Sunday Afternoon Drive

On Sunday, after 2, we drove to Miradoux.  The drive to Miradoux is spectacular, with great views in every direction, as we drove through the countryside and up the hills to a ridge top.  We went to Miradoux to see their Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle exhibit.  The exhibit was primarily photos, with explanations of the various villages just north of Miradoux, plus many notes from hikers, telling of their experiences.  We walked around Miradoux, through their Market Halle, and into their Eglise, which has beautiful stained glass windows.

We drove just 4 km past Miradoux to another ridge top village, Flamarens, with a small festival yesterday afternoon, that felt like a family picnic.  The castle in Flamarens has been recently renovated and the owners hosted the festival in their garden.  It was a hot day, so we had ice cream under the trees and enjoyed the view.  Flamarens Eglise, built in 1520, lost it’s roof long ago, and has been stabilized, even though it is open to the elements.  A painted chapel is still mostly intact.

We drove a few more kilometers to Saint Antoine, which has a castle built by the Antonin monks in 1146, and owned by the Knights of Malta in the late 1700’s.  The Eglise has a painted interior, including ancient frescoes.  Our drive back to Lectoure was nice, through villages we haven’t been through since last fall.  We had a good day!