Mouleydier and the brocante dealer…..

un cerf ( a deer) - a little something to greet your guests

A short drive east along the Dordogne river brings us to the Perigord region. This is where you find duck and goose farms, black truffles , foie gras, walnuts and plums…..all those things for which the Perigord is famous and the basis of all the local cuisine.

Sarlat la Canéda  is famous for it’s 14^th century buildings, Lascaux  for prehistoric cave paintings, La Roque St Christophe for trogolodyte caves and Beynac and Castelnaud for their castles built during the hundred year’s war between France and England.

many of the gates are much bigger than this, but some dealers are a
 little 'precious'  about having their stock photographed

a jumble of everything

chandeliers

But one of my favourite places to visit is the brocante dealer who specialises in pieces for the garden, particularly iron work. If you’re looking for a gazebo (tonnelle), a rose arbor, a set of gates, a railing for your balcony, or your staircase, or a conversation piece for the garden, then this is the place for you. Many of the pieces, especially the gates, obviously started life at a chateau, so they may be a little oversized for your average garden. But you can spend a wonderful time just browsing and dreaming.

no matter where you go there is always a stuffed animal
 - this was less imposing than the boar's heads

Graham has been searching for a small rack for drying wine bottles and left a happy man when he finally found one here. It holds 52 bottles….just enough for a little home bottling project later in the year.

what every home needs -  a bottle dryer

Nearby is the Chateau les Merles, a golf course with holiday villas attached and an attractive restaurant. The complex is surrounded by vineyards and plum orchards in bloom. We’re looking forward to returning here when the weather improves… Graham for a round with his friends and me for lunch with the other golf wives.

Chateau les Merles

Golf anyone ?

perfect spot for lunch and we wouldn't have to watch the golfers

storm approaching

The village of Mouleydier is well known here for the battles between La Résistance and the german army in June 1944 as the german armoured divisions were ordered from the south up to Normandie following the allied landings. After days of fighting to keep the germans from crossing the bridge over the Dordogne, eventually the germans broke through and the town was totally destroyed along with other surrounding  villages. It was rebuilt over the past sixty years, but the memories are still here. A young American girl called Betty Jane Holder ( only 19 at the time) read of the destruction and  collected food, clothing, household goods, etc and found a way to have it shipped to Mouleydier to  help those left behind. She is still remembered today with a plaque in the town square.

the story of Mouleydier

the old market square has been restored

the train line runs over the centre of town

 And for those who read the "Bruno" books by Martin Walker, here is the Chateau de Tiregand just outside Bergerac where  one of Bruno's favourite wines is produced.

the chateau on the hill

such a pretty 'folly'

amicalement