FRANCE 10 YEARS ON: Paris Dordogne Albi Toulouse Arles S Rhone and Nice
Oct 17th, 2017, 09:08 AM
#21
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Isn't Commarque wonderful? How about that medieval game room?
I know that hôtel-restaurant overlooking the Cingle de Trémolat and have eaten there in the distant past. The situation is gorgeous, with spectacular views. At 450,000 euros, though, and needing all that work, it's not a bargain.
Sorry l'Espérance was complet. It's our favorite place for a splurge.
I know that hôtel-restaurant overlooking the Cingle de Trémolat and have eaten there in the distant past. The situation is gorgeous, with spectacular views. At 450,000 euros, though, and needing all that work, it's not a bargain.
Sorry l'Espérance was complet. It's our favorite place for a splurge.
Oct 17th, 2017, 09:10 AM
#22
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Market day! We had another slow start. And it was surprising how big the market is! From the south end of Rue de la Republique, stretching north for 400 meters, then into center of the old town, probably doubling that at least. I am in love with the fruits and veggies, most being local and displayed in their natural state, warts and all. We tasted our way through the food area and the cheese and sausage sellers supplied some goodies for our afternoon outing, and some to put in the fridge for Sunday. And I buy 2 baskets of sweet smelling little strawberries, perfectly ripe, to eat anytime.
The local duck and goose products are tempting, as we rarely see these for sale at home. We buy 2 cans of duck confit to take home with us!
It’s so much fun to peruse all the goodies for sale at these markets, but soon it’s time for all the displays to pack up and be on to another town the next day.
There are a few things left on my wish list before we leave Sarlat. In truth there were a few more chateaux that I had wanted to see, and a few more towns on the east side of Sarlat, Loubressac, Padirac, Martel, Collonges la Rouge, Chateau de Puymartin, Montpazier, Biron, an endless list of beautiful places to visit.
The trouble is, my imagination is easily seduced by guidebooks and beautiful pictures. So, as I sat opposite my husband feeling grumpy one morning because we had had another late start, he looked at me kindly and said, “You know, I look at this as 3 weeks that I get to spend with my wife without interruptions.” Some men know all the right things to say.
In my mind’s eye, I gave myself a long hard look and said, You idiot! And in that instant I had a reset of my expectations of the perfect vacation. Spending quality time with the ones we love is much more important than seeing one more town or one more museum, the name of which will soon be forgotten anyway.
But that occurred after our Saturday afternoon visiting Domme, and then Rocamadour. Domme is quite a gorgeous little town, quite busy with tourists though. We took photos of the view and then went underground again to have a tour of Domme’s cave. At the end of the tour, you exit the cave from the side of the cliff and take an elevator to the top, with gorgeous views of the valley, with its varying colors of agricultural activity.
So, Rocamadour was an hour away but it was getting late so we thought we better get a move on. We have good memories of being in Rocamadour 10 years ago, when the tour buses had all left, and we were almost the only ones in the place. There was a restaurant open with a patio that overhung the city, and we had a glass of wine and listened to Sting sing Fields of Gold, just the two of us suspended over the hillside. It was rather magical then.
About half way through our drive, we saw a lovely spot to stop, as we hadn’t had lunch and DH had packed a baguette and some of the cheese and sausage from the market. DH is very fond of picnics, or tailgate parties, as he calls them.
By the time we finished our snacks and got on our way, and we got to Rocamadour, parked, and walked to the funicular, we were told that it closed in 20 minutes. Just then the skies let loose again, and it started to pour rain.
Yep, I was disappointed alright. We now had an hour drive back to Sarlat in the rain. I made up my mind next time to let reason override desire. In the overall scheme of things, we have so many good memories of this trip and of countless beautiful things that we saw, no reason to rush anywhere to see one more thing on the list.
Candles greeted us when we got home. It was Heritage Days in Sarlat, and people were putting candles everywhere along the edge of the streets. It was still pouring rain, but we had reservations at Le Grand Bleu. We were late, but the owners were very gracious and kind, and treated us very well.
Not sure of the history of the building, but it’s near the train station, and looks like it could have had travellers staying there at one time. The décor is modern French country, okay I know that’s my own designation. It’s a one star Michelin, so was a blow out meal. The wine list is very good.
We both had the menu which included
Langoustines juste saisies sur un espuma d’artichaut à la cardamome, pickles de carottes, sorbet carotte cardamome
Foie gras IGP du Périgord au coing, calvados et réglisse, granité de vin de noix yuzu, compotée de coing à l’orange et gingembre, pain de mie aux noix
We were both feeling the need for some fish for the mains, and dessert was the lightest, yummiest soufflé I’ve ever had.
With a gorgeous, mineral white, I believe from the Loire Valley, Euro 153.
The candles were all still burning when we arrived back to the apartment, outlining the streets and squares in the dark. It looked very pretty even in the rain, but everyone had gone home, and we missed the festivities of the medieval celebration. But it was time to pack up the bags for our morning check out anyway.
On to the Lot River Valley!
The local duck and goose products are tempting, as we rarely see these for sale at home. We buy 2 cans of duck confit to take home with us!
It’s so much fun to peruse all the goodies for sale at these markets, but soon it’s time for all the displays to pack up and be on to another town the next day.
There are a few things left on my wish list before we leave Sarlat. In truth there were a few more chateaux that I had wanted to see, and a few more towns on the east side of Sarlat, Loubressac, Padirac, Martel, Collonges la Rouge, Chateau de Puymartin, Montpazier, Biron, an endless list of beautiful places to visit.
The trouble is, my imagination is easily seduced by guidebooks and beautiful pictures. So, as I sat opposite my husband feeling grumpy one morning because we had had another late start, he looked at me kindly and said, “You know, I look at this as 3 weeks that I get to spend with my wife without interruptions.” Some men know all the right things to say.
In my mind’s eye, I gave myself a long hard look and said, You idiot! And in that instant I had a reset of my expectations of the perfect vacation. Spending quality time with the ones we love is much more important than seeing one more town or one more museum, the name of which will soon be forgotten anyway.
But that occurred after our Saturday afternoon visiting Domme, and then Rocamadour. Domme is quite a gorgeous little town, quite busy with tourists though. We took photos of the view and then went underground again to have a tour of Domme’s cave. At the end of the tour, you exit the cave from the side of the cliff and take an elevator to the top, with gorgeous views of the valley, with its varying colors of agricultural activity.
So, Rocamadour was an hour away but it was getting late so we thought we better get a move on. We have good memories of being in Rocamadour 10 years ago, when the tour buses had all left, and we were almost the only ones in the place. There was a restaurant open with a patio that overhung the city, and we had a glass of wine and listened to Sting sing Fields of Gold, just the two of us suspended over the hillside. It was rather magical then.
About half way through our drive, we saw a lovely spot to stop, as we hadn’t had lunch and DH had packed a baguette and some of the cheese and sausage from the market. DH is very fond of picnics, or tailgate parties, as he calls them.
By the time we finished our snacks and got on our way, and we got to Rocamadour, parked, and walked to the funicular, we were told that it closed in 20 minutes. Just then the skies let loose again, and it started to pour rain.
Yep, I was disappointed alright. We now had an hour drive back to Sarlat in the rain. I made up my mind next time to let reason override desire. In the overall scheme of things, we have so many good memories of this trip and of countless beautiful things that we saw, no reason to rush anywhere to see one more thing on the list.
Candles greeted us when we got home. It was Heritage Days in Sarlat, and people were putting candles everywhere along the edge of the streets. It was still pouring rain, but we had reservations at Le Grand Bleu. We were late, but the owners were very gracious and kind, and treated us very well.
Not sure of the history of the building, but it’s near the train station, and looks like it could have had travellers staying there at one time. The décor is modern French country, okay I know that’s my own designation. It’s a one star Michelin, so was a blow out meal. The wine list is very good.
We both had the menu which included
Langoustines juste saisies sur un espuma d’artichaut à la cardamome, pickles de carottes, sorbet carotte cardamome
Foie gras IGP du Périgord au coing, calvados et réglisse, granité de vin de noix yuzu, compotée de coing à l’orange et gingembre, pain de mie aux noix
We were both feeling the need for some fish for the mains, and dessert was the lightest, yummiest soufflé I’ve ever had.
With a gorgeous, mineral white, I believe from the Loire Valley, Euro 153.
The candles were all still burning when we arrived back to the apartment, outlining the streets and squares in the dark. It looked very pretty even in the rain, but everyone had gone home, and we missed the festivities of the medieval celebration. But it was time to pack up the bags for our morning check out anyway.
On to the Lot River Valley!
Oct 17th, 2017, 09:24 AM
#23
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St Cirq, it's a bargain compared to a 1000 square foot apartment in Vancouver, lol. Joking but not joking. Depending on the age of the building, one could easily spend 1.3 million.
It is surprising that prices are so high there, when we saw so many For Sale signs! It's probably prime real estate for holiday properties though...
Yes, Commarque, it would have been great to have another hour there.
It is surprising that prices are so high there, when we saw so many For Sale signs! It's probably prime real estate for holiday properties though...
Yes, Commarque, it would have been great to have another hour there.
Oct 17th, 2017, 09:36 AM
#24
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Well, in general prices aren't that high here, but that property is a 28-bedroom hotel with a big restaurant facility, a huge garden, terraces, a parking lot, gardens, and a view to die for over the valley.
Oct 17th, 2017, 03:07 PM
#26
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Lot River Valley
It’s Sunday and our destination today is Figeac, but we are taking the long, winding and scenic route. An important part of our trip is to try the wines of the area, wherever we are in France. That has influenced our decision to stop in Cahors, to try the local wine made with Malbec.
Just outside of Cahors, we come across a sign: Degustation. Since it’s a Sunday, it’s questionable whether many places will be open in Cahors, so we stop here at the Meme du Quercy outlet. They are happy to give us quite a few tastes of Cahors wine (my driver used the spittoon) and we bought 4 bottles of wine, some fois gras packed to take home, and some pate for the road.
It’s an easy drive into the city center, and we parked and looked for a café. It was stilling raining, so the city looked somewhat dark, but we found a bistro full of happy looking people. We walked in, and found ourselves the center of inquisitive stares: Sorry, this is a private party. They looked genuinely sorry, lol, and it looked like such fun!
The cathedral of St Etienne dominates its neighborhood, looking somewhat like a fortress. We walked all around the outside, but were unable to go inside, Sunday hours 2-6 pm. The Michelin guide gives this cathedral 1 star:
https://travelguide.michelin.com/eur...thedral-cahors
Back on the road, our aim is to follow the Lot River as close as possible to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It’s a lovely drive, and along the way there are chateaux and villages to visit, including the well known St-Cirq-La-Popie.
During our last visit here ten years ago, we found a field below the town along the river, and we had a picnic there, watching the river boats cruise slowly by.
Of course, we found that spot again, but it’s now a campground. No-one minded that we pulled in and had a picnic there. If we did this trip again around the Dordogne and Lot River area, I would be tempted to rent a camper since we saw quite a few lovely and uncrowded campgrounds.
I think my photos can describe this drive better than I can, so I will post some here. The rain made everything look different, the colors of green are very vibrant, and the mist makes everything look magical.
Friends of ours took a two week boat trip on the Canal du Midi a few years ago. They said it was the best vacation they ever had. So we watched with interest when we saw the boats along the rivers, moored sometimes, other times navigating the locks. Maybe next year we’ll give that a try in company with our friends.
I would definitely recommend Figeac as a place to stop. It’s a very pretty town, with the river running through, and our hotel was just across the bridge from the historical center.
I chose the Best Western Pont d’Or partly because of its position on the river, and partly because it has air conditioning. On that account, I needn’t have bothered; we needed heat, not cool. The hotel was okay, but I thought overpriced for what it is, ie peeling wallpaper in places, dirty carpets in the stairwells, very smoky in the lobby. Euro 122 for a room overlooking the river. I would suggest choosing a room on the back, since there was quite a bit of noisy traffic at night and in the morning.
After our 3 pricey meals in Sarlat, we were ready for something simple. Not many places were open on Sunday night, but we found Restaurant del Portel, decent family place with a pizza oven. We ordered a pizza, passable, and a huge vegetarian salad. The salad I would recommend, nothing pretty, just lots of good fresh vegetables, which we were craving. With a bottle of Cahors Lavaur, Euro 41.
The historical town at night was interesting, quite a few homeless people, but the town seems to have a healthy economy, apparently the industry there is aerospace. Makes sense, with its close proximity to Toulouse.
In the morning, we spent some time walking around the same area, and taking photos. It’s very clean, and nicely restored. We got good coffee and croissants at a very good price, for our breakfast.
Unfortunately the Musee Champollion was closed on Monday, as we would have found it interesting. The museum is housed in the renovated home where Champollion, who deciphered hieroglyphics, was born, and it documents the history of the written word.
Here are my photos of the area:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7ax2XN
Figeac was an overnight stop and we are on to Toulouse!
It’s Sunday and our destination today is Figeac, but we are taking the long, winding and scenic route. An important part of our trip is to try the wines of the area, wherever we are in France. That has influenced our decision to stop in Cahors, to try the local wine made with Malbec.
Just outside of Cahors, we come across a sign: Degustation. Since it’s a Sunday, it’s questionable whether many places will be open in Cahors, so we stop here at the Meme du Quercy outlet. They are happy to give us quite a few tastes of Cahors wine (my driver used the spittoon) and we bought 4 bottles of wine, some fois gras packed to take home, and some pate for the road.
It’s an easy drive into the city center, and we parked and looked for a café. It was stilling raining, so the city looked somewhat dark, but we found a bistro full of happy looking people. We walked in, and found ourselves the center of inquisitive stares: Sorry, this is a private party. They looked genuinely sorry, lol, and it looked like such fun!
The cathedral of St Etienne dominates its neighborhood, looking somewhat like a fortress. We walked all around the outside, but were unable to go inside, Sunday hours 2-6 pm. The Michelin guide gives this cathedral 1 star:
https://travelguide.michelin.com/eur...thedral-cahors
Back on the road, our aim is to follow the Lot River as close as possible to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It’s a lovely drive, and along the way there are chateaux and villages to visit, including the well known St-Cirq-La-Popie.
During our last visit here ten years ago, we found a field below the town along the river, and we had a picnic there, watching the river boats cruise slowly by.
Of course, we found that spot again, but it’s now a campground. No-one minded that we pulled in and had a picnic there. If we did this trip again around the Dordogne and Lot River area, I would be tempted to rent a camper since we saw quite a few lovely and uncrowded campgrounds.
I think my photos can describe this drive better than I can, so I will post some here. The rain made everything look different, the colors of green are very vibrant, and the mist makes everything look magical.
Friends of ours took a two week boat trip on the Canal du Midi a few years ago. They said it was the best vacation they ever had. So we watched with interest when we saw the boats along the rivers, moored sometimes, other times navigating the locks. Maybe next year we’ll give that a try in company with our friends.
I would definitely recommend Figeac as a place to stop. It’s a very pretty town, with the river running through, and our hotel was just across the bridge from the historical center.
I chose the Best Western Pont d’Or partly because of its position on the river, and partly because it has air conditioning. On that account, I needn’t have bothered; we needed heat, not cool. The hotel was okay, but I thought overpriced for what it is, ie peeling wallpaper in places, dirty carpets in the stairwells, very smoky in the lobby. Euro 122 for a room overlooking the river. I would suggest choosing a room on the back, since there was quite a bit of noisy traffic at night and in the morning.
After our 3 pricey meals in Sarlat, we were ready for something simple. Not many places were open on Sunday night, but we found Restaurant del Portel, decent family place with a pizza oven. We ordered a pizza, passable, and a huge vegetarian salad. The salad I would recommend, nothing pretty, just lots of good fresh vegetables, which we were craving. With a bottle of Cahors Lavaur, Euro 41.
The historical town at night was interesting, quite a few homeless people, but the town seems to have a healthy economy, apparently the industry there is aerospace. Makes sense, with its close proximity to Toulouse.
In the morning, we spent some time walking around the same area, and taking photos. It’s very clean, and nicely restored. We got good coffee and croissants at a very good price, for our breakfast.
Unfortunately the Musee Champollion was closed on Monday, as we would have found it interesting. The museum is housed in the renovated home where Champollion, who deciphered hieroglyphics, was born, and it documents the history of the written word.
Here are my photos of the area:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7ax2XN
Figeac was an overnight stop and we are on to Toulouse!
Oct 17th, 2017, 04:38 PM
#27
Continuing to love following your trip. You've given me some great ideas for our next trip.
We loved the drive to Figeac and stopped there for picnic along the river. We were on our way to Gorges du Tarn. Visited Toulouse before we went to Sarlat so looking forward to your stay there.
We loved the drive to Figeac and stopped there for picnic along the river. We were on our way to Gorges du Tarn. Visited Toulouse before we went to Sarlat so looking forward to your stay there.
Oct 17th, 2017, 08:55 PM
#28
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Yestravel oh I’m glad you got some ideas! I love the Dordogne but we probably won’t go back for awhile. Too many other places to go.
I tried to work the Gorges du Tarn into this trip but we just didn’t have enough time. Did you enjoy that drive?
I tried to work the Gorges du Tarn into this trip but we just didn’t have enough time. Did you enjoy that drive?
Oct 18th, 2017, 05:24 AM
#29
Couldn't agree more -- too many places to go! We spent 3 nights at the Gorges du Tarn and it was spectacular. Leaves were changing and some of the views were just jaw dropping. We only had the 2 days to explore it, but loved what we saw and it wasn't crowded at all. At times on the road we were the only car.
Oct 18th, 2017, 04:13 PM
#31
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Russ, lucky you! Hope everything goes well, if I recall you are buying a place there.
So, a sure sign that we made too many moves is that I forgot one!!
Before Toulouse, we made a 2 night stop in Cordes-sur-Ciel, the name of which I'm still having a heck of a time getting any French person to understand my rendition. Haha.
Will post those days soon.
So, a sure sign that we made too many moves is that I forgot one!!
Before Toulouse, we made a 2 night stop in Cordes-sur-Ciel, the name of which I'm still having a heck of a time getting any French person to understand my rendition. Haha.
Will post those days soon.
Oct 18th, 2017, 10:23 PM
#32
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Cordes sur Ciel
Our little Golf keeps us warm and dry as we head toward Cordes-sur-Ciel. On the way, we take a turnoff towards Najac. The desk clerk at our hotel had recommended this as worth a stop.
Najac is set along a ridge and overlooks a bend in the Aveyron River. At the top of the town is an arcaded open market area, and pretty half-timbered houses, in the formation of a bastide town.
If you follow the main street down, you will see the royal fortress, which was built in the 13th Century, not as a Cathar stronghold, but as a punishment to anyone who had sentiments tied to the Cathar religion. It has a unique defense system and inside the walls there is an actual secret passage! Templar knights were imprisoned in the château’s lower dungeon after their arrest in 1307.
We visited on a Monday, so it might be quite a bit busier on other days. But even so, we loved stopping here. The area is so pretty set in the hills, and on the river, and the views from the Chateau are just beautiful, and it was fun to climb up and explore. Lots of climbing, though!
Again, Najac is one the most beautiful villages of France. The area is still mostly agricultural in nature, and the restaurant, Oustal del Barry, a typical French country restaurant, features local products. We had a very nice lunch here, and recommend the place. So does the Michelin Guide.
The restaurant is attached to a ‘hotel de charme et caractere’
http://www.oustaldelbarry.com/en/
The sun finally comes out as we near Cordes. It feels so good to get warmed up! And the views from our B&B are worthy of a blue sky.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/la-...c-a.en-gb.html
The hosts here are very warm and friendly, and invite us for a glass of champagne with the other guests before supper.
Our room is on the top floor of a medieval house. The owners have furnished it with antiques and some are from the 16th C. There is an open courtyard in the center, with stairs to the rooms. It’s very pretty and elegant, but I must admit I was a bit afraid clumsy me would break something.
Our hosts recommended the following place for dinner: Callipyge
https://www.facebook.com/scallipyge
We were a little dubious when we walked in. It’s a very cool gallery, with a ‘restaurant’ in the back part overlooking the countryside. What is available is mostly charcuterie boards, and caprese salad, and Italian wine. We were the first ones there, followed by…everyone else that was staying at our hotel.
However, the music was excellent, and the charcuterie was delicious, top quality products, and the wine was from the Langhe in Italy, Nebbiolo, and was very good! We had an excellent time visiting with the owners, who previously were in the music business. We would recommend this place highly.
The weather for our Albi day trip was cloudy and sunny, alternating. And Albi was fantastic, lively, clean, and perfect for photos with the sun hiding behind the clouds just long enough to minimize the shadows.
We enjoyed our visit to the Cathedral and the Berbie Palace. These two buildings, done in the Southern Gothic style, are different to any other Gothic building in Europe, and are unique in the world, being among the largest fired brick medieval buildings.
We had been here before, so didn’t feel the need for a tour. Besides, those frescoes of heaven and hell are pretty self-explanatory, and a fitting warning to anyone who may have had pro Albigensian sentiments. This Cruscade was a fascinating part of history, and especially interesting to anyone touring the Cathar castles in the area, of which Carcassonne is one.
The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum follows the life of the artist and the evolution of his work. There are some beautiful and interesting pieces here.
Marie at our B&B had given us a plan with a circle tour of towns to visit as time permitted in the afternoon. So, our first stop was Domaine de Moulin just out of Gaillac, for a few bottles of wine from this small appellation, then on to Puycelci, from which there is a gorgeous panoramic view of the countryside, Bruniquel, with its chateau high on a bluff, and finally Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val.
St Antonin is a lovely town, in the valley rather than on a hilltop. I think I liked that because some days we were registering up to 35 flights of stairs, as well as average 15,000 steps a day! The setting is very pretty, and the town looks like it’s more than a tourist town, in fact we saw fewer tourists there than in the smaller places. It appeared to be a likely place to find a good dinner, but on second thought, we didn’t want to drink wine then drive on those winding roads.
In any case, it appeared that there were so few people around in Cordes that we felt there was no way the restaurants would be busy. As we drove up, there were no parking spots in sight, and we saw groups of well-dressed people walking up into town.
We didn’t spend much time in Cordes, but it always seemed empty and half the places were shut, including restaurants and businesses. Maybe it only has a summer season, I don’t know. But that night, every restaurant was full. It was already late, and we were hungry.
I had seen a little bistro in a town close by on our drive in, so we jumped in the car to see if we could find it. Google maps showed a place, but it seemed we were driving off into the darkness and nothing around. Then we saw light ahead at the side of the road. It looked like a big hall or night club or something. There was only one other couple and the server, a girl who spoke only French, and the biggest medieval fireplace I ever saw. Umm, are we in the right place??
Well, they did have pizza on the menu, so that’s what we had. The place looked like they could serve 2 or 300 people, and there were lots of roast meats on the menu. We ate pizza with flies buzzing around our heads, and a cheap bottle of wine, but at least no one went to bed hungry
Our little Golf keeps us warm and dry as we head toward Cordes-sur-Ciel. On the way, we take a turnoff towards Najac. The desk clerk at our hotel had recommended this as worth a stop.
Najac is set along a ridge and overlooks a bend in the Aveyron River. At the top of the town is an arcaded open market area, and pretty half-timbered houses, in the formation of a bastide town.
If you follow the main street down, you will see the royal fortress, which was built in the 13th Century, not as a Cathar stronghold, but as a punishment to anyone who had sentiments tied to the Cathar religion. It has a unique defense system and inside the walls there is an actual secret passage! Templar knights were imprisoned in the château’s lower dungeon after their arrest in 1307.
We visited on a Monday, so it might be quite a bit busier on other days. But even so, we loved stopping here. The area is so pretty set in the hills, and on the river, and the views from the Chateau are just beautiful, and it was fun to climb up and explore. Lots of climbing, though!
Again, Najac is one the most beautiful villages of France. The area is still mostly agricultural in nature, and the restaurant, Oustal del Barry, a typical French country restaurant, features local products. We had a very nice lunch here, and recommend the place. So does the Michelin Guide.
The restaurant is attached to a ‘hotel de charme et caractere’
http://www.oustaldelbarry.com/en/
The sun finally comes out as we near Cordes. It feels so good to get warmed up! And the views from our B&B are worthy of a blue sky.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/la-...c-a.en-gb.html
The hosts here are very warm and friendly, and invite us for a glass of champagne with the other guests before supper.
Our room is on the top floor of a medieval house. The owners have furnished it with antiques and some are from the 16th C. There is an open courtyard in the center, with stairs to the rooms. It’s very pretty and elegant, but I must admit I was a bit afraid clumsy me would break something.
Our hosts recommended the following place for dinner: Callipyge
https://www.facebook.com/scallipyge
We were a little dubious when we walked in. It’s a very cool gallery, with a ‘restaurant’ in the back part overlooking the countryside. What is available is mostly charcuterie boards, and caprese salad, and Italian wine. We were the first ones there, followed by…everyone else that was staying at our hotel.
However, the music was excellent, and the charcuterie was delicious, top quality products, and the wine was from the Langhe in Italy, Nebbiolo, and was very good! We had an excellent time visiting with the owners, who previously were in the music business. We would recommend this place highly.
The weather for our Albi day trip was cloudy and sunny, alternating. And Albi was fantastic, lively, clean, and perfect for photos with the sun hiding behind the clouds just long enough to minimize the shadows.
We enjoyed our visit to the Cathedral and the Berbie Palace. These two buildings, done in the Southern Gothic style, are different to any other Gothic building in Europe, and are unique in the world, being among the largest fired brick medieval buildings.
We had been here before, so didn’t feel the need for a tour. Besides, those frescoes of heaven and hell are pretty self-explanatory, and a fitting warning to anyone who may have had pro Albigensian sentiments. This Cruscade was a fascinating part of history, and especially interesting to anyone touring the Cathar castles in the area, of which Carcassonne is one.
The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum follows the life of the artist and the evolution of his work. There are some beautiful and interesting pieces here.
Marie at our B&B had given us a plan with a circle tour of towns to visit as time permitted in the afternoon. So, our first stop was Domaine de Moulin just out of Gaillac, for a few bottles of wine from this small appellation, then on to Puycelci, from which there is a gorgeous panoramic view of the countryside, Bruniquel, with its chateau high on a bluff, and finally Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val.
St Antonin is a lovely town, in the valley rather than on a hilltop. I think I liked that because some days we were registering up to 35 flights of stairs, as well as average 15,000 steps a day! The setting is very pretty, and the town looks like it’s more than a tourist town, in fact we saw fewer tourists there than in the smaller places. It appeared to be a likely place to find a good dinner, but on second thought, we didn’t want to drink wine then drive on those winding roads.
In any case, it appeared that there were so few people around in Cordes that we felt there was no way the restaurants would be busy. As we drove up, there were no parking spots in sight, and we saw groups of well-dressed people walking up into town.
We didn’t spend much time in Cordes, but it always seemed empty and half the places were shut, including restaurants and businesses. Maybe it only has a summer season, I don’t know. But that night, every restaurant was full. It was already late, and we were hungry.
I had seen a little bistro in a town close by on our drive in, so we jumped in the car to see if we could find it. Google maps showed a place, but it seemed we were driving off into the darkness and nothing around. Then we saw light ahead at the side of the road. It looked like a big hall or night club or something. There was only one other couple and the server, a girl who spoke only French, and the biggest medieval fireplace I ever saw. Umm, are we in the right place??
Well, they did have pizza on the menu, so that’s what we had. The place looked like they could serve 2 or 300 people, and there were lots of roast meats on the menu. We ate pizza with flies buzzing around our heads, and a cheap bottle of wine, but at least no one went to bed hungry
Oct 19th, 2017, 10:30 PM
#33
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Toulouse Day 1
Toulouse may have a population of almost half a million, but it feels like a small city in the historical core. Besides, we were ready for some urban buzz. We followed Google map instructions straight to our hotel, one block off the Garonne River, and parked in front while we unloaded our luggage.
We stayed at MGallery La Cour des Consuls, 46 rue des Couteliers.
This is a boutique hotel housed in renovated historical residences around an inner courtyard. The design is modern, incorporated into the historical aspect. It was a 2 night splurge and was worth the money just for the amazing comfortable bed and pillows. Have to have a respite from hard beds somewhere along the way!
As soon as we entered, we were ushered over to the concierge desk while we checked in, and our bags were whisked away to the luggage rack, and up to our room. Very efficient and friendly service. And since we are Accor hotel members, we were able to get into the room at noon.
With only 2 nights in Toulouse, we wanted to get the most out of our visit. The sun was shining, and the city was brilliant! The hotel is well placed close to the center of town, so we headed for Place du Capitole.
This place is a hub of activity, with arcaded restaurants all around the perimeter, a daily market in the middle, no food though, and while we were there, big tents were set up for some celebration, which we didn’t feel inclined to explore. Place du Capitole didn’t look at all like the elegant pictures on the internet, but like a lived in, homey, action filled space.
We had a forgettable lunch in the square, but it was great to sit in the sun, and watch all the activity.
On the first floor of Le Capitole we visited the state rooms of the Hotel de Ville, which include the beautiful Salle des Illustres. The walls are decorated with huge paintings by Laurens and others, and retrace the history of Toulouse; for example Pope Urban II Entering Toulouse in 1096 and the Defense of Toulouse against Simon de Montfort.
There’s also a room by Henri Martin with paintings similar to the Impressionists depicting life along the Garonne and the four seasons. And the building also houses the Opera house and symphony.
Right behind is the Donjon and the square Charles-de-Gaulle, a shady park where it was nice to relax and people watch after our visit.
Musee des Augustins on Rue de Metz is open late on Wednesday evening, and it wasn’t time for dinner yet, so we walked along the pedestrianized streets through the center of town, doing some window shopping and people watching, just enjoying the scene as we made our way to the Museum.
The museum is housed in what was an Augustinian convent until the French Revolution, and has been a museum since 1795. According to wiki, the core of its collection derives from confiscation of church property at the time of the French Revolution, as well as seizures from private collections of emigres.
Many of the sculptures are labelled as coming from the churches of Toulouse, St Sernin, the Rieux Chapel, Notre-Dame-de-la-Daurade, and St Etienne.
The time period covered by the museum collection is from the early middle ages to the start of the 20th Century, and includes Gothic sculpture, Romanesque capitals, and artworks by Perugino, Rubens, Delacroix, Toulouse-Lautrec, Ingres, Manet, Berthe Morisot, and many more.
The museum is small enough that one doesn’t feel overwhelmed, and gives time to really enjoy each piece in the beautiful gothic setting that it is in. The Roman capitals are displayed in an incredible modern arrangement with hanging lights, and modern pedestals. And in the cloisters is a reconstructed Medieval garden.
There is an app that can be downloaded that gives information on 20 masterpieces in the museum. I enjoyed this museum very much!
Finally, we get really good cassoulet at Les Caves de la Marechales. This restaurant was recommended by our hotel, and is elegant, but semi-casual. It has a nice ambience, and the food is good. But I don’t have the receipt so can’t tell any other details.
https://www.lescavesdelamarechale.com/acceuil
So after Day 1, our first impressions of Toulouse—I was at first nervous because Marie from our B&B in Cordes had told us that Toulouse is not safe—didn’t take long to have that impression dispelled. There are a lot of young people, the city has a lot of energy, there is a lot going on as it’s a university town and center for music, it’s a very attractive town with its pink brick, it has a definite Spanish influence, Toulousains love their riverbanks, wine bars and tea salons, and best of all, there aren’t many tourists—I love Toulouse!!
Here is a downloadable guide for everything you ever wanted to know about being a tourist in Toulouse:
http://www.toulouse-visit.com/conten...ique+FR_GB.pdf
Toulouse may have a population of almost half a million, but it feels like a small city in the historical core. Besides, we were ready for some urban buzz. We followed Google map instructions straight to our hotel, one block off the Garonne River, and parked in front while we unloaded our luggage.
We stayed at MGallery La Cour des Consuls, 46 rue des Couteliers.
This is a boutique hotel housed in renovated historical residences around an inner courtyard. The design is modern, incorporated into the historical aspect. It was a 2 night splurge and was worth the money just for the amazing comfortable bed and pillows. Have to have a respite from hard beds somewhere along the way!
As soon as we entered, we were ushered over to the concierge desk while we checked in, and our bags were whisked away to the luggage rack, and up to our room. Very efficient and friendly service. And since we are Accor hotel members, we were able to get into the room at noon.
With only 2 nights in Toulouse, we wanted to get the most out of our visit. The sun was shining, and the city was brilliant! The hotel is well placed close to the center of town, so we headed for Place du Capitole.
This place is a hub of activity, with arcaded restaurants all around the perimeter, a daily market in the middle, no food though, and while we were there, big tents were set up for some celebration, which we didn’t feel inclined to explore. Place du Capitole didn’t look at all like the elegant pictures on the internet, but like a lived in, homey, action filled space.
We had a forgettable lunch in the square, but it was great to sit in the sun, and watch all the activity.
On the first floor of Le Capitole we visited the state rooms of the Hotel de Ville, which include the beautiful Salle des Illustres. The walls are decorated with huge paintings by Laurens and others, and retrace the history of Toulouse; for example Pope Urban II Entering Toulouse in 1096 and the Defense of Toulouse against Simon de Montfort.
There’s also a room by Henri Martin with paintings similar to the Impressionists depicting life along the Garonne and the four seasons. And the building also houses the Opera house and symphony.
Right behind is the Donjon and the square Charles-de-Gaulle, a shady park where it was nice to relax and people watch after our visit.
Musee des Augustins on Rue de Metz is open late on Wednesday evening, and it wasn’t time for dinner yet, so we walked along the pedestrianized streets through the center of town, doing some window shopping and people watching, just enjoying the scene as we made our way to the Museum.
The museum is housed in what was an Augustinian convent until the French Revolution, and has been a museum since 1795. According to wiki, the core of its collection derives from confiscation of church property at the time of the French Revolution, as well as seizures from private collections of emigres.
Many of the sculptures are labelled as coming from the churches of Toulouse, St Sernin, the Rieux Chapel, Notre-Dame-de-la-Daurade, and St Etienne.
The time period covered by the museum collection is from the early middle ages to the start of the 20th Century, and includes Gothic sculpture, Romanesque capitals, and artworks by Perugino, Rubens, Delacroix, Toulouse-Lautrec, Ingres, Manet, Berthe Morisot, and many more.
The museum is small enough that one doesn’t feel overwhelmed, and gives time to really enjoy each piece in the beautiful gothic setting that it is in. The Roman capitals are displayed in an incredible modern arrangement with hanging lights, and modern pedestals. And in the cloisters is a reconstructed Medieval garden.
There is an app that can be downloaded that gives information on 20 masterpieces in the museum. I enjoyed this museum very much!
Finally, we get really good cassoulet at Les Caves de la Marechales. This restaurant was recommended by our hotel, and is elegant, but semi-casual. It has a nice ambience, and the food is good. But I don’t have the receipt so can’t tell any other details.
https://www.lescavesdelamarechale.com/acceuil
So after Day 1, our first impressions of Toulouse—I was at first nervous because Marie from our B&B in Cordes had told us that Toulouse is not safe—didn’t take long to have that impression dispelled. There are a lot of young people, the city has a lot of energy, there is a lot going on as it’s a university town and center for music, it’s a very attractive town with its pink brick, it has a definite Spanish influence, Toulousains love their riverbanks, wine bars and tea salons, and best of all, there aren’t many tourists—I love Toulouse!!
Here is a downloadable guide for everything you ever wanted to know about being a tourist in Toulouse:
http://www.toulouse-visit.com/conten...ique+FR_GB.pdf
Oct 20th, 2017, 03:24 AM
#34
I'm with you -- loved Toulouse! I thought it was a lovely, lively city with enough to see to keep you occupied for a couple days and good food. Did you take the free bus that circles the city? It was a great way to get a 90 minute good overview of the city.
Oct 20th, 2017, 07:43 PM
#35
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Yestravel, no we didn't know about the bus but sounds like a great idea. Where did you stay in Toulouse?
The breakfast included in the rate at our hotel was a very good start to the day, pretty much anything one could desire, plus eggs cooked to order, and those lovely little glass jars of organic yogurt.
As we made our way along Rue du Taur to the Basilica of St Sernin, we noticed this is the street of all kinds of ethnic food, and thought we might come back here to try some snacks; Peruvian empanadas, Vietnamese, Indian, middle eastern, oh and burgers; fun to see so many strung out along one street.
So, we had two major sites planned out for this day.
The Basilica of St Sernin. Saturninus was the first bishop of Toulouse but was martyred in 250 A.D. by pagans because he refused to worship their pagan gods. His shrine became a stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and in 1080 work began on a larger church to accommodate the visitors.
It is built of red brick with white stone in the Romanesque style. It has a Latin cross floor plan, with a long nave and double side isles. Some things to look for; 268 beautifully carved Romanesque capitals throughout the interior, medieval frescoes in the north transept, and the high altar, which is inscribed with the signature of Bernardus Gilduinus and dated May 24, 1096. Just beautiful!
Musee St Raymond, musee des Antiques de Toulouse. This is the archaeological museum of Toulouse, and the site was originally a necropolis.
There are four floors. In the basement are the early Christian necropolis, developed at the time the first basilica housing the body of Saint-Saturnin was built, sarcophagi and funerary inscriptions and a lime kiln. It’s an actual excavation site.
On the ground floor is the entrance, gift shop, and room for temporary exhibitions.
The first floor displays a collection of Roman sculptures found in the ruins of the Roman villa of Chiragan, and along with those found in Beziers, making the collections the second largest in the world after the Louvre!
The busts include many emperors and their families, and the haul from Chiragan includes reliefs of the Labours of Hercules, statues and busts of the Greco-Roman deities, along with mosaics from the villa.
The second floor is devoted to the Roman city of Tolosa and the Roman province of Narbonne.
My favorite items were the limestone votive altar to the god Bacchus, the reliefs of the Labours of Hercules, and also the tiny models which display the various rooms of a Roman villa, as well as the construction of a temple and walls around. All quite fascinating, and highly recommended.
After those thoroughly absorbing visits, our brains needed a rest, and we walked back through the center to our hotel, where we had a few leftover treats of yummy cheese from the market in Sarlat, and a glass of wine, then made our way to the riverbanks to take in the late afternoon sun and do some people watching.
This is a gathering place for young people, and it was a perfect day to enjoy the river. We walked all along, then up and over the bridge to see the old hospital, and back across the pont Neuf to enjoy the talking and laughter of those gathered along the beach, the music, the slight breeze and the sunset.
We really enjoyed this day. It was busy and yet relaxed.
And now time for dinner at the Le Genty Magre. We order a bottle of red, clams, cepes, and lamb. The service was a bit slow, and the red which they recommended was a little rough around the edges. When the food came, I took one mouthful of cepes and knew right away I was allergic to something. My throat became itchy and I started to cough.
I drank my way through 11 euro of water trying to quell the cough, and finally my DH decided to pack up the food and take it back to the hotel, where I lay down for a while and finally started to feel better.
I’ve never been allergic to mushrooms before, and wish I knew what was in them, because that was a scary feeling. Anyway that was 107 euro for a meal I never got to eat, but DH said the lamb was really good!!
The breakfast included in the rate at our hotel was a very good start to the day, pretty much anything one could desire, plus eggs cooked to order, and those lovely little glass jars of organic yogurt.
As we made our way along Rue du Taur to the Basilica of St Sernin, we noticed this is the street of all kinds of ethnic food, and thought we might come back here to try some snacks; Peruvian empanadas, Vietnamese, Indian, middle eastern, oh and burgers; fun to see so many strung out along one street.
So, we had two major sites planned out for this day.
The Basilica of St Sernin. Saturninus was the first bishop of Toulouse but was martyred in 250 A.D. by pagans because he refused to worship their pagan gods. His shrine became a stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and in 1080 work began on a larger church to accommodate the visitors.
It is built of red brick with white stone in the Romanesque style. It has a Latin cross floor plan, with a long nave and double side isles. Some things to look for; 268 beautifully carved Romanesque capitals throughout the interior, medieval frescoes in the north transept, and the high altar, which is inscribed with the signature of Bernardus Gilduinus and dated May 24, 1096. Just beautiful!
Musee St Raymond, musee des Antiques de Toulouse. This is the archaeological museum of Toulouse, and the site was originally a necropolis.
There are four floors. In the basement are the early Christian necropolis, developed at the time the first basilica housing the body of Saint-Saturnin was built, sarcophagi and funerary inscriptions and a lime kiln. It’s an actual excavation site.
On the ground floor is the entrance, gift shop, and room for temporary exhibitions.
The first floor displays a collection of Roman sculptures found in the ruins of the Roman villa of Chiragan, and along with those found in Beziers, making the collections the second largest in the world after the Louvre!
The busts include many emperors and their families, and the haul from Chiragan includes reliefs of the Labours of Hercules, statues and busts of the Greco-Roman deities, along with mosaics from the villa.
The second floor is devoted to the Roman city of Tolosa and the Roman province of Narbonne.
My favorite items were the limestone votive altar to the god Bacchus, the reliefs of the Labours of Hercules, and also the tiny models which display the various rooms of a Roman villa, as well as the construction of a temple and walls around. All quite fascinating, and highly recommended.
After those thoroughly absorbing visits, our brains needed a rest, and we walked back through the center to our hotel, where we had a few leftover treats of yummy cheese from the market in Sarlat, and a glass of wine, then made our way to the riverbanks to take in the late afternoon sun and do some people watching.
This is a gathering place for young people, and it was a perfect day to enjoy the river. We walked all along, then up and over the bridge to see the old hospital, and back across the pont Neuf to enjoy the talking and laughter of those gathered along the beach, the music, the slight breeze and the sunset.
We really enjoyed this day. It was busy and yet relaxed.
And now time for dinner at the Le Genty Magre. We order a bottle of red, clams, cepes, and lamb. The service was a bit slow, and the red which they recommended was a little rough around the edges. When the food came, I took one mouthful of cepes and knew right away I was allergic to something. My throat became itchy and I started to cough.
I drank my way through 11 euro of water trying to quell the cough, and finally my DH decided to pack up the food and take it back to the hotel, where I lay down for a while and finally started to feel better.
I’ve never been allergic to mushrooms before, and wish I knew what was in them, because that was a scary feeling. Anyway that was 107 euro for a meal I never got to eat, but DH said the lamb was really good!!
Oct 21st, 2017, 04:41 AM
#36
That was quite a close call with those mushrooms. I’ll bet you stay away from them in the future. It’s a shame you can’t know what the trigger ingredient was.
Even though we spent quite a a week in Sarlat and a few days in Toulouse you describe so many places we missed......I think we’ll have to return some day & I took many notes from your adventure.
We also loved Toulouse, stayed right on the square at L’Opera Hotel. Our favorite stop was at Jacobin Church with that jaw dropping mirror looking into the abyss.
I like the look of your hotel & it’s position by the river. Would like to explore that area in the future. On our few days in Toulouse it was lightly raining during the day so it limited our exploration. At night it was lovely though and we enjoyed our 2 dinners on Capitals Square.
I feel as though I was in France again with all your descriptive wanderings. This is the best part of FODORITES trip reports.
Even though we spent quite a a week in Sarlat and a few days in Toulouse you describe so many places we missed......I think we’ll have to return some day & I took many notes from your adventure.
We also loved Toulouse, stayed right on the square at L’Opera Hotel. Our favorite stop was at Jacobin Church with that jaw dropping mirror looking into the abyss.
I like the look of your hotel & it’s position by the river. Would like to explore that area in the future. On our few days in Toulouse it was lightly raining during the day so it limited our exploration. At night it was lovely though and we enjoyed our 2 dinners on Capitals Square.
I feel as though I was in France again with all your descriptive wanderings. This is the best part of FODORITES trip reports.
Oct 21st, 2017, 05:55 AM
#37
Wow! Very scary with the mushrooms. My mother developed some food allergies later in her life. Meantime my husband developed quite a fondness for cepes which were in season when we were all there.
I had to go look up where we stayed -- couldn't remember! We stayed in a small BnB - only 2 rooms and fabulous owners. It was maybe a 15 minute walk to the square and quite near Basilica of St Sernin which was fabulous. It was more of a close in neighborhood than the center city. http://www.horsscene.com/en/ We also really liked the Jacobin Church, but I don't recall a mirror that TPAYT described. Can you describe where it was? We had light showers with one downpour our second day in Toulouse and then a picture perfect day the final day. The free bus was particularly hand the day of the light showers. I wonder if we all passed each other on the streets??
Your descriptions are wonderful -- really makes the sites and towns come alive. I wish I had seen your TR BEFORE our trip. But there is always next trip.
I had to go look up where we stayed -- couldn't remember! We stayed in a small BnB - only 2 rooms and fabulous owners. It was maybe a 15 minute walk to the square and quite near Basilica of St Sernin which was fabulous. It was more of a close in neighborhood than the center city. http://www.horsscene.com/en/ We also really liked the Jacobin Church, but I don't recall a mirror that TPAYT described. Can you describe where it was? We had light showers with one downpour our second day in Toulouse and then a picture perfect day the final day. The free bus was particularly hand the day of the light showers. I wonder if we all passed each other on the streets??
Your descriptions are wonderful -- really makes the sites and towns come alive. I wish I had seen your TR BEFORE our trip. But there is always next trip.
Oct 21st, 2017, 01:10 PM
#38
Toulouse....l
La Cour des Consuls Hotel. I thought that was the hotel you posted for day 1 in Toulouse.
When we walked into Jacobin Church it was mostly empty. Way at the other end we could see a huge pillar going up to a very high ceiling with windows all the way up.
As we walked toward the pillar we could see a wide mirrored table going around the pillar. It had “do not touch” signs all over it. Do not touch what. It was an empty mirrored top table. When we got up to it I glanced down into the mirror on the table top and almost fainted. I grabbed my husband’s hand before I fell down. The mirror reflected up the tall pillar & windows to the very high ceiling. Looking into it felt like you were looking down into the abyss a million miles. Since I,m not good with heights it really gave me a jolt.
As long as I live I will never forget tat moment.
La Cour des Consuls Hotel. I thought that was the hotel you posted for day 1 in Toulouse.
When we walked into Jacobin Church it was mostly empty. Way at the other end we could see a huge pillar going up to a very high ceiling with windows all the way up.
As we walked toward the pillar we could see a wide mirrored table going around the pillar. It had “do not touch” signs all over it. Do not touch what. It was an empty mirrored top table. When we got up to it I glanced down into the mirror on the table top and almost fainted. I grabbed my husband’s hand before I fell down. The mirror reflected up the tall pillar & windows to the very high ceiling. Looking into it felt like you were looking down into the abyss a million miles. Since I,m not good with heights it really gave me a jolt.
As long as I live I will never forget tat moment.
