Friends in France
Jul 24th, 2024 | 04:41 AM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Friends in France
Well, this could be interesting ….
Take one old, introverted woman who always travels alone, and add a dear friend she hasn’t seen since the 1970s, with the friend’s husband, and send the three of them off to France for two weeks.
What could go wrong?
As usual, I started planning the trip eons in advance …. Planning is almost like being there! My itinerary included Conques, for the stunning Cathedral, St Cirq for the Grotte Pech Merle and to soak up the beauty of the village, Rocamadour on a drive-by, and Sarlat for Domme (a repeat), Lasceaux IV (a repeat), Beynac (a repeat), and to fully immerse myself in the beauty of Sarlat. It is very much like the trip I took last year -- but last year I did mostly tours, and this year I am dedicating full days to things that were only briefly covered.
First I had to decide if I wanted to rent a car or try to rely on public transport and taxis. I have no trouble driving in France, but I get lost too easily, and I’m always fretting whether the GPS means *this* turn, here, going down into nowhere, or… or … I know the common thought is that rural France can’t be done right or well without a car. Well, I lived for almost a decade without a car (though in Germany, with great transport), so I wanted to see if I could get it to work.
On my last visit, I did a lot of tours from Ophorus, which was great. So that would be one option, and one I strongly recommend to other travelers – they were great, from the knowledgeable guides to the overall tone and warmth.
https://www.ophorus.com/
Another piece would be taking taxis. I got the name of one taxi company and inquired about fares if they would pick me up in Sarlat in the morning and drop me off at my destination in, then pick me up again later in the day. Here are the quotes (note that these are now about 2 years old, so if you ask, the fares will be higher):
Pick up at Sarlat train station or the Enterprise car rental office, and dropped off in Sarlat.
25€ (30€ Sundays and holidays and every day between 7pm and 7am)
Pick up in Sarlat around 09.30 and dropped off in Beynac, then picked up in Beynac around 14.00 and dropped off in Sarlat.
70€ (90€ Sundays and holidays)
Pick up in Sarlat around 09.30 and dropped off in Domme, then picked up in Domme around 14.00 and dropped off in Sarlat.
70€ (90€ Sundays and holidays)
Pick up in Sarlat and dropped at the Sarlat train station.
25€ (30€ Sundays and holidays and every day between 7pm and 7am)
We also do private tours discovering the area along the valleys and neighborhood departments. The touring tariff is 55€ per hour.
Let me know if you want to confirm the one or the other trip.
Kindest regards,
Christoph (& Sarissa) Kusters
Taxi&Touring à la Carte
[email protected]
www.taxialacarte.com
I was totally charmed and delighted with the idea of taking taxis. But then the difficulty of getting to Conques and St Cirq without a car got to be too much of a challenge, so I reverted to the normal – renting a car. But I did want to post these options, so other folks who want to try to go car-less (yahoo) and have an easier itinerary may want to use them.
The first task was trying to get from my home in Garmisch to Conques easily. Our Fodors stellar researcher Adelaidean let me know she’d heard of an airport at Rodez, about an hour from Conques, which also had some car rental agencies. I checked it out and saw that a tiny airline, Fly Amelia, flew once daily between Munich and Rodez, and there were indeed an Avis and a Hertz agencies. The rental agencies were really small, and would not permit any one-way rentals, but that wouldn’t be a problem, as the return drive from Sarlat would only be 2h30 or 3h, so it would work.
I thought and thought and thought about it. I contacted Gemut and asked what they could do about a rental from Rodez. Imagine my surprise when they offered me a rental out of Toulouse and returning to Bordeaux! Hilarious. This agency, vaunted for their customer service, had apparently not even read my request … or hadn’t taken it seriously. There was no explanatory note saying, “Oh, we know this is not the town you wanted, but we couldn’t find anything around Rodez.” Nope. I even wrote back and emphasized that I wanted something out of Rodez, but they never even answered. So much for Gemut.
As I kept thinking about it, I thought this small airport, tiny airline, and small rental agencies, would be a risk. If one small thing, any small thing, went wrong, there would be no alternatives and it would ruin a whole day or two. So I shifted to thinking about renting from an airport with more flights and hopefully larger rental fleets, considering Geneva (6h from Conques) or Lyon (4h). I settled on Lyon and reserved a car for the trip.
BTW, I just checked, and Fly Amelia no longer has any scheduled flights out of Rodez.
It was at this point that my friend, A, and her husband, G, from Florida began thinking about joining me in France. A said two or three times that they only wanted to spend time with me and spend time in historic towns and in pretty scenery. I was hoping the itinerary I worked out will give them that! A also said that neither she nor her husband were interested in driving in Europe.
I was pretty happy with the plan to rent from Lyon, as it would make it easy for my friends. So instead of flying into Lyon, I decided to fly to Paris, meet them, and train together to Lyon airport to pick up the car.
The planned itinerary:
Conques – I just want to see the Cathedral. I’d first come across it in a historical novel when the characters undertook a pilgrimage and pass through Conques. The description of the Cathedral was stunning, as are all the Google photos I’ve seen. So I thought I’d just need a few hours to see and explore it, so just one night.
St Cirq Lapopie – a base mainly to see the Grotte Pech Merle, then an extra day there to explore the town, so three nights.
Sarlat – a base for Domme, Beynac, & Lasceaux IV. I also wanted a full day to explore the town, as last year I saw it only in the mornings & evenings while leaving to do a tour. The one day I did a market tour in town, it was pouring rain, and I wasn’t inclined to linger or wander. So six nights.
Thu 11 Apr Fly MUC to Paris, overnight
Fri 12 train to Lyon airport, 2h, pick up rental, drive to Conques, 4h, arrive about 17.00, overnight Conques. We all made reservations at the La Conquese B&B.
Sat 13 Apr, drive from Conques to St Cirq Lapopie, 1h40, overnight St Cirq (we all reserved rooms at the Maison Lapopie, which was fabulous).
Sun 14 Apr, drive to Grotte Pech Merle, 30 minutes, visit cave, overnight St Cirq
https://www.pechmerle.com/
Mon 15 Apr, St Cirq. explore the town, overnight in St Cirq
Tue 16 Apr drive from St Cirq to Rocamadour, 1h, explore the town and have lunch. Continue the drive to Sarlat, 1h, arrive around 15.00, overnight Sarlat (I was staying in an apartment listed as “Prestigious Apartment with Private Parking in Sarlat Center” at VRBO. My two priorities were private parking, as I didn’t want to have to look for or fight for parking daily, and being central. The apartment was better than I’d hoped! T&G stayed at Les Cordeliers B&B).
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co...sit/rocamadour
Wed 17 Apr Sarlat. Explore Sarlat, tour of town, overnight Sarlat
Thu 18 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Lascaux IV, about 30 minutes, overnight Sarlat
https://en.sarlat-tourisme.com/disco...lart-parietal/
Fri 19 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Domme, 30 minutes. See the graffiti left by the Templar knights, and take the little tourist train through the town, overnight Sarlat.
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co...-in-2018/domme
Sat 20 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Beynac, about 15 minutes. Do self-tour through the castle, explore the town, overnight Sarlat
https://www.france-voyage.com/touris...azenac-302.htm
Sun 21 Apr Sarlat. Rest, overnight Sarlat. As an introvert, I need to take a day occasionally where I don't have to see or talk to anyone. My friends have an interest in gardens, and she makes pottery, so I have a list of gardens & pottery shops they can visit on their own by taxi (they didn’t want to drive or be added as an additional driver on the rental).
Mon 22 Apr drive Sarlat to Lyon, 4h, turn in car, take the train to Paris, 2h, arrive about 6 pm, reservations at the Hotel de la Place du Louvre, because A&G wanted to be close to the Louvre.
Tue 23 Apr Paris
Wed 24 Apr Paris
Thu 25 Apr Fly to MUC
Take one old, introverted woman who always travels alone, and add a dear friend she hasn’t seen since the 1970s, with the friend’s husband, and send the three of them off to France for two weeks.
What could go wrong?
As usual, I started planning the trip eons in advance …. Planning is almost like being there! My itinerary included Conques, for the stunning Cathedral, St Cirq for the Grotte Pech Merle and to soak up the beauty of the village, Rocamadour on a drive-by, and Sarlat for Domme (a repeat), Lasceaux IV (a repeat), Beynac (a repeat), and to fully immerse myself in the beauty of Sarlat. It is very much like the trip I took last year -- but last year I did mostly tours, and this year I am dedicating full days to things that were only briefly covered.
First I had to decide if I wanted to rent a car or try to rely on public transport and taxis. I have no trouble driving in France, but I get lost too easily, and I’m always fretting whether the GPS means *this* turn, here, going down into nowhere, or… or … I know the common thought is that rural France can’t be done right or well without a car. Well, I lived for almost a decade without a car (though in Germany, with great transport), so I wanted to see if I could get it to work.
On my last visit, I did a lot of tours from Ophorus, which was great. So that would be one option, and one I strongly recommend to other travelers – they were great, from the knowledgeable guides to the overall tone and warmth.
https://www.ophorus.com/
Another piece would be taking taxis. I got the name of one taxi company and inquired about fares if they would pick me up in Sarlat in the morning and drop me off at my destination in, then pick me up again later in the day. Here are the quotes (note that these are now about 2 years old, so if you ask, the fares will be higher):
Pick up at Sarlat train station or the Enterprise car rental office, and dropped off in Sarlat.
25€ (30€ Sundays and holidays and every day between 7pm and 7am)
Pick up in Sarlat around 09.30 and dropped off in Beynac, then picked up in Beynac around 14.00 and dropped off in Sarlat.
70€ (90€ Sundays and holidays)
Pick up in Sarlat around 09.30 and dropped off in Domme, then picked up in Domme around 14.00 and dropped off in Sarlat.
70€ (90€ Sundays and holidays)
Pick up in Sarlat and dropped at the Sarlat train station.
25€ (30€ Sundays and holidays and every day between 7pm and 7am)
We also do private tours discovering the area along the valleys and neighborhood departments. The touring tariff is 55€ per hour.
Let me know if you want to confirm the one or the other trip.
Kindest regards,
Christoph (& Sarissa) Kusters
Taxi&Touring à la Carte
[email protected]
www.taxialacarte.com
I was totally charmed and delighted with the idea of taking taxis. But then the difficulty of getting to Conques and St Cirq without a car got to be too much of a challenge, so I reverted to the normal – renting a car. But I did want to post these options, so other folks who want to try to go car-less (yahoo) and have an easier itinerary may want to use them.
The first task was trying to get from my home in Garmisch to Conques easily. Our Fodors stellar researcher Adelaidean let me know she’d heard of an airport at Rodez, about an hour from Conques, which also had some car rental agencies. I checked it out and saw that a tiny airline, Fly Amelia, flew once daily between Munich and Rodez, and there were indeed an Avis and a Hertz agencies. The rental agencies were really small, and would not permit any one-way rentals, but that wouldn’t be a problem, as the return drive from Sarlat would only be 2h30 or 3h, so it would work.
I thought and thought and thought about it. I contacted Gemut and asked what they could do about a rental from Rodez. Imagine my surprise when they offered me a rental out of Toulouse and returning to Bordeaux! Hilarious. This agency, vaunted for their customer service, had apparently not even read my request … or hadn’t taken it seriously. There was no explanatory note saying, “Oh, we know this is not the town you wanted, but we couldn’t find anything around Rodez.” Nope. I even wrote back and emphasized that I wanted something out of Rodez, but they never even answered. So much for Gemut.
As I kept thinking about it, I thought this small airport, tiny airline, and small rental agencies, would be a risk. If one small thing, any small thing, went wrong, there would be no alternatives and it would ruin a whole day or two. So I shifted to thinking about renting from an airport with more flights and hopefully larger rental fleets, considering Geneva (6h from Conques) or Lyon (4h). I settled on Lyon and reserved a car for the trip.
BTW, I just checked, and Fly Amelia no longer has any scheduled flights out of Rodez.
It was at this point that my friend, A, and her husband, G, from Florida began thinking about joining me in France. A said two or three times that they only wanted to spend time with me and spend time in historic towns and in pretty scenery. I was hoping the itinerary I worked out will give them that! A also said that neither she nor her husband were interested in driving in Europe.
I was pretty happy with the plan to rent from Lyon, as it would make it easy for my friends. So instead of flying into Lyon, I decided to fly to Paris, meet them, and train together to Lyon airport to pick up the car.
The planned itinerary:
Conques – I just want to see the Cathedral. I’d first come across it in a historical novel when the characters undertook a pilgrimage and pass through Conques. The description of the Cathedral was stunning, as are all the Google photos I’ve seen. So I thought I’d just need a few hours to see and explore it, so just one night.
St Cirq Lapopie – a base mainly to see the Grotte Pech Merle, then an extra day there to explore the town, so three nights.
Sarlat – a base for Domme, Beynac, & Lasceaux IV. I also wanted a full day to explore the town, as last year I saw it only in the mornings & evenings while leaving to do a tour. The one day I did a market tour in town, it was pouring rain, and I wasn’t inclined to linger or wander. So six nights.
Thu 11 Apr Fly MUC to Paris, overnight
Fri 12 train to Lyon airport, 2h, pick up rental, drive to Conques, 4h, arrive about 17.00, overnight Conques. We all made reservations at the La Conquese B&B.
Sat 13 Apr, drive from Conques to St Cirq Lapopie, 1h40, overnight St Cirq (we all reserved rooms at the Maison Lapopie, which was fabulous).
Sun 14 Apr, drive to Grotte Pech Merle, 30 minutes, visit cave, overnight St Cirq
https://www.pechmerle.com/
Mon 15 Apr, St Cirq. explore the town, overnight in St Cirq
Tue 16 Apr drive from St Cirq to Rocamadour, 1h, explore the town and have lunch. Continue the drive to Sarlat, 1h, arrive around 15.00, overnight Sarlat (I was staying in an apartment listed as “Prestigious Apartment with Private Parking in Sarlat Center” at VRBO. My two priorities were private parking, as I didn’t want to have to look for or fight for parking daily, and being central. The apartment was better than I’d hoped! T&G stayed at Les Cordeliers B&B).
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co...sit/rocamadour
Wed 17 Apr Sarlat. Explore Sarlat, tour of town, overnight Sarlat
Thu 18 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Lascaux IV, about 30 minutes, overnight Sarlat
https://en.sarlat-tourisme.com/disco...lart-parietal/
Fri 19 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Domme, 30 minutes. See the graffiti left by the Templar knights, and take the little tourist train through the town, overnight Sarlat.
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co...-in-2018/domme
Sat 20 Apr Sarlat. Drive to Beynac, about 15 minutes. Do self-tour through the castle, explore the town, overnight Sarlat
https://www.france-voyage.com/touris...azenac-302.htm
Sun 21 Apr Sarlat. Rest, overnight Sarlat. As an introvert, I need to take a day occasionally where I don't have to see or talk to anyone. My friends have an interest in gardens, and she makes pottery, so I have a list of gardens & pottery shops they can visit on their own by taxi (they didn’t want to drive or be added as an additional driver on the rental).
Mon 22 Apr drive Sarlat to Lyon, 4h, turn in car, take the train to Paris, 2h, arrive about 6 pm, reservations at the Hotel de la Place du Louvre, because A&G wanted to be close to the Louvre.
Tue 23 Apr Paris
Wed 24 Apr Paris
Thu 25 Apr Fly to MUC
Jul 24th, 2024 | 07:04 AM
#2
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
Thursday 11 April
And for all my worries, we’re off to a wonderful start. My friend has a waterfall of thick, fiery red hair, now streaked with white, and I spotted her instantly across the hotel lobby when I arrived. We spent the afternoon talking and telling life stories and children stories, eating, and meandering around the Gare de Lyon.
Friday 12 April
Up the next day for 08.00 breakfast, 10.15 train to Lyon airport, then pick up a rental for the drive to Conques.
We didn’t make it.
We started with a 2h train ride from Paris to Lyon, which was 1h late, then picked up the car for the 4h drive to Conques.
That’s when I discovered that my friend G gets car sick when he’s not driving. Severely car sick. I remembered in one of our many messages as we planned the trip that A reported that G wasn’t keen on driving in Europe, so I was the only driver on the contract.
Well, we had to stop & pull over about six times, on auto routes and in towns, so he could breathe deep, walk, and gag by the side of the road. If I drove the speed limit around curves and changing lanes, I would have to pull over so he could dry heave. I ended up going 10-20 km under the speed limit to keep the car from swaying. It took us 6 hours to travel from the Lyon airport to Aurillac, still an hour away from Conques, and we all agreed that we could not go on. Poor guy, he felt so bad, as if he were doing it on purpose. We got on booking dot com and found a hotel and cancelled the hotel in Conques. We got checked in and followed the receptionist’s recommendation to a restaurant for a wonderful meal.
I thought Aurillac was a wonderful, small, charming town. Why is it that every little place in France ends up being so alluring? I know the Tour de France recently went through Aurillac, so I hope lots of folks got to see its appeal.
Aurillac
And for all my worries, we’re off to a wonderful start. My friend has a waterfall of thick, fiery red hair, now streaked with white, and I spotted her instantly across the hotel lobby when I arrived. We spent the afternoon talking and telling life stories and children stories, eating, and meandering around the Gare de Lyon.
Friday 12 April
Up the next day for 08.00 breakfast, 10.15 train to Lyon airport, then pick up a rental for the drive to Conques.
We didn’t make it.
We started with a 2h train ride from Paris to Lyon, which was 1h late, then picked up the car for the 4h drive to Conques.
That’s when I discovered that my friend G gets car sick when he’s not driving. Severely car sick. I remembered in one of our many messages as we planned the trip that A reported that G wasn’t keen on driving in Europe, so I was the only driver on the contract.
Well, we had to stop & pull over about six times, on auto routes and in towns, so he could breathe deep, walk, and gag by the side of the road. If I drove the speed limit around curves and changing lanes, I would have to pull over so he could dry heave. I ended up going 10-20 km under the speed limit to keep the car from swaying. It took us 6 hours to travel from the Lyon airport to Aurillac, still an hour away from Conques, and we all agreed that we could not go on. Poor guy, he felt so bad, as if he were doing it on purpose. We got on booking dot com and found a hotel and cancelled the hotel in Conques. We got checked in and followed the receptionist’s recommendation to a restaurant for a wonderful meal.
I thought Aurillac was a wonderful, small, charming town. Why is it that every little place in France ends up being so alluring? I know the Tour de France recently went through Aurillac, so I hope lots of folks got to see its appeal.
Aurillac
Jul 24th, 2024 | 07:40 AM
#3
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
Saturday 13 April
G said he may feel better if he is doing the driving, so early on Saturday we visited the Avis agency in town and added him as a driver. We made decent time from Aurillac to St Cirq Lapopie, about 2h, all of us, I think, holding our collective breath. But we made it without needing to stop or pull over once. On arrival, we had some trouble with a malfunctioning access pass at the designated car park, and wilted in the 29C heat on the 10-minute walk back to the village and the B&B. My friends made reservations for dinner at Le Cantou for 19.00, and they ended up loving it. But as we’d not eaten lunch, I couldn’t wait for dinner, and my friend went with me and to find something to eat. We settled in a sort of snack shop for a wonderful cheese platter & wine & ice cream. The village is drop-dead gorgeous.
View from Maison Lapopie
G said he may feel better if he is doing the driving, so early on Saturday we visited the Avis agency in town and added him as a driver. We made decent time from Aurillac to St Cirq Lapopie, about 2h, all of us, I think, holding our collective breath. But we made it without needing to stop or pull over once. On arrival, we had some trouble with a malfunctioning access pass at the designated car park, and wilted in the 29C heat on the 10-minute walk back to the village and the B&B. My friends made reservations for dinner at Le Cantou for 19.00, and they ended up loving it. But as we’d not eaten lunch, I couldn’t wait for dinner, and my friend went with me and to find something to eat. We settled in a sort of snack shop for a wonderful cheese platter & wine & ice cream. The village is drop-dead gorgeous.
View from Maison Lapopie
Jul 24th, 2024 | 07:42 AM
#4
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 74,969
Likes: 50
I have a feeling this is going to be a great report . . . but question: How on earth did G (or A for that matter) not have any idea his car sickness issues would be a HUGE problem?? If he needs to be holding the steering wheel to avoid getting sick (I have a friend with the same problem -- simply cannot manage as a passenger) WHY didn't he volunteer to do the driving?
Jul 24th, 2024 | 07:59 AM
#7
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
Sunday 14 April
Our hosts brought us two huge picnic baskets for breakfast, filled with breads, yogurt, eggs, jams, cheeses, coffee, and juice. It was marvelous. They brought my basket to A&G’s rooms, as theirs was larger, and we enjoyed munching and talking and planning. We had reservations, so we drove to the Grotto Pech Merle, a cave with paintings and art from 29,000 years ago. Unlike Grotto Rouffignac, which I saw last year, we were on foot through the cave. We were all awed. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside, so you’ll have to Google it to see what the art is like. Afterward, we had a bite to eat at the outdoor café by the cave, and I had the best hamburger ever (with Rocamadour cheese). The café was run by an immigrant family from Greece, I think it was, very friendly and very nice. Another day of 29C.
Picnic basket breakfast
"Breakfast Room" lol. Gorgeous
Ouutdoor breakfast room
Just outside Maison Lapopie
The Grotto
Cafe at the Grotto
Us at the grotto .... lol
Our hosts brought us two huge picnic baskets for breakfast, filled with breads, yogurt, eggs, jams, cheeses, coffee, and juice. It was marvelous. They brought my basket to A&G’s rooms, as theirs was larger, and we enjoyed munching and talking and planning. We had reservations, so we drove to the Grotto Pech Merle, a cave with paintings and art from 29,000 years ago. Unlike Grotto Rouffignac, which I saw last year, we were on foot through the cave. We were all awed. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside, so you’ll have to Google it to see what the art is like. Afterward, we had a bite to eat at the outdoor café by the cave, and I had the best hamburger ever (with Rocamadour cheese). The café was run by an immigrant family from Greece, I think it was, very friendly and very nice. Another day of 29C.
Picnic basket breakfast
"Breakfast Room" lol. Gorgeous
Ouutdoor breakfast room
Just outside Maison Lapopie
The Grotto
Cafe at the Grotto
Us at the grotto .... lol
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Jul 24th, 2024 | 08:25 AM
#8
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
yup, janisj, the illness was so severe that I assumed I hadn't read A's message right ... or something. So when I got home, I found the message, and did a screenshot of it. I hadn't misunderstood! It worked out fine, though, and in the end was just a tiny blip. Of course, that meant I could have wine every lunch! Yaaay!
Thanks PM! Hope you enjoy it!
s
Thanks PM! Hope you enjoy it!
s
Jul 24th, 2024 | 09:53 AM
#12
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 26,106
Likes: 0
Swandav, I don't know if I ever told you this or not, but about 20 years ago, you were one of the first people to respond to my very first post on Fodors. You were so kind and helpful, you made me want to keep posting to this board.
Jul 25th, 2024 | 06:08 AM
#15
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
Thank you, Paqngo!
Hope you enjoy the ride, lol, bilbo!
P_M, wow, I am so sorry! My memory is really awful. I'm glad our exchange was a good experience for you. It must have been some time ago, and I'm betting it was about Switzerland ...? In those days, few folks were posting about Switzerland, and that was about the only place I traveled to or posted about. Thank you so much for the kind words now!
Thank you TDudette!
Merci Adelaidean! Enjoy!
Hope you enjoy the ride, lol, bilbo!
P_M, wow, I am so sorry! My memory is really awful. I'm glad our exchange was a good experience for you. It must have been some time ago, and I'm betting it was about Switzerland ...? In those days, few folks were posting about Switzerland, and that was about the only place I traveled to or posted about. Thank you so much for the kind words now!
Thank you TDudette!
Merci Adelaidean! Enjoy!
Jul 25th, 2024 | 06:15 AM
#16
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,457
Likes: 0
Monday 15 April
We had another two wonderful baskets of food for breakfast, then simply roamed the village trying to follow the self-guided tour. Basically, a self-guided tour is code for “Suzann just wants to wander around and take photos.” Not sure we covered everything, but it was simply glorious to be immersed among the walls and buildings of the ancient beauty. A&G climbed up to the top of the ruins of the fort while I poked around alleys and churches. Today's temps were more moderate and comfortable, at 19C. That evening, I went with A&G to eat at Le Cantou, which A said was not as good as their first night.
We had another two wonderful baskets of food for breakfast, then simply roamed the village trying to follow the self-guided tour. Basically, a self-guided tour is code for “Suzann just wants to wander around and take photos.” Not sure we covered everything, but it was simply glorious to be immersed among the walls and buildings of the ancient beauty. A&G climbed up to the top of the ruins of the fort while I poked around alleys and churches. Today's temps were more moderate and comfortable, at 19C. That evening, I went with A&G to eat at Le Cantou, which A said was not as good as their first night.
Jul 25th, 2024 | 04:44 PM
#20
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
I am enjoying your report and lovely photos. Conques is lovely. The church is beautiful and the Tresor is exquisite with such intricate craftsmanship so long ago. We have visited St Cirq Lapopie twice - once in 2006 and again in 2018 when it was a lot busier. Did you do the walk along the towpath of the river - the Chemin d'Halage- with the sculptures in the rock at nearby Bouzies?
looking forward to the rest of your trip.
looking forward to the rest of your trip.
