue de Citadelle past tall houses with inscriptions over the doors. Vauban’s influence could be seen in the Citadelle which is now a secondary school, and we walked around to the old bridge and back to town. On the way out we stopped in at a charcuterie which was an outlet for a farm and bought some dry chorizo and a boudin Basque paysan [boudin noir]. It was not pretty and brought to mind the children’s book “The Terrible Wild Grey Hairy Thing“.
We detoured through Irouleguy which is home to a very nice wine, before stopping in at Espelette, and it is here you see the houses with peppers drying on the front. It is an attractive village and was very busy with tourists and we liked it a lot. We added to our supplies with a piece of the regional cheese, Ossau Iraty aged for 17 months.
What did I do with our ugly boudin? It was too big for one meal, so the first night we sliced it and fried it. To accompany it, I sautéed eschalots, potatoes and lots of apple. It was very nice. The next time, we had my version of the basque dish Piperade with it, using madame’s eggs and peppers, and toasted baguette with lovely sea salt encrusted butter. Yum.
One day we drove down into Spain along what is known as the Smugglers’ trail, and first stop was the village of Zugarramurdi which is lovely with a large church and lots of red sandstone. We were surprised by the number of bars and restaurants in this small place, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We then went on to Urdax which is another pretty place with a large monestery and a stream running through the village. Less attractive was the border town full of, we assumed, tax free or reduced tax shops. Ainhoa was our last stop for the morning. This is a PBV and is really just one street lined with typical basque houses. The cemetery was interesting with lots of simple headstones of a disc with engravings, sometimes the basque symbol and sometimes others.
After lunch at home we drove back into Spain, this time following a narrow winding road through dense but beautiful forest and over the Col de Lizarietta with some great views. We came to the charming village of Etxalar where we saw a variety of building types – basque, dark stone, small stone, rendered, half-timbered. There is a beautiful church with a lovely garden forecourt and more simple headstones. It was a lovely drive and after dinner we walked down the path to the village.
On Thursday we went through the tax free village again and up and over the Col de Goizamendi and back towards France through Erratzu and the Col dIspeguy. This is a wonderful drive with stunning views at every turn. We stopped in St Etienne de Baigorry which is a small village on the Aldudes River. There is a church beside the bridge across the river which makes a lovely photo, and further down is a lovely roman bridge. From St Etienne we began our drive down the pretty Aldudes Valley. Trout are farmed in the waters here. The Kintoa pig was a dying breed until farmers, in particular, Pierre Orteiza, began to develop the breed and they are now an industry here. Pierre has a shop and farm which you can visit and walk around to see the pigs. The nursery had several sows with adorable babies of various ages, and a longer walk allows you to see the free range animals and also provides stunning views of this beautiful valley. The walk took us up to lunch and the bistro offers enticing platters of charcuterie. We decided on one of pork and one of duck smallgoods. They were delicious and instead of wine we chose a basque cider which was just perfect. The cold, crisp cider paired very well with the richness of the charcuterie. After seeing those gorgeous babies, we did feel a bit awful coming away with some lovely jambon. We returned home the way we came and it was great to see the magnificent views from the opposite direction. It was a most enjoyable day.
A week goes so quickly, and soon it was Friday again, and we could not leave without a trip down to St Jean de Luz. This is a charming town on the Atlantic coast. We have not seen a lot of coastal France, so it was a treat to see the fishing boats and harbour and to walk along the front of the houses facing the sea. It was market day which added to the experience. We could not resist a stop in a lovely patisserie and also bought some bisque d’homard and a small jar of pastel d’anchou. Before leaving, we drove along the Corniche Basque for more views of the cliffs and sea.
This was a totally new region for us and it is certainly lovely and different from other regions. The Basque people are passionate about their culture and this was obvious all week. But it was time to move on to another new region. The bandaids are packed and, hopefully, the hiking boots are broken in enough because next stop is the Pyrenees!
Jan 5th, 2017, 07:10 PM
#23
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The galleries in the churches sound intriguing. I'll have a look in google images.
Funny about the boudin noir. You are a brave soul!
We got to try Irouleguy once and liked it.
You have me longing to go back.
Funny about the boudin noir. You are a brave soul!
We got to try Irouleguy once and liked it.
You have me longing to go back.
Jan 6th, 2017, 12:14 AM
#25
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Glad you are still here, Adelaidean. I hope you have not melted yet.
Our son and family have lived there for three years but are sadly leaving shortly. We spent a month over Christmas there [among other visits] dog sitting at the end of 2014 while they were visiting the other grandparents in the UK, and loved it. I am sorry they are leaving. The Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, lunch at Peter Lehmann. What can I say?
Our son and family have lived there for three years but are sadly leaving shortly. We spent a month over Christmas there [among other visits] dog sitting at the end of 2014 while they were visiting the other grandparents in the UK, and loved it. I am sorry they are leaving. The Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, lunch at Peter Lehmann. What can I say?
Jan 6th, 2017, 12:52 AM
#26
Our beaches are pretty good, too, rhon,
https://flic.kr/s/aHskdoJteL
bring back memories?
But one day I am going to do a road trip in France...
I've read all your reports
https://flic.kr/s/aHskdoJteL
bring back memories?
But one day I am going to do a road trip in France...
I've read all your reports
Jan 6th, 2017, 05:52 PM
#29
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Thank you everyone.
WEEKS 5& 6 –THE PYRENEES
We had to drive past St Jean Pied de Port so we stopped in for a baguette and some more chorizo, which was very nice, before continuing on the very scenic drive. We stopped in the small village of L’Hopital Blaise which is a stop on the pilgrim trail and has a charming little church. Laruns was busy as we drove through and began the climb up the Col d’ Aubisque. The road had lots of twists and turns and the scenery was spectacular. It was our first real sight of the mountains. The road from Argeles to Luz St Sauveur along the gorges of the Luz is attractive and before long we were at our next gite which was about 3kms outside Luz. St Sauveur. Once again the owners were friendly and the gite small but comfortable with bedrooms upstairs. The kitchen was more a kitchenette and the least well equipped of our trip, but it had most of what we needed and we coped. As long as I have an oven [not a microwave], I am happy. The view from the terrace across the stream and to the mountains was beautiful.
When planning our trips we are fortunate to have the luxury of time. We did think that weather could be an issue by this time, so we decided to spend two weeks here to allow us time to see and do what we wanted. On Sunday morning we went in to Luz for a wander and to find the supermarket which was open on Sunday, but closed for lunch during the week. We had a few on this trip which were not open on Sunday. We were a little disappointed. The Carrefour Market had outgrown its’ premises and was cramped, tired and did not have fuel. The lady in the TO was not very helpful and our brief walk did not really inspire us. But it would be fine.
I will state early on that we are not serious hikers, so do not expect amazing feats. P possibly could be if he was not handicapped by me. I walk everyday at home, but no hills are involved. So I hoped we were not too ambitious. After lunch we set out for our first foray into the mountains. We continued up the narrow valley to Gedre and on to the Barrage des Gloriettes. It was a lovely drive, There were lots of people there and we set out across the dam wall and walked up along the pretty stream past cascades until we reached the Cirque d’ Estaube. It was just beautiful and we loved it – the gorgeous weather, the wonderful scenery, the friendly walkers. We must have said Bonjour a hundred times.
The weather forecast was clear on Monday and was ideal for visiting the Pic du Midi Bigorre. Off we went, up and over the iconic Col de Tourmalet and on to La Mongie which is a ski resort. Now I am sure this looks beautiful when covered in snow, but at this time, a more unappealing place I could not imagine. But it is where the cable car departs up to Pic du Midi. At 38 euro per person, it is not cheap, but we enjoyed it .The views that unfold as it rises up are wonderful and once on top it is just amazing. It is quite barren in places but beautiful at the same time. We felt on top of the world. The museum has a fascinating display of photos showing the history of the observatory and also of the night sky. We spent a couple of hours up there just absorbing it all before we enjoyed the ride back down. It was well worth it and we were lucky to have such a clear day.
We returned home for lunch and the spent the afternoon finding more about Luz. First stop was the Pont Napoleon which is impressive in its’ position over the gorge. We then walked up to the Chapel Solferino which looks over the town and across to the ruins of the Chateau Sainte Marie. Then we went across town and walked up the steep and rocky path to the ruins of the chateau. We are warming to Luz. It was a good day.
On Sunday we had discovered the sign in town that informed us that the road out to Argeles would be closed all day Monday to Friday from 9-5, with the exception of Mon and Wed when it would be open 12-2. So we needed to take that into account. We also had to break me in gently. On Tuesday we drove up to the village of Gavarnie and continued on for a further 11kms to the Col de Tentes. The road is winding and narrow, but it was so exhilarating as we drove up into the mountains. A short 10 min walk brought us to a small mountain lake. After that we followed the path that led us to the Porte de Boucharo where we looked over to the mountains in Spain. The rocky path then climbed up and along a ridge towards the Breche de Roland and we enjoyed the views which included a frozen waterfall. It was a good starter for me and we walked for over an hour before returning to the car park for lunch. We read later that we could have continued on to the point where we could climb up beside a waterfall with the help of chains. Really?? Does that sound like me? P was a bit disappointed. We ate our picnic sitting on the soft grass with the warm sun on our backs gazing at the magnificence of it all. It was definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment. After lunch we climbed the nearby hill to the Pic de Tentes for views the other way and down the valley to Gavarnie. It was a great day.
On Wednesday we left before the road closed, and after getting fuel in Argeles we drove along very narrow but scenic roads following a gentle stream as it passed through attractive but very quiet villages. We drove a high loop with wonderful views and came back out at Lourdes. I know some people would not understand why we did not visit Lourdes during our stay, but in all honesty, it held no appeal for us. After a quick stop at the larger Carrefour in Argeles, we joined the queue to get back to Luz before the road closed at 2 o’clock.
Thursday dawned showery, so we stayed close to home. Another visit to Luz endeared it to us even more. We discovered the impressive church, Les Templiers. It is a true fortified church enclosed in strong walls with a lovely painted ceiling over the altar, and painted roof over the porch. We also found an excellent charcuterie/boucherie where we bought a regional blue cheese and a delicious terrine, and a small Carrefour Montagne which was a lot more appealing. There were also a couple of restaurants to consider. That afternoon we drove up to the small villages of Sazos and Grust on the side of the hill. From these there are magnificent views over the valley and down to Luz itself. Then over to the other side to Saligos which we could see from our front door. Lying in bed at night we could hear the church clock chime the hour – very useful in the middle of the night!! Cheze has an interesting pigeonier and lavoir and all the villages still looked lovely with lots of bright flowers.
The rain set in the next day so we had a quiet day. We decided to go out to dinner on Saturday night, so went in at lunch to make a booking at L’Atelier. The cafes were the only places open. We went back in at 4 and the place was buzzing again. It was a delicious blueberry tart we bought and very nice with crème fraiche.
So Saturday dawned cold and clear, with a smattering of snow on the mountain tops, and the road was open. We set off to Argeles and then to Cauterets. The road from Cauterets to Pont d’Espagne is winding but scenic and passes several cascades with large volumes of water flowing down. It was very cold. Pont d’Espagne is impressive, not the bridge itself so much as the wonderful setting over a chasm in the rock with water gushing out. In summer there is a cable car up to Lac de Gaube, but it was closed, so the only option was to walk and there were plenty of people setting out. The book describes it as pleasant walk and the sign said an hour. It started out as a path but soon became rocky and climbed continuously. The scenery was wonderful with glimpses of mountains through the trees and water flowing down, but a pleasant walk? I am pleased to say I was not the only one stopping for a rest. It took us, me and a very patient P, a little longer than an hour, but was so worth it when we reached the pristine mountain lake surrounded by snow capped mountains. It was wonderful. Coming down was not much quicker with my limp spaghetti legs. Our treat that night was dinner out at L’Atelier where we had a lovely meal in pleasant surrounds with great service.
The other ‘must see’ here is, of course, the Cirque de Gavarnie. On Sunday we again drove along the winding, scenic road to Gavarnie. There are several walks to do here, but we just did the basic one most do and walked from the village along the stream into the Cirque. It starts out flat and then begins to climb with a better path than yesterday. It was quite magnificent being surrounded by the high walls and seeing the Grand cascade and other smaller falls. We stopped at the hostellerie which was closed, but you can continue on to the waterfall. It was a lovely walk with a bit more climbing than we [I] expected.
Next day my legs needed a break so we drove over Col de Tourmalet again and onto the Col d’Aspin which is prettier country, not so barren. The Cols are all really impressive drives and we enjoyed each drive we did. We had a picnic beside Lac Payolle with a different view of Pic du Midi. Around La Mongie and Bareges, workers were beginning to set up for the coming ski season. It was a nice restful day.
Tuesday was quite foggy to start, but it started to clear, so we took a chance and went up to the Cirque de Troumouse. The small village of Heas is just past the Barrage des Gloriettes and has a charming chapel with slate roof. It is then a wonderful drive, winding and narrow, up into the Cirque which just surrounds you. It is almost a perfect circle, quite open and very different from Gavarnie. The silence was absolute and we were alone in this magnificent space. There is a small hill topped by a statue, the Vierge de Troumouse, in the centre, and from there is an unimpeded view. We then walked along the path towards Lac des Aires past little mirror like tarns. P has a great photo of snow capped mountains reflected in a tarn. It was awe inspiring and memorable and I think we enjoyed it more than Gavarnie.
There are so many walks to do in this region and plenty for novices like us. Another one we did was from the Hautacam ski resort to Lac d’Isaby. It was heavy fog as we drove up, but as we ate our lunch it cleared away and we were able to walk for a couple of hours before it closed in again as we drove down. We met a young hunter with two beautiful dogs, but no dead animals.
Another day we drove up to St Savin which is a pretty village with a large church whose terraces overlook the valley. We then followed back roads along a flowing stream to Lac d’Estaing where we had our picnic before walking up along the stream for about an hour until we reached a large cascade. It was a pleasant walk with the autumn colours just becoming more obvious.
On our last day we went into Luz for lunch at Les Templiers which is opposite the impressive church. It was a set menu, all delicious, and a nice way to finish our time here. Our stay in the Pyrenees was all we had hoped it would be and we did most of what we planned. It is hard to find words to really convey how magnificent the mountains, the scenery and the fabulous drives are. Of course others would do a lot more serious hikes, but it was perfect for us. And no blisters! It was time to move on to the Tarn, but not the gorges.
WEEKS 5& 6 –THE PYRENEES
We had to drive past St Jean Pied de Port so we stopped in for a baguette and some more chorizo, which was very nice, before continuing on the very scenic drive. We stopped in the small village of L’Hopital Blaise which is a stop on the pilgrim trail and has a charming little church. Laruns was busy as we drove through and began the climb up the Col d’ Aubisque. The road had lots of twists and turns and the scenery was spectacular. It was our first real sight of the mountains. The road from Argeles to Luz St Sauveur along the gorges of the Luz is attractive and before long we were at our next gite which was about 3kms outside Luz. St Sauveur. Once again the owners were friendly and the gite small but comfortable with bedrooms upstairs. The kitchen was more a kitchenette and the least well equipped of our trip, but it had most of what we needed and we coped. As long as I have an oven [not a microwave], I am happy. The view from the terrace across the stream and to the mountains was beautiful.
When planning our trips we are fortunate to have the luxury of time. We did think that weather could be an issue by this time, so we decided to spend two weeks here to allow us time to see and do what we wanted. On Sunday morning we went in to Luz for a wander and to find the supermarket which was open on Sunday, but closed for lunch during the week. We had a few on this trip which were not open on Sunday. We were a little disappointed. The Carrefour Market had outgrown its’ premises and was cramped, tired and did not have fuel. The lady in the TO was not very helpful and our brief walk did not really inspire us. But it would be fine.
I will state early on that we are not serious hikers, so do not expect amazing feats. P possibly could be if he was not handicapped by me. I walk everyday at home, but no hills are involved. So I hoped we were not too ambitious. After lunch we set out for our first foray into the mountains. We continued up the narrow valley to Gedre and on to the Barrage des Gloriettes. It was a lovely drive, There were lots of people there and we set out across the dam wall and walked up along the pretty stream past cascades until we reached the Cirque d’ Estaube. It was just beautiful and we loved it – the gorgeous weather, the wonderful scenery, the friendly walkers. We must have said Bonjour a hundred times.
The weather forecast was clear on Monday and was ideal for visiting the Pic du Midi Bigorre. Off we went, up and over the iconic Col de Tourmalet and on to La Mongie which is a ski resort. Now I am sure this looks beautiful when covered in snow, but at this time, a more unappealing place I could not imagine. But it is where the cable car departs up to Pic du Midi. At 38 euro per person, it is not cheap, but we enjoyed it .The views that unfold as it rises up are wonderful and once on top it is just amazing. It is quite barren in places but beautiful at the same time. We felt on top of the world. The museum has a fascinating display of photos showing the history of the observatory and also of the night sky. We spent a couple of hours up there just absorbing it all before we enjoyed the ride back down. It was well worth it and we were lucky to have such a clear day.
We returned home for lunch and the spent the afternoon finding more about Luz. First stop was the Pont Napoleon which is impressive in its’ position over the gorge. We then walked up to the Chapel Solferino which looks over the town and across to the ruins of the Chateau Sainte Marie. Then we went across town and walked up the steep and rocky path to the ruins of the chateau. We are warming to Luz. It was a good day.
On Sunday we had discovered the sign in town that informed us that the road out to Argeles would be closed all day Monday to Friday from 9-5, with the exception of Mon and Wed when it would be open 12-2. So we needed to take that into account. We also had to break me in gently. On Tuesday we drove up to the village of Gavarnie and continued on for a further 11kms to the Col de Tentes. The road is winding and narrow, but it was so exhilarating as we drove up into the mountains. A short 10 min walk brought us to a small mountain lake. After that we followed the path that led us to the Porte de Boucharo where we looked over to the mountains in Spain. The rocky path then climbed up and along a ridge towards the Breche de Roland and we enjoyed the views which included a frozen waterfall. It was a good starter for me and we walked for over an hour before returning to the car park for lunch. We read later that we could have continued on to the point where we could climb up beside a waterfall with the help of chains. Really?? Does that sound like me? P was a bit disappointed. We ate our picnic sitting on the soft grass with the warm sun on our backs gazing at the magnificence of it all. It was definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment. After lunch we climbed the nearby hill to the Pic de Tentes for views the other way and down the valley to Gavarnie. It was a great day.
On Wednesday we left before the road closed, and after getting fuel in Argeles we drove along very narrow but scenic roads following a gentle stream as it passed through attractive but very quiet villages. We drove a high loop with wonderful views and came back out at Lourdes. I know some people would not understand why we did not visit Lourdes during our stay, but in all honesty, it held no appeal for us. After a quick stop at the larger Carrefour in Argeles, we joined the queue to get back to Luz before the road closed at 2 o’clock.
Thursday dawned showery, so we stayed close to home. Another visit to Luz endeared it to us even more. We discovered the impressive church, Les Templiers. It is a true fortified church enclosed in strong walls with a lovely painted ceiling over the altar, and painted roof over the porch. We also found an excellent charcuterie/boucherie where we bought a regional blue cheese and a delicious terrine, and a small Carrefour Montagne which was a lot more appealing. There were also a couple of restaurants to consider. That afternoon we drove up to the small villages of Sazos and Grust on the side of the hill. From these there are magnificent views over the valley and down to Luz itself. Then over to the other side to Saligos which we could see from our front door. Lying in bed at night we could hear the church clock chime the hour – very useful in the middle of the night!! Cheze has an interesting pigeonier and lavoir and all the villages still looked lovely with lots of bright flowers.
The rain set in the next day so we had a quiet day. We decided to go out to dinner on Saturday night, so went in at lunch to make a booking at L’Atelier. The cafes were the only places open. We went back in at 4 and the place was buzzing again. It was a delicious blueberry tart we bought and very nice with crème fraiche.
So Saturday dawned cold and clear, with a smattering of snow on the mountain tops, and the road was open. We set off to Argeles and then to Cauterets. The road from Cauterets to Pont d’Espagne is winding but scenic and passes several cascades with large volumes of water flowing down. It was very cold. Pont d’Espagne is impressive, not the bridge itself so much as the wonderful setting over a chasm in the rock with water gushing out. In summer there is a cable car up to Lac de Gaube, but it was closed, so the only option was to walk and there were plenty of people setting out. The book describes it as pleasant walk and the sign said an hour. It started out as a path but soon became rocky and climbed continuously. The scenery was wonderful with glimpses of mountains through the trees and water flowing down, but a pleasant walk? I am pleased to say I was not the only one stopping for a rest. It took us, me and a very patient P, a little longer than an hour, but was so worth it when we reached the pristine mountain lake surrounded by snow capped mountains. It was wonderful. Coming down was not much quicker with my limp spaghetti legs. Our treat that night was dinner out at L’Atelier where we had a lovely meal in pleasant surrounds with great service.
The other ‘must see’ here is, of course, the Cirque de Gavarnie. On Sunday we again drove along the winding, scenic road to Gavarnie. There are several walks to do here, but we just did the basic one most do and walked from the village along the stream into the Cirque. It starts out flat and then begins to climb with a better path than yesterday. It was quite magnificent being surrounded by the high walls and seeing the Grand cascade and other smaller falls. We stopped at the hostellerie which was closed, but you can continue on to the waterfall. It was a lovely walk with a bit more climbing than we [I] expected.
Next day my legs needed a break so we drove over Col de Tourmalet again and onto the Col d’Aspin which is prettier country, not so barren. The Cols are all really impressive drives and we enjoyed each drive we did. We had a picnic beside Lac Payolle with a different view of Pic du Midi. Around La Mongie and Bareges, workers were beginning to set up for the coming ski season. It was a nice restful day.
Tuesday was quite foggy to start, but it started to clear, so we took a chance and went up to the Cirque de Troumouse. The small village of Heas is just past the Barrage des Gloriettes and has a charming chapel with slate roof. It is then a wonderful drive, winding and narrow, up into the Cirque which just surrounds you. It is almost a perfect circle, quite open and very different from Gavarnie. The silence was absolute and we were alone in this magnificent space. There is a small hill topped by a statue, the Vierge de Troumouse, in the centre, and from there is an unimpeded view. We then walked along the path towards Lac des Aires past little mirror like tarns. P has a great photo of snow capped mountains reflected in a tarn. It was awe inspiring and memorable and I think we enjoyed it more than Gavarnie.
There are so many walks to do in this region and plenty for novices like us. Another one we did was from the Hautacam ski resort to Lac d’Isaby. It was heavy fog as we drove up, but as we ate our lunch it cleared away and we were able to walk for a couple of hours before it closed in again as we drove down. We met a young hunter with two beautiful dogs, but no dead animals.
Another day we drove up to St Savin which is a pretty village with a large church whose terraces overlook the valley. We then followed back roads along a flowing stream to Lac d’Estaing where we had our picnic before walking up along the stream for about an hour until we reached a large cascade. It was a pleasant walk with the autumn colours just becoming more obvious.
On our last day we went into Luz for lunch at Les Templiers which is opposite the impressive church. It was a set menu, all delicious, and a nice way to finish our time here. Our stay in the Pyrenees was all we had hoped it would be and we did most of what we planned. It is hard to find words to really convey how magnificent the mountains, the scenery and the fabulous drives are. Of course others would do a lot more serious hikes, but it was perfect for us. And no blisters! It was time to move on to the Tarn, but not the gorges.
Jan 7th, 2017, 02:10 PM
#33
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We are planning a 6 week trip through France this summer. We were already planning to spend a couple weeks in the Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees regions, but now I'm thinking we should spend even more time there. Your Tarn report might just push me right over the edge! Looking froward to it.
Jan 7th, 2017, 05:53 PM
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Thanks for staying with me. Unfortunately, we do not have our photos stored anywhere on line at this stage.
WEEKS 7&8 – The TARN [ not the gorges].
We left about 9 and it was a lovely drive as we could still see the mountains and the Pic du Midi for a while. We stopped for a baguette [very rustic] in a small village and by lunch the countryside was changing. It was starting to feel like the south especially once we started driving along avenues of trees. Yes, I know we were already in the south, but I am sure you know what I mean. The country and the villages were changing. We stopped in Villemur sur Tarn for a break. It is very attractive along the river and the church was of reddish brown bricks. Our gite for the next two weeks was in a small hamlet about 10 minutes out of Albi and just off the road to Cordes. It was lovely – very nicely furnished, with a good kitchen, and it also had an inviting terrace. The weather was still mild enough to sit outside during the day. These were the first owners who could speak a little English.
The country was looking lovely with lots of autumn colours as we drove around the villages near our little hamlet. We found an epicerie for a baguette about 7 kms away, but that seemed to be it. While we were rarely out of sight of a farmhouse or small village, there were no shops within a 6-7km radius of our gite. This is not a huge issue for us as we go out every day, but we did wonder where all these people get their daily bread. We found a very nice restaurant at Cestayrols [9kms] and planned to visit in our second week only to find out too late it was closed for that week. The little villages were charming though, in beautiful surrounds. Albi supermarkets do not open on Sunday so we came prepared. We went into the Eleclerc on Monday afternoon, but then found a small Intermarche closer in Cagnac which suited us.
After lunch on our terrace, we set out for the village of Monesties [PBV]. We enjoyed the drive over but the village itself just did not appeal. This happens sometimes. It was pretty enough with some nice old buildings and a lovely church. But it just seemed run down, untidy with weeds and rubbish and there was an unpleasant smell everywhere. And of course, Sunday afternoon meant nothing was open. So we went further down the road and stopped in the old village Salles sur Vere and we enjoyed our walk there.
On our way to Castelnau de Montmiral [PBV] next morning we stopped in the small but pretty village of Vieux and we also passed a wonderful old pigeonier. This area has some lovely examples of these, both old and more modern.
Castelnau is just beautiful and very clean and tidy. The central square is gorgeous with arcades, half timbered buildings and houses with small red bricks. There are a couple of restaurants on the square. The church has a lovely blue painted ceiling .and a reliquary cross set with precious and semi precious stones. At the entrance to the town I added to my collection of war memorial photos. We then drove on up to Puycelsi [PBV]. This is a fortified village with walls, lovely streets and houses. The church here also has a painted blue ceiling. It was smaller than Castelnau and other than an auberge for accommodation, we saw no shops. Once again, another clean and tidy village and we enjoyed both immensely.
It was cloudy next morning when we left to drive up to Najac [PBV]. We skirted around Cordes sur Ciel and then stopped in Laguepie. This is such an old village and we walked down to the river to see the chateau ruins above the viaduct. We also bought our baguette for lunch. We followed a narrow road across to Najac which was shrouded in fog. The village is built along a ridge with a chateau at the top and is really one long street. It was very different from those we saw yesterday. Help.! I need some new adjectives. The houses are connected and have little balconies with wrought iron rails, and there were lots of autumn toned creepers. It is just gorgeous. We went into the chateau which is just ruins, and climbed the 119 steps of the tower for a wonderful view over the village. My advice is to wear comfortable shoes for walking in some of these old, sometimes steep villages. The fog had lifted, so we went back out to the belvedere to look back at the village. This is such an impressive sight. It is amazing how these villages were built.
After a picnic lunch, we left Najac and drove through the forest which was the whole palette of glorious autumn colours. We came across the charming 13th century Pont St Blaise which is still in use. We detoured through Verfeil [small but pretty] and then stopped in Varen which is really nice. There is a large Doyenne abbey church, dean’s house and medieval building, and it is a lovely walk through the streets past some attractive old houses to and along the river. Well worth the stop. It was a lovely day.
We had a bleak, rainy morning one day but by lunch it had cleared and we went down to Gaillac which is well known for its’ very nice wine. It also has an impressive cathedral beside the bridge over the river. It was hard to photograph well as it was covered in scaffolding, but the view of the town from the bridge is very nice. A lot of the buildings are of flat, thin red brick and there are some attractive squares and interesting modern fountains and shops. We stopped at the larger Intermarche here a couple of times when we were in the vicinity.
Thursday was foggy and cool, so we left later and stopped in at L’Isle sur Tarn. The centre of town is a wonderful treed square with arcades all around, mostly red brick, but some wood in places. It is really attractive. We then returned to Castelnau and went to lunch at La Menagier on the square. It was an autumn themed menu du jour with a terrine of venison, hare and chestnut which came garnished with apple, hazelnuts and little redcurrants. I had ‘papilotte de truite au citron’ [trout in filo] and it was superb. Dessert was blancmanger aux figues. Now I used to make blancmange when our children were young, but this was so far removed from the blancmange that I remember. And topped by fig puree and a poached fig, it was divine and capped off a wonderful lunch.
Foggy starts became regular occurrences now and there was very low cloud as we set out through Albi on the way to Ambialet, but it soon burnt off. We drove along the Tarn and went through two tunnels, one almost 1km long. They were the narrowest tunnels [1.8 m wide] we have ever been through and cars had to inch past each other. Very scary! Ambialet is a quiet little village on a loop of the river and we drove up to the Priory [it has an attractive church] to look back over the river. We had lunch in the park and then meandered our way home by quiet back roads. The country was looking lovely with lots of agriculture. We ended up on the road past and under the Viaduc de Viaur which is quite impressive viewed from there and later from the viewpoint. It was a lovely drive.
It was clear when we left, but foggy and cool by the time we arrived at St Antonin Noble Val. This is an attractive town on the Aveyron River. The buildings are quite tall and the streets narrow and we followed a walk around the town to see the highlights. We bought a slice of ‘Le jacquou’ which was described as a speciality. It was a pastry slice filled with prunes, raisins, honey and nuts. I have to say, it was very nice. We drove up to the belvedere which gives a terrific view over the river and village. After leaving St Antonin we continued on to Penne, and once again had a stunning view of the village as we approached. Penne is quite small but really lovely with ruins of a chateau and some attractive small streets and houses. Last stop of the day was Bruniquel. This region has an abundance of beautiful villages and this was no exception. We walked through the attractive gate and up to the two chateaux at the top and the view as we left was impressive.
Sunday was a beautiful day and we finally went into Albi. We found a park close to the bridge and walked across. This is such beautiful place. We stopped in at the covered market before arriving at the cathedral which is almost impossible to describe. It is just breath taking both inside and out. Small terracotta bricks allow the shape to form and it is huge. Inside it is superbly painted and has a large pipe organ. The choir is just stunning with fine, intricate stone work that is like lace. It is just magnificent. We also visited the Toulouse Lautrec museum which is housed in the Berbie Palace. We are not very well versed in art, but we both really enjoyed seeing his huge body of work and different styles. It also gives you the chance to see this lovely building. The gardens overlooking the river are attractive as well. Albi is a lovely place to wander and we enjoyed our walk around among the old buildings and big open squares. We saw T-L’s birthplace. Add in his grave in Verdelais and we have come full circle. It was a most enjoyable day.
The first view of Cordes sur Ciel high on a hill as you approach from Albi is amazing and I can see why this village is so popular with visitors. It is quite a steep village, of course, with cobblestone streets, halles, several gates, squares, and terraces with lovely views of the surrounding country. There are some superb old houses with arched doorways and windows, carved animals and gargoyles and they almost look like abbeys or convents. Of course there are also plenty of shops and cafes to cater for the tourists who flock here, if the number of car parks is any indication.
Tuesday 1st November was All Saints Day and the supermarkets were only open in the morning. We had read about the Sidobre region south of Albi, and as there was an Intermarche in Realmont we decide to stop there for the few things we needed. Most important was wine and dessert, but of course, when we got there it was not open. The Sidobre is a small plateau made of granite and covered by forests and huge rock formations some of which have names. It was a pretty drive, but once there it was difficult to find any signs and no TO open anywhere. After driving around for a while we finally found Peyro Clabado, a large balancing boulder. It was quite impressive. We spotted a car park sign for the ‘Riviere de Pierre’ and toiled up through the forest, clambered over rocks and finally arrived at large rocks tumbling down over each other. It was definitely a river of rocks. We did not need to find out that the road we had been on went right past it. Frustrating, but we needed the exercise. We also found the Roc de l’Oie, and yes, it does resemble a goose. Even the picnic tables were granite and it is the industry in the small village of Lacrouzette. We could not believe how mild it still was. As we returned through Albi we looked for something open but to no avail until, at the very last moment, as we were almost out the other side, I spotted a little Utile supermarket open. Crisis averted! We bought a bottle of rose, some little pots of crème caramel, a loaf of Harry’s brioche, a capsicum for my flageolet bean salad, and a block of dark chocolate. We did not really need the chocolate, but what the heck.
Sometimes we just enjoy the drives around so one day we wandered around the country in among grapevines and agriculture with stops in small villages such as La Verdier and Vaour. We spotted some unfamiliar sausages at the deli – saucisse de Couenne. I asked about them and was told pork and spices. We are always prepared to try new things so we bought some. Google informed us they were a speciality of this region and are made from pork rind. Interesting. They were quite coarse and gelatinous, and while they did have a little of what I call the ‘farmyard smell’, they were not as strong as andouille, which P enjoys, and I did not mind them. One afternoon we went for a long walk along the roads around our hamlet and watched farmers busy planting and spraying. It was lovely country.
So another two weeks are over and we have two left. We really enjoyed this region and there are so many beautiful places to visit. To-morrow we are off to the Creuse.
WEEKS 7&8 – The TARN [ not the gorges].
We left about 9 and it was a lovely drive as we could still see the mountains and the Pic du Midi for a while. We stopped for a baguette [very rustic] in a small village and by lunch the countryside was changing. It was starting to feel like the south especially once we started driving along avenues of trees. Yes, I know we were already in the south, but I am sure you know what I mean. The country and the villages were changing. We stopped in Villemur sur Tarn for a break. It is very attractive along the river and the church was of reddish brown bricks. Our gite for the next two weeks was in a small hamlet about 10 minutes out of Albi and just off the road to Cordes. It was lovely – very nicely furnished, with a good kitchen, and it also had an inviting terrace. The weather was still mild enough to sit outside during the day. These were the first owners who could speak a little English.
The country was looking lovely with lots of autumn colours as we drove around the villages near our little hamlet. We found an epicerie for a baguette about 7 kms away, but that seemed to be it. While we were rarely out of sight of a farmhouse or small village, there were no shops within a 6-7km radius of our gite. This is not a huge issue for us as we go out every day, but we did wonder where all these people get their daily bread. We found a very nice restaurant at Cestayrols [9kms] and planned to visit in our second week only to find out too late it was closed for that week. The little villages were charming though, in beautiful surrounds. Albi supermarkets do not open on Sunday so we came prepared. We went into the Eleclerc on Monday afternoon, but then found a small Intermarche closer in Cagnac which suited us.
After lunch on our terrace, we set out for the village of Monesties [PBV]. We enjoyed the drive over but the village itself just did not appeal. This happens sometimes. It was pretty enough with some nice old buildings and a lovely church. But it just seemed run down, untidy with weeds and rubbish and there was an unpleasant smell everywhere. And of course, Sunday afternoon meant nothing was open. So we went further down the road and stopped in the old village Salles sur Vere and we enjoyed our walk there.
On our way to Castelnau de Montmiral [PBV] next morning we stopped in the small but pretty village of Vieux and we also passed a wonderful old pigeonier. This area has some lovely examples of these, both old and more modern.
Castelnau is just beautiful and very clean and tidy. The central square is gorgeous with arcades, half timbered buildings and houses with small red bricks. There are a couple of restaurants on the square. The church has a lovely blue painted ceiling .and a reliquary cross set with precious and semi precious stones. At the entrance to the town I added to my collection of war memorial photos. We then drove on up to Puycelsi [PBV]. This is a fortified village with walls, lovely streets and houses. The church here also has a painted blue ceiling. It was smaller than Castelnau and other than an auberge for accommodation, we saw no shops. Once again, another clean and tidy village and we enjoyed both immensely.
It was cloudy next morning when we left to drive up to Najac [PBV]. We skirted around Cordes sur Ciel and then stopped in Laguepie. This is such an old village and we walked down to the river to see the chateau ruins above the viaduct. We also bought our baguette for lunch. We followed a narrow road across to Najac which was shrouded in fog. The village is built along a ridge with a chateau at the top and is really one long street. It was very different from those we saw yesterday. Help.! I need some new adjectives. The houses are connected and have little balconies with wrought iron rails, and there were lots of autumn toned creepers. It is just gorgeous. We went into the chateau which is just ruins, and climbed the 119 steps of the tower for a wonderful view over the village. My advice is to wear comfortable shoes for walking in some of these old, sometimes steep villages. The fog had lifted, so we went back out to the belvedere to look back at the village. This is such an impressive sight. It is amazing how these villages were built.
After a picnic lunch, we left Najac and drove through the forest which was the whole palette of glorious autumn colours. We came across the charming 13th century Pont St Blaise which is still in use. We detoured through Verfeil [small but pretty] and then stopped in Varen which is really nice. There is a large Doyenne abbey church, dean’s house and medieval building, and it is a lovely walk through the streets past some attractive old houses to and along the river. Well worth the stop. It was a lovely day.
We had a bleak, rainy morning one day but by lunch it had cleared and we went down to Gaillac which is well known for its’ very nice wine. It also has an impressive cathedral beside the bridge over the river. It was hard to photograph well as it was covered in scaffolding, but the view of the town from the bridge is very nice. A lot of the buildings are of flat, thin red brick and there are some attractive squares and interesting modern fountains and shops. We stopped at the larger Intermarche here a couple of times when we were in the vicinity.
Thursday was foggy and cool, so we left later and stopped in at L’Isle sur Tarn. The centre of town is a wonderful treed square with arcades all around, mostly red brick, but some wood in places. It is really attractive. We then returned to Castelnau and went to lunch at La Menagier on the square. It was an autumn themed menu du jour with a terrine of venison, hare and chestnut which came garnished with apple, hazelnuts and little redcurrants. I had ‘papilotte de truite au citron’ [trout in filo] and it was superb. Dessert was blancmanger aux figues. Now I used to make blancmange when our children were young, but this was so far removed from the blancmange that I remember. And topped by fig puree and a poached fig, it was divine and capped off a wonderful lunch.
Foggy starts became regular occurrences now and there was very low cloud as we set out through Albi on the way to Ambialet, but it soon burnt off. We drove along the Tarn and went through two tunnels, one almost 1km long. They were the narrowest tunnels [1.8 m wide] we have ever been through and cars had to inch past each other. Very scary! Ambialet is a quiet little village on a loop of the river and we drove up to the Priory [it has an attractive church] to look back over the river. We had lunch in the park and then meandered our way home by quiet back roads. The country was looking lovely with lots of agriculture. We ended up on the road past and under the Viaduc de Viaur which is quite impressive viewed from there and later from the viewpoint. It was a lovely drive.
It was clear when we left, but foggy and cool by the time we arrived at St Antonin Noble Val. This is an attractive town on the Aveyron River. The buildings are quite tall and the streets narrow and we followed a walk around the town to see the highlights. We bought a slice of ‘Le jacquou’ which was described as a speciality. It was a pastry slice filled with prunes, raisins, honey and nuts. I have to say, it was very nice. We drove up to the belvedere which gives a terrific view over the river and village. After leaving St Antonin we continued on to Penne, and once again had a stunning view of the village as we approached. Penne is quite small but really lovely with ruins of a chateau and some attractive small streets and houses. Last stop of the day was Bruniquel. This region has an abundance of beautiful villages and this was no exception. We walked through the attractive gate and up to the two chateaux at the top and the view as we left was impressive.
Sunday was a beautiful day and we finally went into Albi. We found a park close to the bridge and walked across. This is such beautiful place. We stopped in at the covered market before arriving at the cathedral which is almost impossible to describe. It is just breath taking both inside and out. Small terracotta bricks allow the shape to form and it is huge. Inside it is superbly painted and has a large pipe organ. The choir is just stunning with fine, intricate stone work that is like lace. It is just magnificent. We also visited the Toulouse Lautrec museum which is housed in the Berbie Palace. We are not very well versed in art, but we both really enjoyed seeing his huge body of work and different styles. It also gives you the chance to see this lovely building. The gardens overlooking the river are attractive as well. Albi is a lovely place to wander and we enjoyed our walk around among the old buildings and big open squares. We saw T-L’s birthplace. Add in his grave in Verdelais and we have come full circle. It was a most enjoyable day.
The first view of Cordes sur Ciel high on a hill as you approach from Albi is amazing and I can see why this village is so popular with visitors. It is quite a steep village, of course, with cobblestone streets, halles, several gates, squares, and terraces with lovely views of the surrounding country. There are some superb old houses with arched doorways and windows, carved animals and gargoyles and they almost look like abbeys or convents. Of course there are also plenty of shops and cafes to cater for the tourists who flock here, if the number of car parks is any indication.
Tuesday 1st November was All Saints Day and the supermarkets were only open in the morning. We had read about the Sidobre region south of Albi, and as there was an Intermarche in Realmont we decide to stop there for the few things we needed. Most important was wine and dessert, but of course, when we got there it was not open. The Sidobre is a small plateau made of granite and covered by forests and huge rock formations some of which have names. It was a pretty drive, but once there it was difficult to find any signs and no TO open anywhere. After driving around for a while we finally found Peyro Clabado, a large balancing boulder. It was quite impressive. We spotted a car park sign for the ‘Riviere de Pierre’ and toiled up through the forest, clambered over rocks and finally arrived at large rocks tumbling down over each other. It was definitely a river of rocks. We did not need to find out that the road we had been on went right past it. Frustrating, but we needed the exercise. We also found the Roc de l’Oie, and yes, it does resemble a goose. Even the picnic tables were granite and it is the industry in the small village of Lacrouzette. We could not believe how mild it still was. As we returned through Albi we looked for something open but to no avail until, at the very last moment, as we were almost out the other side, I spotted a little Utile supermarket open. Crisis averted! We bought a bottle of rose, some little pots of crème caramel, a loaf of Harry’s brioche, a capsicum for my flageolet bean salad, and a block of dark chocolate. We did not really need the chocolate, but what the heck.
Sometimes we just enjoy the drives around so one day we wandered around the country in among grapevines and agriculture with stops in small villages such as La Verdier and Vaour. We spotted some unfamiliar sausages at the deli – saucisse de Couenne. I asked about them and was told pork and spices. We are always prepared to try new things so we bought some. Google informed us they were a speciality of this region and are made from pork rind. Interesting. They were quite coarse and gelatinous, and while they did have a little of what I call the ‘farmyard smell’, they were not as strong as andouille, which P enjoys, and I did not mind them. One afternoon we went for a long walk along the roads around our hamlet and watched farmers busy planting and spraying. It was lovely country.
So another two weeks are over and we have two left. We really enjoyed this region and there are so many beautiful places to visit. To-morrow we are off to the Creuse.
Jan 7th, 2017, 07:41 PM
#35
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Your adjectives are just fine! Rhon, you are a good writer and make every part of France sound tempting.
Tomorrow's report is going to be even more interesting to me because we've been to the Creuse. I'm looking forward to reading about what you saw and liked.
Tomorrow's report is going to be even more interesting to me because we've been to the Creuse. I'm looking forward to reading about what you saw and liked.
Jan 8th, 2017, 06:17 PM
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Coquelicot, we were very north in the Creuse and did not get to the places one probably thinks of as the Creuse. We did visit the little village of Moutier d'Ahun in 2008 as we passed through. This trip we had a few gites, especially in the Tarn and the Creuse, where a lot of our drives took us into neighbouring departments.
Little towns are what we all about, Adelaidean.
WEEK 9 – The CREUSE
Well, somebody flicked the switch and winter is here. We had not yet had to use any heating, but that was about to change. We had a wet trip today, but still enjoyed the drive up through Cordes and past abbeys beside the road. We passed through Figeac which we visited in 2012 and drove through the Aveyron which is a beautiful area. We followed the autoroute up past Limoges before turning off to travel cross country as we had plenty of time. We passed a group of hunters and their dogs, a motley collection of various breeds, running along the road with great enthusiasm and focus.
Our gite this week was a few kms outside the town of La Souterraine near the small village of St Agnant de Versillat. This is the very north of the Creuse, almost into Indre. This was a new area for us again. I think France is a bottomless pit of new regions to visit. It was an old house renovated into a very comfortable gite with a lovely modern kitchen, but it still retained the charm of the old bread oven in the wall of the dining area. The owners had no English, but monsieur said ‘Australie. Rugby’, mimed passing the ball and there was a thumbs up and a handshake.
Sunday dawned cold and foggy. We went into La Souterraine to find the supermarket and get some things, and also went into the nearby village where we were delighted to find a boulangerie and a small bistro. It is looking good. After an early lunch at home we set out for a bit of a wander. The country was just gorgeous. It was a lot flatter than what we had been seeing previously, lovely and green and the forests were just glorious. Just how many shades of colour from lemon through to deep red are there? We do get some autumn colour where we live, but nothing like we were seeing and we loved it. I added another impressive war memorial to my collection in Dun le Palestal. Celle Dunois is a very pretty village on the Creuse River with a lovely bridge and church. We then meandered our way home through the country to La S. After a stop to view the old La Tour Bridiers, we went into the historic centre of La S which is neatly paved and tidy. It has a large gate and lovely big church which is on the pilgrim route. We have seen so many places on the pilgrim route [I know there are several] in our travels.
Rain was forecast, but Monday was clear and cold with ice on the car and frost everywhere. We set out for Bellac along a busy road full of trucks. Bellac was very quiet as we walked through, found the church and then continued downhill to the Pont de la Pierre, a sweet little arched stone bridge. We continued on to Mortemart [PBV] which is a small but charming village with some beautiful buildings- halles, Couvent des Carmes and an Augustin convent. But we really enjoyed the interior of the church, particularly the choir. The seats were all up and under each is a fantastic carved animal or creature, and at each entrance and end, carved people. It was fascinating. We stopped in Blond to see the large fortified church before meandering home through the forests with numerous stops for yet more photos.
Our days were starting later as we waited for the fog to lift. On Tuesday we drove through some nice little villages before reaching Crozant where there are the ruins of a chateau. We found the viewpoint and it was very atmospheric in the mist. We then continued up to Gargilesse [PBV] which is dominated by the chateau and large church. The church has a fascinating crypt with frescoes and the tombs of the marquis and counts of Gargilesse. Argenton sur Creuse is a larger town on the river with some nice river views. It was very busy as we drove through with one quite alarming intersection. We do not really enjoy busy. We were looking for the Gallo Roman amphitheatre and we finally found it. We have nothing like this in Australia, so we always find it amazing to see something so impressive just there for people to wander in at will.
There are some things we eat in France that we do not cook at home. One of those is duck which is not as readily available and is more expensive where we live. We especially enjoy the magret [breast] and in the supermarkets in this region we could only find filet which is also breast. The difference is that the magret comes from ducks fattened for foie gras, and this is the one we prefer. Still, the filet went very nicely with some warmed flageolet beans with some crème fraiche added. We get all sorts of beans in cans here but no flageolet beans which we have come to enjoy in France. We also enjoy gesiers de canard in a salad, confit and cuisses braised in red wine. Other things we really like are Morteau and Montbeliard sausages, not the mass produced ones, but rather the ones bought loose from the boucherie or deli. They are more rustic in appearance and much nicer, we think. The same applies to boudin blanc which we have bought at markets and from the deli. One day, at home, I will attempt my own boudin blanc.
Winter is certainly here and it was quite cold when we visited the village of St Benoit de Sault [PBV]. It was larger than we expected with a new part around the historic old section. We picked up a map from the TO and followed the walk around the old part which was interesting. Part is an old fort and as well as little streets and attractive buildings there is a gate and clock tower.
On Thursday we drove across towards Noth with a detour into the forest to see the Chateau de Cazine which is now a luxury hotel. We can only dream of staying in such a place. After a stop in Noth to see the fortified church, we drove through the pretty little village of Le Grand Bourg and on to Benevant l’Abbaye. It is a lovely sight as you drive in and it was a busy little place on a cold November morning. The large Abbatiale is very attractive and we also discovered a house with an elaborate tower. It was a ‘folly’ built by a merchant and he called it his chateau. It was a nice little place. A little further on, we stopped in Mourioux, a tiny village, where a kind gentleman saw us at the church and unlocked it for us. It is 13th century and has a different, attractive interior of stone walls.
All these places were not far away and we were back at home just in time to visit the little Bistro Mel-Lou in St Agnant for lunch. Luckily we had made a booking as it was almost full. It is a quirky little place with retro decor and old LPs as place mats. It was good, simple French food and heaps of it. We had chicken liver quiche to start, P had tete de veau with sauce gribiche and I had coq au vin as our mains, and pain perdu for dessert. No dinner for us that night. Before going home we stopped in at the cemetery to see the Lanterne des Morts. We have seen a few of these in our travels around France.
Our last day was on Armistice Day and we saw services and wreaths at memorials as we drove around. On the same day in 2010, we climbed the Roche de Solutre in Burgundy. It was cold, so rabbit braised in white wine with lardons and mushrooms really hit the spot.
This is a quiet area, but very beautiful. There is, of course, a lot of agriculture and the paddocks look lovely separated by small hedges. The forests were just superb, and it is dotted with lots of small but charming villages. It is probably less well known, but we really enjoyed our stay. And because of our location, there is a whole lot more to the south to see another time. We are now coming into our last week, and we will be spending it in a region we love – Burgundy.
Little towns are what we all about, Adelaidean.
WEEK 9 – The CREUSE
Well, somebody flicked the switch and winter is here. We had not yet had to use any heating, but that was about to change. We had a wet trip today, but still enjoyed the drive up through Cordes and past abbeys beside the road. We passed through Figeac which we visited in 2012 and drove through the Aveyron which is a beautiful area. We followed the autoroute up past Limoges before turning off to travel cross country as we had plenty of time. We passed a group of hunters and their dogs, a motley collection of various breeds, running along the road with great enthusiasm and focus.
Our gite this week was a few kms outside the town of La Souterraine near the small village of St Agnant de Versillat. This is the very north of the Creuse, almost into Indre. This was a new area for us again. I think France is a bottomless pit of new regions to visit. It was an old house renovated into a very comfortable gite with a lovely modern kitchen, but it still retained the charm of the old bread oven in the wall of the dining area. The owners had no English, but monsieur said ‘Australie. Rugby’, mimed passing the ball and there was a thumbs up and a handshake.
Sunday dawned cold and foggy. We went into La Souterraine to find the supermarket and get some things, and also went into the nearby village where we were delighted to find a boulangerie and a small bistro. It is looking good. After an early lunch at home we set out for a bit of a wander. The country was just gorgeous. It was a lot flatter than what we had been seeing previously, lovely and green and the forests were just glorious. Just how many shades of colour from lemon through to deep red are there? We do get some autumn colour where we live, but nothing like we were seeing and we loved it. I added another impressive war memorial to my collection in Dun le Palestal. Celle Dunois is a very pretty village on the Creuse River with a lovely bridge and church. We then meandered our way home through the country to La S. After a stop to view the old La Tour Bridiers, we went into the historic centre of La S which is neatly paved and tidy. It has a large gate and lovely big church which is on the pilgrim route. We have seen so many places on the pilgrim route [I know there are several] in our travels.
Rain was forecast, but Monday was clear and cold with ice on the car and frost everywhere. We set out for Bellac along a busy road full of trucks. Bellac was very quiet as we walked through, found the church and then continued downhill to the Pont de la Pierre, a sweet little arched stone bridge. We continued on to Mortemart [PBV] which is a small but charming village with some beautiful buildings- halles, Couvent des Carmes and an Augustin convent. But we really enjoyed the interior of the church, particularly the choir. The seats were all up and under each is a fantastic carved animal or creature, and at each entrance and end, carved people. It was fascinating. We stopped in Blond to see the large fortified church before meandering home through the forests with numerous stops for yet more photos.
Our days were starting later as we waited for the fog to lift. On Tuesday we drove through some nice little villages before reaching Crozant where there are the ruins of a chateau. We found the viewpoint and it was very atmospheric in the mist. We then continued up to Gargilesse [PBV] which is dominated by the chateau and large church. The church has a fascinating crypt with frescoes and the tombs of the marquis and counts of Gargilesse. Argenton sur Creuse is a larger town on the river with some nice river views. It was very busy as we drove through with one quite alarming intersection. We do not really enjoy busy. We were looking for the Gallo Roman amphitheatre and we finally found it. We have nothing like this in Australia, so we always find it amazing to see something so impressive just there for people to wander in at will.
There are some things we eat in France that we do not cook at home. One of those is duck which is not as readily available and is more expensive where we live. We especially enjoy the magret [breast] and in the supermarkets in this region we could only find filet which is also breast. The difference is that the magret comes from ducks fattened for foie gras, and this is the one we prefer. Still, the filet went very nicely with some warmed flageolet beans with some crème fraiche added. We get all sorts of beans in cans here but no flageolet beans which we have come to enjoy in France. We also enjoy gesiers de canard in a salad, confit and cuisses braised in red wine. Other things we really like are Morteau and Montbeliard sausages, not the mass produced ones, but rather the ones bought loose from the boucherie or deli. They are more rustic in appearance and much nicer, we think. The same applies to boudin blanc which we have bought at markets and from the deli. One day, at home, I will attempt my own boudin blanc.
Winter is certainly here and it was quite cold when we visited the village of St Benoit de Sault [PBV]. It was larger than we expected with a new part around the historic old section. We picked up a map from the TO and followed the walk around the old part which was interesting. Part is an old fort and as well as little streets and attractive buildings there is a gate and clock tower.
On Thursday we drove across towards Noth with a detour into the forest to see the Chateau de Cazine which is now a luxury hotel. We can only dream of staying in such a place. After a stop in Noth to see the fortified church, we drove through the pretty little village of Le Grand Bourg and on to Benevant l’Abbaye. It is a lovely sight as you drive in and it was a busy little place on a cold November morning. The large Abbatiale is very attractive and we also discovered a house with an elaborate tower. It was a ‘folly’ built by a merchant and he called it his chateau. It was a nice little place. A little further on, we stopped in Mourioux, a tiny village, where a kind gentleman saw us at the church and unlocked it for us. It is 13th century and has a different, attractive interior of stone walls.
All these places were not far away and we were back at home just in time to visit the little Bistro Mel-Lou in St Agnant for lunch. Luckily we had made a booking as it was almost full. It is a quirky little place with retro decor and old LPs as place mats. It was good, simple French food and heaps of it. We had chicken liver quiche to start, P had tete de veau with sauce gribiche and I had coq au vin as our mains, and pain perdu for dessert. No dinner for us that night. Before going home we stopped in at the cemetery to see the Lanterne des Morts. We have seen a few of these in our travels around France.
Our last day was on Armistice Day and we saw services and wreaths at memorials as we drove around. On the same day in 2010, we climbed the Roche de Solutre in Burgundy. It was cold, so rabbit braised in white wine with lardons and mushrooms really hit the spot.
This is a quiet area, but very beautiful. There is, of course, a lot of agriculture and the paddocks look lovely separated by small hedges. The forests were just superb, and it is dotted with lots of small but charming villages. It is probably less well known, but we really enjoyed our stay. And because of our location, there is a whole lot more to the south to see another time. We are now coming into our last week, and we will be spending it in a region we love – Burgundy.
Jan 8th, 2017, 07:46 PM
#38
You really got the most out of the area!
Regarding where people in tiny villages get their bread, there are bakery trucks that come through the villages two or three times a week. They know their customers so well that even if you are not at home, they will leave your usual order on your doorstep. (At least that's how it worked with my grandmother.) There are also butcher trucks and grocery trucks that come once a week. The locals know exactly when and where to expect them, but in any case they honk to announce their arrival.
Naturally, all of this is changing. Many people will drive 30 or 40km to the nearest hypermarket every week or two and stock up. Most villagers have big freezers and yes, they even freeze bread.
Regarding where people in tiny villages get their bread, there are bakery trucks that come through the villages two or three times a week. They know their customers so well that even if you are not at home, they will leave your usual order on your doorstep. (At least that's how it worked with my grandmother.) There are also butcher trucks and grocery trucks that come once a week. The locals know exactly when and where to expect them, but in any case they honk to announce their arrival.
Naturally, all of this is changing. Many people will drive 30 or 40km to the nearest hypermarket every week or two and stock up. Most villagers have big freezers and yes, they even freeze bread.
Jan 8th, 2017, 10:38 PM
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Yes, on other trips we have stayed in villages where the bread van or the butcher arrives. We have often seen bags hanging on the door. We did wonder about freezing. We were behind a couple in the supermarket in the Tarn and they had seven large baguettes and we speculated that might be the reason.
We do a fair bit of research before we go and also once we are there. There is so much information out there.
We do a fair bit of research before we go and also once we are there. There is so much information out there.
Jan 9th, 2017, 05:15 AM
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Rhon, we were in that area for only one day. Sounds like there is more to see than we saw.
On our first time to Argenton sur Creuse we had the same experience of a horrible traffic jam--worse even than rush hour in Paris. Nothing moved. The next time we went through was on a Sunday afternoon and there was no traffic at all.
What did you think of St Benoit du Sault? For a PBV, it seemed small to us. It also had the smallest market we've ever seen in France, just two or three stalls. Meanwhile the town's Super U was packed.
Nice to hear about all your good eating. Much as we love France's back roads and buildings of local stone, a good meal is what really makes our day. How did P like his tete de veau?
On our first time to Argenton sur Creuse we had the same experience of a horrible traffic jam--worse even than rush hour in Paris. Nothing moved. The next time we went through was on a Sunday afternoon and there was no traffic at all.
What did you think of St Benoit du Sault? For a PBV, it seemed small to us. It also had the smallest market we've ever seen in France, just two or three stalls. Meanwhile the town's Super U was packed.
Nice to hear about all your good eating. Much as we love France's back roads and buildings of local stone, a good meal is what really makes our day. How did P like his tete de veau?
