Papa and I went on a 5+ mile hike from home on Sunday morning. It was a clear day, with the Pyrenees visible. We hiked past the east cemetery in Lectoure, down into the valley then up a long hill to a ridge that overlooks Lectoure, and is covered in sunflowers and grape vines. We hiked down a farm road and into another valley, then back to Lectoure, coming up the hill by the cemetery on the west side. It was a long invigorating hike!
Monday, September 16, 2024
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Saturday morning in Lectoure
I woke up to mostly clear skies, with sun tinted pink clouds, and a view of the snow tipped Pyrenees. By 8:00, hot air balloons were firing up next to the rugby field, and were soon in the air. It was a beautiful morning with fog hanging over low fields.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Arcachon
Papa and I were up early on Monday morning and took the train to Arcachon from Bordeaux. The ride was about 50 minutes, and we exited the Gare into the city. We walked to the beach and along the boardwalk, had a good lunch at Alma Mia Cucina, then took a local bus to Dune du Pilat, the largest sand dune in Europe. By 4 in the afternoon, we took the bus back to the Gare, then got on the train back to Bordeaux. We had time for bowls of onion and fish soup at Cafe du Levant before we caught our train to Agen, and drove home. Along the way, we ran into people we knew - a friend of a friend in Arcachon, and two friends from Lectoure in the Gare in Agen. A good day!
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Bordeaux
We were up early and drove to Agen for our 9:30 train to Bordeaux. We arrived at 10:40, walked across the street to drop our backpacks, then set off on a walk in Bordeaux. Unfortunately the first hour was rainy, but we bought an umbrella. We had lunch reservations at 12:15 at a recommended restaurant (excellent!), and we finished by 2. The rain had stopped and the sky was clearing, so we walked along the Garonne River, into various churches, went to an antique car show, and enjoyed our day in Bordeaux!
Monday, September 2, 2024
Chateau de Mons for Dinner
We pass Chateau de Mons often, and always talk about going for dinner, so last evening we went! Our friend Judy joined us. The castle was built in 1285 by Edward I of England. The property sits on 33 hectares and grows grapes for wine and Armagnac. We ate dinner on the terrace of the restaurant Vinea Nova. Dinner was delicious and the outdoor ambiance was perfect.