We were up fairly early, as we needed to walk into town to get croissants for breakfast. As today is Monday, many places were closed, but after our morning check-in at the hotel to check email, we were able to find an open shop – yummy all butter croissants and I had a pain au chocolat. Back to the house for breakfast. Why is French bread and croissants SO much better in France than in anywhere else in the world?? In true French fashion, the baguette we bought did NOT make it back to the house all in one piece…just HAD to take a bit off one end!
Ready to head out about 9:30 a.m. as we wanted to get to Grotte de Rouffignac when it opened at 10. And we were! For a few minutes we thought we were going to have the tour to ourselves, but then came the arrival of a busload of school children…a bit daunting, but the tour guide was wonderful with them, and they were incredibly considerate and well behaved! Who knew?! Grotte de Rouffignac is truly amazing. I have designated it my very FAVORITE cave of all time! We had been there before, several years ago, but I had forgotten how really wonderful it is! The cave is very, very long – really wonder how prehistoric man/woman ever found it! The paintings and engravings are so far back into the cave that they run a small train to get to them – it’s over a kilometer to the end! And, what is interesting about Rouffignac is that they have both wonderful etchings of mammoths, and then a very large area where many different types of animals are painted on the ceiling! At once place there is even a drawing that is partly etched into the rock and them completed by paint! We saw horses, bison, rhinoceros (!), aurochs, and mammoths; they were just incredible. I cannot tell you how impressive the work is, especially those that were painted as if they were moving; incredible! Also, the cave was VERY cold; I was FREEZING by the time we got out, even with my jacket on – saw some kids dressed in t-shirts – BRRRR!!
We did buy the guide to Rouffignac, and R took a photo of one of the pictures in it to give you some idea of what we saw!
From Rouffignac we decided to head to l’Abri de Cap Blanc to see the large frieze of horses actually sculpted into the rock. An Abri is a rock overhang, cut into the rock at the base by water at some point in the past, and not a cave. However, this particular abri had filled up with debris over the centuries, and the carvings had been covered up and, fortuitously, protected. However, when the area was being excavated in the early 1900’s, the dolts went in with picks and axes, looking for skeletons and prehistoric tools, and didn’t realize what they were doing until they had managed to actually destroy the bottom of the entire frieze! VANDALS! There are at least six horses, and the main one, in the center of the frieze, is actually life size! They are beautiful and HUGE! And, incredibly well sculpted – so difficult to see how they were made, especially as all they had to work with at the time were flints!
As it was after 1 p.m. by the time we were finished at Cap Blanc, we headed into Les Eyzies for lunch. Found our favorite restaurant – le Chateaubriand (several years ago, when we were here in November, it was about the only place open! Robert had two servings of their wonderful vegetable soup, and was so impressed that he went home and made a wonderful vegetable soup of his own!) We both had one of their menus, that came all on a large plate. R had a steak cooked with shallots, some marinated cucumbers, celeriac salad, green salad with a slice of cantal cheese, and a large pile of fries. I had all the same trimmings, but instead of the steak, I had a fabulous omelet with fresh cepes! It was GREAT! I’m not sure if I’ve ever had the opportunity to cook with fresh cepes – I’ve always found them dried; it was a wonderful experience! A pichet of the local dry white wine, and we were happy! Ate this time on their downstairs patio; just a beautiful day!
We were a bit tired by the end of lunch, so headed back for a lovely siesta. However, we were up again by 4:30 p.m. and out the door for a leisurely drive before dinner. And wow, what a drive! We meandered up and down some very tiny back roads, and went from Le Bugue to Bezac – lovely riverfront town, with a GREAT castle on top of the hill! Drove up the hill and did a quick 45 minutes in the castle, before they closed at 6:30 p.m. From there we drove along the Dordogne (a stunningly beautiful river!) past Le Roque (remember, Brenda and Chris?!) and up to Domme. Stopped long enough for some gelato and a walk along the parapet – incredible views and a really WARM afternoon.
(We have been keeping the windows and door closed at the house, and the house has stayed a really nice and cool temperature. In fact, at night several times we’ve had to turn on the heat! But this afternoon, when we stepped on to the porch, it was absolutely BAKING! Felt 95 at least! We think now that it was mostly as a result of the bricks on the patio; felt like an oven! Once we got the a/c going in the car, we were fine, and now, as it gets late, things are starting to cool down back to normal. We’re not quite ready for summer yet!)
From Domme we meandered yet again, this time collecting more castles along the way; past Castlenaud, past Les Milandes (Josephine Baker’s place…) and finally, I found my ideal place – Castle Fayrac. Do you ever wonder: If I won the lottery, what would I do with all that money? Well, I’ve found my answer!
Just a beautiful drive – including seeing red and blue hot air balloons drifting over the Dordogne…WOW!
I could live here...
First photo from Domme viewpoint; second of Castelnaud!
Back about 8:30 p.m. to blog, eat a quick dinner (plates of tomatoes with wonderful cheese and bread) and the white wine we got from Nathalie yesterday! (Thank you, Nathalie – it is delicious!!)
So – more later! Much love,
m
x
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