Loubressac

and again!, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Sunrise from the Relais de Castelnau in Loubressac - I thought I ought to add this photo as the view at breakfast was so memorable. One of the prettiest villages in France - according to a guide book and I wouldn't disagree!

Domaine de Poujo and starter

Domaine de Poujo and starter, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

The dinner on the final night - meals were excellent here too - the food over the 10 days was very good and we probably returned fitter but fatter! As we had to leave the hotel at 6:30am we were fairly gentle with consumption on the last evening.
We returned by train from Souillac to Paris Austerlitz - roll on when the TGV's are running this route! - and then by Eurotunnel back to London and then back to Macclesfield. If you're doing a similar route beware if hoping to charge up electronic devices - the first charging point we saw was at Euston! By that time most of my toys didn't have much charge left!
A very enjoyable holiday with memories to take into the winter evenings! I've included this link before but it's the flickr album for my photos. I might get around to copying some photos others took in time!

Rocamadour

Rocamadour, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

The last day was a rest day - at least walks were suggested and we ignored them. We spent the morning investigating Rocamadour. Starting at the top level - most easily reached from Hospitalet - and a vertiginous walk on the ramparts - for which there's a charge and a turnstile - probably to keep down the numbers in peak season! The photo is looking down on the church from the end of the parapet - I think my sense of balance is getting worse but I managed this photo! Then down through the basilica - which was celebrating 1000 years of pilgrimages (I think the dating is a little suspect!) and 100 years since the restoration of the site. I kept my eyes open for mentions of Francis Poulenc (who died 50 years ago) who came here and the place inspired some of his religious music but didn't see anything. A light lunch in one of the cafes and then back up the Voie Sainte to the hotel and a gentle afternoon, I paid a visit back to Hospitalet to try to get sunset over the Rocamadour but unfortunately dinner came too soon!

Rocamadour from Hospitalet

Rocamadour from Hospitalet, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

The last day with a major walk, we started at Calès and walked back along the Ouysse until it disappeared under the ground and then along a winding gorge until we reached Rocamadour. I had a lot of anticipation - when would Rocamadour be visible - we were traversing the pilgrim route - that the medieval walkers would have taken - though in their case from Rocamadour towards Compostella.

The town didn't come into view until we were walking through the gates and then you were aware of the towering cliffs and buildings on so many levels. Walked through the town - staying on the lowest level - exploration was for tomorrow. A drink at a pavement cafe and then up the Voie Sainte to this view and then on to the Hotel Troubadour just out of Hospitalet.

Caugnaguet mill from the outside

Caugnaguet mill from the outside, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

We left Lacave on a misty morning with Belcastle invisible and wandered gently along the Ouysse. We saw some divers about to explore some of the submerged caves before arriving at the mill at Caugnaguet - which was open for visitors. The Inntravel itinerary says that it closes from 15th October so I'm not sure whether that's incorrect or whether we were just lucky to find it open. We were guided around and some of us sipped the walnut liqueur! Then through wooded paths to Calès. Drinks outside (watch out for the flies!) but then a marvellous evening meal - it certainly equalled the Michelin starred place - some of us thought it was better. I had snails (with mushrooms which merged nicely , you were never quite sure which you were eating in case you were cautious!) and duck - we had a lot of duck this holiday - I saw a fixed price menu in one place which had duck for 2 of the 3 courses!

reflection

reflection, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Day 6 was spent around Lacave - a trip down the cave - steps and reflections here too! Gentle lunch in the village. The Hotel du Pont de l'Ouysse - where we stayed - has a Michelin star, and a wine list with prices to match, I spotted a St Emilion for 1500€ we stayed a lot further down the price range. The food was wonderful and there was the theatre of pouring hot chocolate sauce over a chocolate ball and watching its contents being revealed. You can't quite see the hotel in this picture it's at the foot of the cliff - the castle, on top, is owned by 3 retired schoolteachers - apparently they were offered a lot of money by a Hollywood star for the place but they wanted to keep their piece of heaven! We spent the afternoon lazing outside the hotel in their comfy chairs by the Ouysse. We met a couple also with Inntravel there they were on a cycling tour and on their last day, we had a few more days walking before Rocamadour.

Creysse

..and again, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

A view of Creysse - the taxi which took us to the starting point for the day's walk was a little late so we enjoyed a walk around the village. After being dropped by the taxi in Meyronne we took the easier of the day's 2 alternative walks and enjoyed a spectacular walk through the trees ascending the side of the Dordogne valley (did I not take any photos here? - I need to search the cameras memory card!) we had lunch by a very quiet aerodrome - really just a landing strip and then the walk into Lacave and a refreshment stop before heading to the Pont l'Ouysse - of which there are lots of photos uploaded but I'll hilight one when writing about day 6.

Experimental Nut Station..

Experimental Nut Station.., a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Day 4 - not the longest walk but there was a sting in the tail! After a wonderful sunrise viewed from the hotel terrace (see the album for the photos!) we headed for Creysse. Again through the woods with a stop at a take off point for hang gliders with lovely views over the Dordogne - the spot was off the route so kudos to Inntravel for highlighting it. Then down to cross the river at Gluges and at this point we thought a drink and a stop would be good. Unfortunately none of the refreshment stops were open so we continued. A quick search of the village revealed a Place Edith Piaf without even a bar or cafe! There's a good reason for the square being named in her honour.

Then came the hard part of the day - first of all a gentle wander along the road beneath huge cliffs - but then the road started to ascend (fortunately the cliffs became less high) - but it was a struggle! On getting into Creysse we reached this experimental nut station - there are lots of walnuts in the Dordogne and at the time we went we were perpetually crushing the shells under our feet. The Auberge de l'Ile is wonderfully situated - close to the river and in the midst of a lovely village.

Gouffre de Padirac

Gouffre de Padirac, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Day 4 was (nominally) a rest day, so we did one of the recommended walks to the Gouffre de Padirac and a trip by boat through the cave - very worthwhile. The gouffre is very busy in high season, in October it was quiet though the cafes afterwards were mostly closed. On the way to the Gouffre you pass this memorial to Helène Bimberzy (Bomberzy?) martyred in 1844 - one wonders as to the circumstances (web searching hasn't, so far, helped - ah it is Bombezy - there's a mention here, but no help as to the background)! After the walk back to Loubressac, I enjoyed walking round the village and watching the sunset over the hiils.

Castelnau

DSCF9204, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Day 3 was the longest walk but there were a number of highlights, walking though the Glanes vineyards, the impressive chateau of Castelnau and the views and climb up to Loubressac. Route finding was straightforward and the views of Castelnau as it appeared through the trees was unforgettable! In Loubressac we stayed at the Relais de Castelnau - modern hotel but we thought there was a certain lack of attention to detail. The views from the terrace though were wonderful!

The door of the church at Beaulieu

The door of the church at Beaulieu, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

The first day's walk was a gentle start. Well it would have been if it hadn't been the only day it rained and if I hadn't got us lost and heading back the way we came. My route memory is getting appalling - when the Inntravel itinerary says an obvious clearing it means a huge clearing! We walked from Beaulieu to the small village of Port de Gagnac via quiet forest tracks with a visit to the village from the Hotel before we settled down for the evening meal at the Hotel du Vieux Port and made our first acquaintance with Coteaux de Glanes.

Beaulieu

it was a misty and wet morning!, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

We've just returned from a walking holiday in the Dordogne. As so often in the past few years one arranged by Inntravel. We made the trip to Beaulieu by train with a stop in Paris overnight and a few tourist sights and then after a dinner at the Velouté in Beaulieu awoke to this view of the Dordogne. The photo album for the week is mostly uploaded and accessible here. The trail followed, mostly, the pilgrim trail from Rocamadour to Santiago de Compostela - though in the reverse direction! Hopefully further accounts of the individual days will follow!

There's a few mentions of the composer Francis Poulenc in my entries on this walk but I hadn't realised that he wrote his clandestine cantata Figure Humaine whilst staying in Beaulieu - he rented a two room apartment here containing a poor piano during 1943 whilst setting poems by Paul Eluard with the final hymn to Liberty.