Montpellier, Gorge du Tarn, Aveyron, Dordogne and Toulouse
Oct 4th, 2013, 12:56 PM
#42
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Consider Flickr, although there is a charge in posting more than a certain number of pictures.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/collections/
What you do not see are the one sets and pictures that I keep private.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/collections/
What you do not see are the one sets and pictures that I keep private.
Oct 4th, 2013, 09:21 PM
#44
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Kansas, thanks so much for the room recommendation and the link. I checked them both out. Know what you mean about traveling with other people. We went to Italy last year with our best friends and we for the most part had lots of fun but there were times when I felt like I was slowed down by too many people wanting to do to many things. For France, it will be just hubby and me. The Gorges du Tarn area looks incredible. We haven't yet been to France due to insecurity about not speaking French. I speak German and he speaks Spanish, and we've always gone to countries where we could use one of those three languages, including English (I was able to speak German in Czechoslovakia and Poland as well). So many people have told us to forget about this and just go! Your trip report is one of the most informative ever. Thanks for giving back...I try to do the same as people on this forum are so incredibly helpful. Thanks again! Leslie
Oct 5th, 2013, 08:22 AM
#46
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Leslie,
Don't let a lack of French scare you from visiting other areas of France. On a recent trip I was asked by the desk clerks at two different hotels if *I* would mind speaking English as they
both wanted to practice. They assured me it was not because my French was hurting their ears ;^) ... so go for it!
Don't let a lack of French scare you from visiting other areas of France. On a recent trip I was asked by the desk clerks at two different hotels if *I* would mind speaking English as they
both wanted to practice. They assured me it was not because my French was hurting their ears ;^) ... so go for it!
Oct 5th, 2013, 10:19 AM
#47
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Leslie, I was going to say the same thing as ParisAmsterdam. Out of the 8 of us, I am the only one who can speak a lick of French. Whenever we were separated, the others had no trouble whatsoever.
I am going on the assumption the photos open again. I cannot check from my computer, because Picasa recognizes me, and always opens.
<B>Wednesday, September 11th</B>
The 8 of us met for breakfast in the hotel breakfast room. 8 people, 8 huge baskets of pastries. Hmmm. There is also an option to pre-order (the night before) extras such as meats and eggs. Only one of the men ordered some charcuterie for the first breakfast. Lots of other choices: cereal, yogurt, fruit, juice and a small crème brulée. Yes, crème brulée for breakfast. This was a first for me. Has anyone else been served this at breakfast? My DH thought crème brulèe was a mighty fine idea, and wouldn’t it be nice if I provided that at home each morning. Sure, let me get my apron on!
Then it was off to visit the Chateau de Belcastel which rises from the rock above the village. It started as a 9th century chapel, then was expanded into an 11th century fortress. In the 15th century it was turned into a chateau. And then fell into ruin by the 19th century. French architect Fernand Pouillon rebuilt the chateau in the 1970’s. In 2005, American art gallery owners purchased the chateau and opened it to the public as both a gallery and a historical monument. They have embellished the interior with a collection of original armor.
Here is a link to one of the armor exhibits:
http://www.chateaudebelcastel.com/en...-france-armor/
After a not-too strenuous walk up the winding road, we arrived at the top of the hill. The weather was perfect (which did not happen very often during our 2 weeks). The woman who works at the entrance to the castle was very friendly and informative. She actually lives up at the chateau for about 8 months of the year. There is also a room that can be reserved for an overnight stay in the chateau. It comes with a pool, too! If you look real hard, you can glimpse part of the pool from different vantage points.
We returned to the village below, ready for some lunch. There were absolutely no options for lunch in the village. We were going to have dinner at the Restaurant Le Vieux Pont again this night, so did not want to lunch there, also. So we decided it was the perfect time to head to Conques , have a bite to eat and see the famous Sainte-Foy Abbey , the tympanum, and the magnificent trésor.
Here is a link to more information about Abbatiale Ste-Foy:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/conques-abbey
Then it was back to Belcastel on the tiny, winding roads. Dinner time. Wow, we were almost on over-load with big dinners. We had decided by this time that on the next night when we got to Sarlat, we would get some plain, simple food. At this Michelin starred restaurant, I was a bit surprised that we were served the exact same amuse-bouches before dinner that we had the night before. Knowing we had reservations two nights in a row, I would have thought these pre-dinner morsels would have been different. Perhaps if I had thought they were to-die for I would have been pleased. But they were just fine, not something I would seek out again. This evening, I ordered a la carte instead of the multiple courses on the different "menus." For a starter, I had the ris d’agneau, which were fabulous, then for the main I had monkfish. No cheese course, no dessert. With the bread, the pre-dinner nibbles, the sorbets, the after dinner sweets, it was still more than enough.
Here is the link (with fingers crossed) to photos from Chateau de Belcastel to Conques:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
I am going on the assumption the photos open again. I cannot check from my computer, because Picasa recognizes me, and always opens.
<B>Wednesday, September 11th</B>
The 8 of us met for breakfast in the hotel breakfast room. 8 people, 8 huge baskets of pastries. Hmmm. There is also an option to pre-order (the night before) extras such as meats and eggs. Only one of the men ordered some charcuterie for the first breakfast. Lots of other choices: cereal, yogurt, fruit, juice and a small crème brulée. Yes, crème brulée for breakfast. This was a first for me. Has anyone else been served this at breakfast? My DH thought crème brulèe was a mighty fine idea, and wouldn’t it be nice if I provided that at home each morning. Sure, let me get my apron on!
Then it was off to visit the Chateau de Belcastel which rises from the rock above the village. It started as a 9th century chapel, then was expanded into an 11th century fortress. In the 15th century it was turned into a chateau. And then fell into ruin by the 19th century. French architect Fernand Pouillon rebuilt the chateau in the 1970’s. In 2005, American art gallery owners purchased the chateau and opened it to the public as both a gallery and a historical monument. They have embellished the interior with a collection of original armor.
Here is a link to one of the armor exhibits:
http://www.chateaudebelcastel.com/en...-france-armor/
After a not-too strenuous walk up the winding road, we arrived at the top of the hill. The weather was perfect (which did not happen very often during our 2 weeks). The woman who works at the entrance to the castle was very friendly and informative. She actually lives up at the chateau for about 8 months of the year. There is also a room that can be reserved for an overnight stay in the chateau. It comes with a pool, too! If you look real hard, you can glimpse part of the pool from different vantage points.
We returned to the village below, ready for some lunch. There were absolutely no options for lunch in the village. We were going to have dinner at the Restaurant Le Vieux Pont again this night, so did not want to lunch there, also. So we decided it was the perfect time to head to Conques , have a bite to eat and see the famous Sainte-Foy Abbey , the tympanum, and the magnificent trésor.
Here is a link to more information about Abbatiale Ste-Foy:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/conques-abbey
Then it was back to Belcastel on the tiny, winding roads. Dinner time. Wow, we were almost on over-load with big dinners. We had decided by this time that on the next night when we got to Sarlat, we would get some plain, simple food. At this Michelin starred restaurant, I was a bit surprised that we were served the exact same amuse-bouches before dinner that we had the night before. Knowing we had reservations two nights in a row, I would have thought these pre-dinner morsels would have been different. Perhaps if I had thought they were to-die for I would have been pleased. But they were just fine, not something I would seek out again. This evening, I ordered a la carte instead of the multiple courses on the different "menus." For a starter, I had the ris d’agneau, which were fabulous, then for the main I had monkfish. No cheese course, no dessert. With the bread, the pre-dinner nibbles, the sorbets, the after dinner sweets, it was still more than enough.
Here is the link (with fingers crossed) to photos from Chateau de Belcastel to Conques:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
Oct 13th, 2013, 06:16 PM
#50
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Thanks, ParisAmsterdam and TDudette, for spurring me on to continue with this trip report. My problems with Picasa bogged me down and I was going to give up on the whole thing.
Okay, so a note about Belcastel. I loved staying there, in fact, we all did. The original plan was to stay there for 3 nights. It just did not work out, therefore we ended up staying 2 nights. Looking back, I am very glad we only stayed 2 nights. It is a beautiful, peaceful location. However, it is a bit remote for easy day trips for a group of 8. If just my DH and I had been traveling, I might think differently.
<B>Thursday, September 12th</B>
We left Belcastel and headed towards Sarlat. First stop was Peyrusse le Roc. The upper village was almost empty. No signs of life. We visited the medieval site, and the men climbed the metal steps up to the base of the Roc del Thaluc.
Next stop was Figeac. Then, on to Rocamadour. Some of us had been to Rocamadour two years ago, but we decided that the rest of our group needed to see it. The site itself is beyond amazing.
And finally, on to Sarlat. We chose to stay at Les Cordeliers once again. The location cannot be beat, and the owners, Chris and Amanda are very pleasant. After resting up a bit, we headed to the medieval center for dinner. No reservations. All we wanted was simple food. We found it at Le Brasserie Glacier. What a welcome relief! Croque madame, frites, salad. An omelet for my gluten-free husband. We sat outside in the chilly evening air. Great ambiance and people watching.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
<B>Friday, September 13</B>
Just a note to anyone looking for Dordogne ideas: this was our second trip to this area, so we are not seeing all of the “biggies” on this trip. This trip was intended to see some of the things we missed last time.
After a wonderful breakfast at Les Cordeliers, we headed off to find St. Crepin and Chateau Lacypierre. We had a bit of trouble finding our way, and were conversing car-to-car when a woman came along and asked if she could help us. She told us to follow her car. She then led us right to the Chateau. This is just another example of the kindness of strangers that we so often encountered.
Lots of gardening was being done at Chateau Lacypierre in prepraration for the coming Patrimoine weekend. The chateau itself would be open the next two days to celebrate. We had to be satisfied with just seeing the gardens and the area of the home which shows the renovations that took place over the years. We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the grounds and visiting with Madame and Monsieur as they were working in the back gardens. And, we all took pictures of the goat right across the street. (Oh, I do hope you can open these photos! If not, I will eventually come back and try to put a link to shutterfly or some other photo site).
Then on to Carlucet, and then St. Genies, with lots of lauze roofs and beautiful colored buildings.
Next stop was Chateau de Hautefort. As we got to Hautefort, we noticed that many, many roofs had tarps over them. And many of these tarps were being held down by tires hanging from long ropes. It was quite a sight. My DH declared that either they had experienced one heck of a hailstorm, or the world’s greatest roof salesman had been there. I asked one of the girls who worked in the Chateau what had happened. She told me that there been a tornado followed by hail the size of grapefruits on August 3rd. She quickly brought out her phone to show me pictures of the hail.
We also visited with another young woman about the fire that destroyed most of the center part of the Chateau in 1968. She told us that it was started by two girls, who were at the Chateau to help serve at a reception given by the baroness. While staying upstairs, they put out their cigarettes in some sawdust. The fire started in the evening, but was not discovered until the night. It was too late. The woman told us that the baroness said, “What took me forty years to restore is destroyed in one night.”
After the Chateau, we headed over to Le Musée de Medicine and toured with the available headsets. It also was very interesting.
Dinner this evening was at Le Presidial. We sat outside. It was quite chilly once again, but the ambiance of the outdoors won over eating inside. I had the duck confit, and helped one of the men finish his Escargots Farci avec Fois Gras. Sooo good!
Some photos from the day:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
Okay, so a note about Belcastel. I loved staying there, in fact, we all did. The original plan was to stay there for 3 nights. It just did not work out, therefore we ended up staying 2 nights. Looking back, I am very glad we only stayed 2 nights. It is a beautiful, peaceful location. However, it is a bit remote for easy day trips for a group of 8. If just my DH and I had been traveling, I might think differently.
<B>Thursday, September 12th</B>
We left Belcastel and headed towards Sarlat. First stop was Peyrusse le Roc. The upper village was almost empty. No signs of life. We visited the medieval site, and the men climbed the metal steps up to the base of the Roc del Thaluc.
Next stop was Figeac. Then, on to Rocamadour. Some of us had been to Rocamadour two years ago, but we decided that the rest of our group needed to see it. The site itself is beyond amazing.
And finally, on to Sarlat. We chose to stay at Les Cordeliers once again. The location cannot be beat, and the owners, Chris and Amanda are very pleasant. After resting up a bit, we headed to the medieval center for dinner. No reservations. All we wanted was simple food. We found it at Le Brasserie Glacier. What a welcome relief! Croque madame, frites, salad. An omelet for my gluten-free husband. We sat outside in the chilly evening air. Great ambiance and people watching.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
<B>Friday, September 13</B>
Just a note to anyone looking for Dordogne ideas: this was our second trip to this area, so we are not seeing all of the “biggies” on this trip. This trip was intended to see some of the things we missed last time.
After a wonderful breakfast at Les Cordeliers, we headed off to find St. Crepin and Chateau Lacypierre. We had a bit of trouble finding our way, and were conversing car-to-car when a woman came along and asked if she could help us. She told us to follow her car. She then led us right to the Chateau. This is just another example of the kindness of strangers that we so often encountered.
Lots of gardening was being done at Chateau Lacypierre in prepraration for the coming Patrimoine weekend. The chateau itself would be open the next two days to celebrate. We had to be satisfied with just seeing the gardens and the area of the home which shows the renovations that took place over the years. We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the grounds and visiting with Madame and Monsieur as they were working in the back gardens. And, we all took pictures of the goat right across the street. (Oh, I do hope you can open these photos! If not, I will eventually come back and try to put a link to shutterfly or some other photo site).
Then on to Carlucet, and then St. Genies, with lots of lauze roofs and beautiful colored buildings.
Next stop was Chateau de Hautefort. As we got to Hautefort, we noticed that many, many roofs had tarps over them. And many of these tarps were being held down by tires hanging from long ropes. It was quite a sight. My DH declared that either they had experienced one heck of a hailstorm, or the world’s greatest roof salesman had been there. I asked one of the girls who worked in the Chateau what had happened. She told me that there been a tornado followed by hail the size of grapefruits on August 3rd. She quickly brought out her phone to show me pictures of the hail.
We also visited with another young woman about the fire that destroyed most of the center part of the Chateau in 1968. She told us that it was started by two girls, who were at the Chateau to help serve at a reception given by the baroness. While staying upstairs, they put out their cigarettes in some sawdust. The fire started in the evening, but was not discovered until the night. It was too late. The woman told us that the baroness said, “What took me forty years to restore is destroyed in one night.”
After the Chateau, we headed over to Le Musée de Medicine and toured with the available headsets. It also was very interesting.
Dinner this evening was at Le Presidial. We sat outside. It was quite chilly once again, but the ambiance of the outdoors won over eating inside. I had the duck confit, and helped one of the men finish his Escargots Farci avec Fois Gras. Sooo good!
Some photos from the day:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1070283...eat=directlink
Oct 14th, 2013, 09:32 AM
#51
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>>The Car Rental Fiasco
Saturday, September 7th
We left our hotel in 3 cabs and headed to the rail station to pick up 2 rental cars. The cabs left us near the station, not necessarily "at" the station.<<
One of the times we stayed in Montpellier, the taxi picked us up in the morning a few blocks from our hotel. Cars - even taxis - we not allowed in the center of town, so we had to walk a few blocks & wait on a corner for the taxi to arrive. The taxi proceeded to the train station and drove over a curb and blew out two tires. The taxi driver was p...ed because this was on a Saturday and repair places would not open until Monday. He drove (slowly) to the station on two flat tires.
Driving in Montpellier is an adventure.
Stu Dudley
Saturday, September 7th
We left our hotel in 3 cabs and headed to the rail station to pick up 2 rental cars. The cabs left us near the station, not necessarily "at" the station.<<
One of the times we stayed in Montpellier, the taxi picked us up in the morning a few blocks from our hotel. Cars - even taxis - we not allowed in the center of town, so we had to walk a few blocks & wait on a corner for the taxi to arrive. The taxi proceeded to the train station and drove over a curb and blew out two tires. The taxi driver was p...ed because this was on a Saturday and repair places would not open until Monday. He drove (slowly) to the station on two flat tires.
Driving in Montpellier is an adventure.
Stu Dudley
Oct 14th, 2013, 09:50 AM
#52
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Are photographs no longer allowed in the hospice de Hautefort?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4306431015
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4306431015
Oct 17th, 2013, 10:05 AM
#53
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Stu, maybe we had the same cab driver and that is why he wouldn't get close to the train station! Also, cabs are now allowed to drive right up to Hotel du Palais. This made our exit from the hotel a breeze.
And Michael, your photos are the ones that inspired me to add the hospice de Hautefort to our itinerary. I remember seeing your photos when I was in the planning stages of this trip. I am not sure about cameras being allowed. I was so busy listening to the commentary on the handheld devices, that I never even thought about taking a photo. I wish I had taken one of the outside like yours. It is a beauty.
And, Picasa still has me puzzled. It sounds as if some of you are able to access the photos, but when I try from any computer besides my own, I just see "500 Internal Error." I have no idea what it means. I posted a comment on a Picasa troubleshooting site. Since then, I have received quite a number of emails from other frustrated Picasa users. No one seems to have a fix.
More later today.
And Michael, your photos are the ones that inspired me to add the hospice de Hautefort to our itinerary. I remember seeing your photos when I was in the planning stages of this trip. I am not sure about cameras being allowed. I was so busy listening to the commentary on the handheld devices, that I never even thought about taking a photo. I wish I had taken one of the outside like yours. It is a beauty.
And, Picasa still has me puzzled. It sounds as if some of you are able to access the photos, but when I try from any computer besides my own, I just see "500 Internal Error." I have no idea what it means. I posted a comment on a Picasa troubleshooting site. Since then, I have received quite a number of emails from other frustrated Picasa users. No one seems to have a fix.
More later today.
Oct 17th, 2013, 10:23 AM
#54
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>> hospice de Hautefort ...... I am not sure about cameras being allowed.<<
I think we visited the Hospice - if it has a section on dentistry through the ages. We took lots of photos & gave them to our dentist.
Stu Dudley
I think we visited the Hospice - if it has a section on dentistry through the ages. We took lots of photos & gave them to our dentist.
Stu Dudley
Oct 17th, 2013, 11:56 AM
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<i>if it has a section on dentistry through the ages.</i>
It does.
<i>your photos are the ones that inspired me to add the hospice de Hautefort to our itinerary.</i>
Glad to read that they serve a purpose.
It does.
<i>your photos are the ones that inspired me to add the hospice de Hautefort to our itinerary.</i>
Glad to read that they serve a purpose.
Feb 20th, 2014, 07:29 AM
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Wow. Here I am four months later. I am always disappointed when posters do not finish their trip reports. And here I was doing the same thing. I am finishing this baby up.
I will also repost links for photos from Picasa to Shutterfly since I have had so many headaches with the Picasa site.
<B>Saturday, September 14th</B>
Market Day in Sarlat. This is a great market! Our first purchase was a bag of macaroons for DH. We also purchased some gifts. I especially love the French shopping bags. They make great gifts for friends and family. I always buy a number of these. We met up with the others for a light lunch. Then DH and I toured Manoir de Gisson. We thought it was well worth the time. We spent the whole day in Sarlat. Just walking, and generally enjoying everything Sarlat has to offer. Late in the afternoon, DH and I went to gas up the car. We knew we did not want to be looking for a manned gas station on Sunday.
Dinner tonight was at L’Instant Delice. We had made reservations in the medieval town for dinner this night, knowing it was Les Journées du Patrimoine weekend. Tonight 10,000 candles would be lit along the cobble stoned streets. Other events were also planned.
As we headed to dinner, it began to rain. By the time we got inside, it was pouring. And it continued to pour all evening. The few candles that had been set out were quickly extinguished by the downpour. It was disappointing. I am sure it is quite a sight to see on a lovely evening.
Our dinner, however, did not disappoint. We all gave it a big thumbs up.
After dinner we headed to the Cathedral for an 11pm organ concert with a vocalist and a light show. Mrs. J was sitting in front of me. I could tell that something was wrong with her. She looked to be in excruciating pain. She and Mr. J left and headed back to the hotel before the end of the concert.
<B>Sunday, September 15th</B>
DH and I were awakened by Mr. J knocking on our door at 8:00 am. He wanted the car keys so he could take Mrs. J to the hospital. Her pain has not lessened since last night. We both jumped up and got dressed. We knew he would have trouble finding where we had parked the car, and then tracking down the hospital. So, off the four of us go to Centre Hospitalier Jean Le Clare.
No one on duty speaks English. I can speak enough French to explain that Mrs. J had fallen a week ago, and now was in great pain. The x-rays, showed that she had 2 broken ribs. She had badly bruised them in the fall she took a week ago. And last night, she really finished the job when she leaned over at the dinner table to pick up her purse. They gave her two prescriptions and sent us on our way.
Back at Les Cordeliers, Mrs. J decided she would stay put for the rest of the day. Since it was Sunday, there was only one pharmacy open in the area. It happened to be in Salignac, right near Les Jardins d’Eyrignac. So the rest of us head to the pharmacy, then we went to the Jardins as long as we were so close to them. (Mrs. J had pain pills with her from her knee replacement surgery, so we were not totally heartless having her wait for her meds…)
Since it was Patrimoine weekend, the Manor House at the gardens was open for guests. And visitors were allowed to walk anywhere on the property. The house was absolutely lovely. Monsieur was sitting by a blazing fireplace in one of the coziest living rooms I have ever seen. Madame was greeting visitors in the dining room. And the chef was offering little nibbles to guests passing through the kitchen.
I feared the gardens would be very crowded on this Sunday, but perhaps the dreary weather kept people away. It was a great visit with very few people around.
We then brought the meds to Mrs. J and went for a late, late lunch in Sarlat. So, at dinner time, no one was really hungry. We decided to have a little “party” in one of our rooms at Les Cordeliers. These rooms are absolutely huge. Plenty of room for 8 of us. We had some cheese, sausage, bread, etc. that we had purchased at the market the day before. However, the owners of this B and B are very quick to tell people to please hush. Keep it down. Please be quiet. It reminded me of college days when we would sneak into another’s room for late night get-togethers. It was rather ridiculous. Here it was 8:00 pm and we were feeling like we were living on the edge. Quite the rebels, we were.
Photos of Les Jardins d'Eyrignac:
http://lesjardinsdeyrignac.shutterfly.com
I will also repost links for photos from Picasa to Shutterfly since I have had so many headaches with the Picasa site.
<B>Saturday, September 14th</B>
Market Day in Sarlat. This is a great market! Our first purchase was a bag of macaroons for DH. We also purchased some gifts. I especially love the French shopping bags. They make great gifts for friends and family. I always buy a number of these. We met up with the others for a light lunch. Then DH and I toured Manoir de Gisson. We thought it was well worth the time. We spent the whole day in Sarlat. Just walking, and generally enjoying everything Sarlat has to offer. Late in the afternoon, DH and I went to gas up the car. We knew we did not want to be looking for a manned gas station on Sunday.
Dinner tonight was at L’Instant Delice. We had made reservations in the medieval town for dinner this night, knowing it was Les Journées du Patrimoine weekend. Tonight 10,000 candles would be lit along the cobble stoned streets. Other events were also planned.
As we headed to dinner, it began to rain. By the time we got inside, it was pouring. And it continued to pour all evening. The few candles that had been set out were quickly extinguished by the downpour. It was disappointing. I am sure it is quite a sight to see on a lovely evening.
Our dinner, however, did not disappoint. We all gave it a big thumbs up.
After dinner we headed to the Cathedral for an 11pm organ concert with a vocalist and a light show. Mrs. J was sitting in front of me. I could tell that something was wrong with her. She looked to be in excruciating pain. She and Mr. J left and headed back to the hotel before the end of the concert.
<B>Sunday, September 15th</B>
DH and I were awakened by Mr. J knocking on our door at 8:00 am. He wanted the car keys so he could take Mrs. J to the hospital. Her pain has not lessened since last night. We both jumped up and got dressed. We knew he would have trouble finding where we had parked the car, and then tracking down the hospital. So, off the four of us go to Centre Hospitalier Jean Le Clare.
No one on duty speaks English. I can speak enough French to explain that Mrs. J had fallen a week ago, and now was in great pain. The x-rays, showed that she had 2 broken ribs. She had badly bruised them in the fall she took a week ago. And last night, she really finished the job when she leaned over at the dinner table to pick up her purse. They gave her two prescriptions and sent us on our way.
Back at Les Cordeliers, Mrs. J decided she would stay put for the rest of the day. Since it was Sunday, there was only one pharmacy open in the area. It happened to be in Salignac, right near Les Jardins d’Eyrignac. So the rest of us head to the pharmacy, then we went to the Jardins as long as we were so close to them. (Mrs. J had pain pills with her from her knee replacement surgery, so we were not totally heartless having her wait for her meds…)
Since it was Patrimoine weekend, the Manor House at the gardens was open for guests. And visitors were allowed to walk anywhere on the property. The house was absolutely lovely. Monsieur was sitting by a blazing fireplace in one of the coziest living rooms I have ever seen. Madame was greeting visitors in the dining room. And the chef was offering little nibbles to guests passing through the kitchen.
I feared the gardens would be very crowded on this Sunday, but perhaps the dreary weather kept people away. It was a great visit with very few people around.
We then brought the meds to Mrs. J and went for a late, late lunch in Sarlat. So, at dinner time, no one was really hungry. We decided to have a little “party” in one of our rooms at Les Cordeliers. These rooms are absolutely huge. Plenty of room for 8 of us. We had some cheese, sausage, bread, etc. that we had purchased at the market the day before. However, the owners of this B and B are very quick to tell people to please hush. Keep it down. Please be quiet. It reminded me of college days when we would sneak into another’s room for late night get-togethers. It was rather ridiculous. Here it was 8:00 pm and we were feeling like we were living on the edge. Quite the rebels, we were.
Photos of Les Jardins d'Eyrignac:
http://lesjardinsdeyrignac.shutterfly.com
Feb 21st, 2014, 06:17 AM
#59
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<B>Monday, September 16th</B>
Mrs. J put on her brave face and joined us today. We headed to Lascaux and bought tickets for an English tour at 2:30. In the meantime, we headed to St. Leon-sur-Vezere. Two years ago, we loved this little village. This day it was cold and rainy, and it seemed to lose some of its charm. We did have a nice lunch, however. Some good soup warmed us up. Next, a repeat visit to La Roque St. Christophe. Some of the walking here was rather treacherous due to the wet conditions. Mrs. J and Mrs. P did not venture out of the car for this stop.
Then back to Lascaux for our tour. It was excellent. Afterwards, we returned to Sarlat to drop off Mr. and Mrs. J. so that Mrs. J could rest. Then the rest of us drove to Chateau de Fenelon. We were the only ones there. The sun actually tried to peek out. Better late than never, I guess. We all enjoyed Fenelon.
We had no dinner reservations, and because it was a Monday evening, some places were closed. We settled on Les Chevaliers de la Tour in the medieval village. It was a fine evening.
http://chateaudefenelon.shutterfly.com
Mrs. J put on her brave face and joined us today. We headed to Lascaux and bought tickets for an English tour at 2:30. In the meantime, we headed to St. Leon-sur-Vezere. Two years ago, we loved this little village. This day it was cold and rainy, and it seemed to lose some of its charm. We did have a nice lunch, however. Some good soup warmed us up. Next, a repeat visit to La Roque St. Christophe. Some of the walking here was rather treacherous due to the wet conditions. Mrs. J and Mrs. P did not venture out of the car for this stop.
Then back to Lascaux for our tour. It was excellent. Afterwards, we returned to Sarlat to drop off Mr. and Mrs. J. so that Mrs. J could rest. Then the rest of us drove to Chateau de Fenelon. We were the only ones there. The sun actually tried to peek out. Better late than never, I guess. We all enjoyed Fenelon.
We had no dinner reservations, and because it was a Monday evening, some places were closed. We settled on Les Chevaliers de la Tour in the medieval village. It was a fine evening.
http://chateaudefenelon.shutterfly.com
Feb 22nd, 2014, 04:51 PM
#60
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<B>Tuesday, September 17th</B>
This is our last day in Sarlat. Remember, DH and I had been here two years ago and had visited the “biggies” already. The other car headed to Château de Castelnaud. We did not think that would be a great idea for Mrs. J.
I suggested that we drive to Belvès, but the owner of the B and B thought it would make a much nicer day by visiting Brantôme and Bourdeilles. So that is what we did. When we got to Brantôme, Mrs. J said she had to eat NOW. So, she darted into the very first restaurant she saw. Why did we let her do this?? There was not a single thing on the menu that sounded good to us. Everything seemed to be huge meals. The men decided to just order desserts. I was bound and determined to find something on the menu. I settled for fried whitebait with tartar sauce. My mind is picturing fish and chips. Ha! Not even close. And Mrs. J ordered the same thing after she heard me. Two heaping plates of minnow-y looking things were soon set before us. Heads, tails, eyeballs. I had no idea how to proceed eating them. I had to ask a server who was standing by. It got me to picturing Mr. Bean in Le Grand Bleu with his seafood platter. I belong to the small group of people who think Mr. Bean is pure genius. His movie <U>Mr. Bean’s Holiday</U> is a classic in my opinion. It makes me laugh just to think about it. but Mrs. J did not see the humor in it at all. I was able to eat some of my meal. The little fish were very crunchy, but not in a good way. I still laugh about this.
We walked around Brantôme for a bit, then headed to Bourdeilles, which was much like a ghost town. I am not sure where all the people were hiding. All in all, I thought it was a very long drive for what we saw. But again, because Mrs. J. was having difficulty walking with her broken ribs, we were never going to accomplish much, anyway. In retrospect, I think my idea of Belvès may have been a better day.
Our last dinner in Sarlat was at Chez Le Gaulois. I had the Tartiflett, DH had ham, potatoes and melted cheese. My DH who must eat gluten-free, thought he was in paradise. Yum. It sure beat the heck out of our lunch!
Back to the hotel to begin packing up for our drive to Toulouse tomorrow.
http://brantomeandbourdeilles.shutterfly.com
This is our last day in Sarlat. Remember, DH and I had been here two years ago and had visited the “biggies” already. The other car headed to Château de Castelnaud. We did not think that would be a great idea for Mrs. J.
I suggested that we drive to Belvès, but the owner of the B and B thought it would make a much nicer day by visiting Brantôme and Bourdeilles. So that is what we did. When we got to Brantôme, Mrs. J said she had to eat NOW. So, she darted into the very first restaurant she saw. Why did we let her do this?? There was not a single thing on the menu that sounded good to us. Everything seemed to be huge meals. The men decided to just order desserts. I was bound and determined to find something on the menu. I settled for fried whitebait with tartar sauce. My mind is picturing fish and chips. Ha! Not even close. And Mrs. J ordered the same thing after she heard me. Two heaping plates of minnow-y looking things were soon set before us. Heads, tails, eyeballs. I had no idea how to proceed eating them. I had to ask a server who was standing by. It got me to picturing Mr. Bean in Le Grand Bleu with his seafood platter. I belong to the small group of people who think Mr. Bean is pure genius. His movie <U>Mr. Bean’s Holiday</U> is a classic in my opinion. It makes me laugh just to think about it. but Mrs. J did not see the humor in it at all. I was able to eat some of my meal. The little fish were very crunchy, but not in a good way. I still laugh about this.
We walked around Brantôme for a bit, then headed to Bourdeilles, which was much like a ghost town. I am not sure where all the people were hiding. All in all, I thought it was a very long drive for what we saw. But again, because Mrs. J. was having difficulty walking with her broken ribs, we were never going to accomplish much, anyway. In retrospect, I think my idea of Belvès may have been a better day.
Our last dinner in Sarlat was at Chez Le Gaulois. I had the Tartiflett, DH had ham, potatoes and melted cheese. My DH who must eat gluten-free, thought he was in paradise. Yum. It sure beat the heck out of our lunch!
Back to the hotel to begin packing up for our drive to Toulouse tomorrow.
http://brantomeandbourdeilles.shutterfly.com
