MONDAY 21/5/2012

All misty this morning, and a bit cooler. We set the alarm so that we could get on the move earlier and get more into the day. We headed in the direction Les Eyzies de Tayac Sireuil via the Grand Roc, one of the greatest sites of pre historic dwelling in the cliff face as well as being a huge cave of typical structures. We stopped for the market at Les Eyzies and had a look around the town. It is a very pretty town against the cliffs. Some croissants and a hot chocolate later our destination was Chateau de Commarque, owned by someone still of that line after several hundred years in the family. On the way we stopped at a pretty little village Maunerie for the obligatory photo session, being kept under the watchful eye of several French grandmothers and their petit dogs.

We eventually got to our destination turnoff and the car headed down through a forrest, and down ... aren't Chateaux up on top? Anyway, parked it was still further down the track walking! We spotted what we thought was an albino Lynx) At the bottom of a valley with a little stream, we were surrounded by cliffs on one side and the chateau looming on the other and in front of us was yet another castle (Seulier) halfway up a hill but much further away. The man at the ticket shed advised us to head up the valley a bit to get a better view of the castle then into the grounds which we did, though the lower ground was very wet and soggy. These areas all have evidence of lives having been lived through the ages from the Troglodyte era. Most of it was in ruins, but with the tower there was more detail and explanations and in such a condition that you could make your way to the very top of the tower and look all around. Luckily the weather throughout this visit was dry. The steps were a fantastic challenge, but we won out to the top! The place was created when the Norsemen were on the warpath and afforded the inhabitants of the early caves and walls protection.

On the way back to Sarlat-de-Caneda, via Marquay, we also spotted 2 deer, one which jumped across the road in front of us. At Sarlat we found another Boulongerie for lunch. The weather was rather disappointing by now and we headed for Beynac via St Andre and the smallest and way-out little road paths we could ever hope to find in France! Luckily no cars from the other direction!!! Both Sarlat and Beynac are marked for a return visit this week when the weather improves, They are both amazingly ancient places the latter has an enormous foreboding castle looming over the village and river valley.

Next brief stop was Bezenac for some chocolates and other interesting objects. St Vincent de Cosse also had a great looking chateau and St Cyprien caught our attention for its beautiful peaceful church as well with its village hanging onto the hill side. We found battlements and an ancient church and cloisters (which are now being renovated for appartments). The little roads and alleys were so steep, we had to hold tight onto railings to negotiate our way down, practically a waterfall! But so beautiful.

The D48 back to Les Eyzies through some picture perfect forest roads and back to a rain soaked Les Pachauds at Roffignac St-Cernin.