Pech Merle

On Thursday we went on a drive northeast, about 2.5 hours each way from Lectoure.  We stopped in Cahors 10 in the morning.  We walked to see Pont Valentre.... always stunning.  The Pont was built in the early 14th century, a six span fortified stone arch bridge crossing the river Lot in Cahors.  It opened for use in 1350.  We walked from the Pont to the Cathedrale Saint-Etienne in the center of Cahors.  The Cathedrale was built in the 11th century over a church erected in the 7th century.  It was consecrated in 1119.  One of the domes is covered in 14th century frescoes.   The chapels are decorated with sculptures as well as painted walls and ceilings, as is the choir.  I visited the cloister, through a door on the right of the choir.  The cloister was built in 1504.

After lunch in Cahors, we drove to Pech Merle, a beautiful cave, with walls of seven painted chambers.  The paintings are of of mammoths, horses, reindeer, handprints, and more.  We took a 1 hour tour of Pech Merle and weren't allowed to take photographs in the cave.  It is amazing to think of the paintings being done over 29,000 years ago! 

We stopped on the way back for a short walk overlooking Saint-Cirq Lapopie and the Lot River.  Saint-Cirq is a Plus Beaux village and the view is stunning!  

Just after we got home, we sat down in our breakfast room for a light dinner, in time to see hot air balloons  in the air, having just taken off from the rugby stadium down the hill from Lectoure.  A good day!

Fun Week!

Every week for us is very full!  Last Monday evening, Caroline and Glyn came over and we went to Hotel des Doctrinaires for a light dinner of charcuterie, fromage, and wine, then down Rue Nationale to watch a terrific band, and we got ice cream.  On Wednesday evening, we went to Ferme Cazau for dinner with our friends, Susan, Kay and Jay, and Caroline and Glyn.  Dinner was delicious and we talked for hours.

On Thursday morning, we went to a buffalo farm for breakfast and a tour.  The temperatures all week were the hottest of the summer, and we were rather lazier than normal.  We read several books and stayed inside more than usual.  By Saturday the weather changed and we went to a vide grenier in Vic Fezansac.  We didn't buy anything, but we enjoyed the drive through the countryside.  We stopped in Jegun and walked around the Collegiale Saint-Candide church, beautiful!  

On Sunday, we went for lunch at Sandikala, a restaurant in Galan, in the Haute Pyrenees, with Caroline and Glyn.  It was an hour and a half each way, and worth the drive.  

We had lunch today with our friends, Kay and Jay, who are buying a house in a nearby village.  After lunch, we went to a plant nursery, and I loaded up on plants that don't need much water.  The climate is changing and I can't count on the same plants that have grown in the garden for centuries, to continue to thrive.  I spent the afternoon planting in the garden.  It was a good day!

Dinner with Friends

On Sunday evening, we co-hosted a dinner party for 12, at our friends, Caroline and Glyn’s country home. The party was for “friends of Lesley and Andy.”  Lesley and Andy had introduced each of us to each other or to another couple invited to the dinner.  Caroline and I split cooking and provided various courses and serving.  We ate dinner outside on a very warm evening, that lasted well past midnight.  We had fun!

Our Week

Living in Lectoure keeps us very busy!  On Monday, we met our friends Kay and Jay in Plieux, at the house they are in contract to buy.  Our friends, Lesley and Andy were with them, so after checking out the house, we all went for lunch in Saint-Clar. 

On Monday evening, Caroline and Glyn came to Lectoure for Lundi Nuits with us.  We went to Hotel des Doctrinaires for aperitifs, then walked down Rue Nationale for glace and music.  We had fun!  

On Tuesday, we went on a picnic with our friends Deirdre and Vladimir, to Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon.  It was a nice evening, and there were blackberries growing next to the picnic table.  We had them for dessert.  

On Thursday, my friend Rebecca came from the Aude, to spend the day going to Lectoure's L'ete Photographie Festival.  We took a tour of the exhibition, then had lunch at Atelier d'Auria, and went back for more of the Photographie Festival after 3.  Rebecca and I had a good day!  We met two years ago, when Papa and I were looking at properties and we looked at her chateau, La Commanderie.  After Rebecca left, our friends, Kay and Jay came by with a friend of theirs, Aileen, who lives in Lectoure.  We enjoyed meeting Aileen and they stayed an hour or so.  Aileen lived across the street from our house, for 20 years.

We went to Lectoure's Friday market and I went to see the exhibition at PK Gallery late in the afternoon.  

On Saturday, we drove to Cassaigne for a vide grenier and bought a chair and lots of books.  We vowed to go back to visit Chateau Cassaigne, over 700 years old and very well maintained.  We stopped in Mouchon to visit Eglise St. Austregesile, a Cluny church, founded in 1000.  It was closed but we enjoyed seeing the exterior architecture.  We went to Eauze for a vide grenier, and realized we had been there before.  This time we visited the Roman ruins of Elusa, dating to the 3rd century.  We've had a busy week!

Sunday Churches

On Sunday, we went to a vide grenier in Lagarde-Fimarcon and bought 4 wine and 6 champagne glasses, plus embroidered napkins, all for 10 euros.  We drove to Fources, a Plus Beaux village (Visit Fources) that was hosting a brocante event.  We looked but didn't find anything.  Fources church, Eglise Saint-Laurent, was built on the foundation of a 13th century church, in the 1870's.  Its site, on the L'Anzoue River across the bridge from Fources, is quite beautiful.

We drove just up the road to Mezin, to visit Saint-Jean-Baptiste.  The church was was built in the late 1000's, and was a possession of Cluny.  The church was enlarged in the 12th century.  

 

A few miles south of Mezin, we visited the church of Saint Jean de Villeneuve, given to the Abbey of Saint Sever by the Count of Gascony at the end of the 10th century.  The present church was converted from a tower, dating from the 12th century, and part of the military defenses protecting the village.  It has beautiful interior painted walls and ceiling.  

Just past Fources, on our way back to Lectoure, we stopped at the Eglise Sainte-Quitterie Laspeyres, a pre-Romanesque church that became a Cluny priory in 1068.  There are traces of the presence of the Templars in the 12th century at the church.