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you have to watch your step on the steep,
cobblestoned streets of St Emilion |
Last weekend, we enjoyed the first of
our visitors from Australia for the year. This time they came from Canberra , a place where we
also lived for a time, long ago. They brought with them glorious
weather and the intention of enjoying every moment of their holiday.
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| always popular for lunch in the shade in the square in St Emilion |
After an early start by them in Paris, we collected them from Bordeaux station and set off for St Emilion, as one does. Lots of tourists already, though this may have been because May is the month of public holidays in France. If you’ve heard of “le pont” then you will know what I mean. Tuesday and thursday are holidays this week, so many people are taking monday and friday off (le pont to les week-ends ) and then why turn up for work for just one day , so take wednesday as well. A neat little extra petites vacances which explains the crowds everywhere we went .
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| just smell them ! |
Next day we took our usual stroll
around the saturday morning market at
Sainte Foy la Grande since it’s just a five minute walk away. The perfume of fresh strawberries now in
season is heady and mounds of artichokes and green and white asparagus remind
us it is spring. A few more English voices amongst the crowds tell us that the ‘summer
people’ have also started to arrive.
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| a performance at the Récollets Cloisters |
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| someone is not really interested in the show |
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| there is a variety of architectural styles in the old town centre |
An afternoon discovering the old town
centre in Bergerac, which was hosting a music festival, and then the Chateau of
Monbazillac for the fabulous view of the Dordogne valley.
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| new leaves on the vines |
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| doesn't this roof decoration remind you of a 'fascinator" ? |
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| and the vines go on for miles around |
Sunday, a leisurely drive along the riverside through lovely villages
like Lalinde and St Cyprien to Beynac et Cazenac where the houses are piled up
between the river and the cliff and the chateau watches over all in the curve
of the river. A few people already out canoeing for that unique view of the
countryside and others taking the easy way on a gabarre, the traditional boat used for transporting goods by water all
the way to Bordeaux.
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the chateau of La Roque-Gageac has stood guard over
the river since the 12th century |
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| one of the many cute little restaurants |
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| just look at those stairs leading up the cliff behind the restaurant |
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| taking a cruise in a gabarre |
Then on to the Vezere valley, famous
for it’s prehistory. La Roque St Christophe is the longest troglodyte settlement in Europe.
It is one kilometre long and has been inhabited since prehistoric times, an
estimated 55,000 years. At one time a thousand people lived here and, in
medieval times, it was also a fort.
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| what the town would have looked like in medieval times |
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| glorious view of the Vezere valley |
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| the 'shelf' as it looks now without the house facades |
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| what a fabulous setting it is |
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| only one way to bring everything up to this level |
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| a peaceful little spot to rest from all that paddling |
Next day , as our visitors were
flying off to their next stop, we took them in to Bordeaux to finish off their
visit. Another glorious day and the ‘fountain’ at le miroir d’eau was working
so lots of people splashing about. Those
cafes that were open (remember le pont) were busy with holidaymakers and rue Ste
Catherine was heaving with the usual mixture of tourists and students.
Thank you to our wonderful guests.
You are always welcome back.
Now we prepare for the next arrivals.
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the roses from our garden are already proving to be amazing this year
- and the perfume !
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jours heureux à vous tous
