We had a successful overnight at the Saint Cirq Lapopie Plage aire for  7 Euros.  In the morning we walked along ‘Le Chemin de Halage’, the tow path basically, including where the rock has been carved out in times past to continue the route.  We could with hindsight have cycled it, which would have been nice, and less energetic (all on the flat!), but hey ho!  Good exercise either way!   

   

 

There was a small section of the rock ‘wall’ that in 1989  had been beautifully carved – it was really quite exquisite!  Unbelievable that one could turn a piece of rough and rather gloomy piece of rock face into such a lovely thing! – but why not! – I just am very impressed at whoever had the idea! – and in turn created it!

   

   

  

The weather has been beautiful today and cardigans and jumpers made redundant!  I always think how handy it is that one can tie such things around ones waists and not have to lug them around! 

 

 

  

    

That was quite some walk by my standards, so even more unbelievable that this afternoon I would somehow find the wherewithal and in turn energy to scale the village of Lapopie.

In 2012 it was voted the most beautiful village in France, so knowing that must have spurred me into making the effort involved!   I have to say it was well worth it, as it really is somewhere very special!  We walked right up to the top of the viewing point and looked down into the valley and towards where we had overnighted.  

Fortunately we had started out with 3 modes of equipment to take photos – 2 smartphones and a traditional camera, as firstly my phone ran out of space! then Michael’s ran out of battery, so we fortunately could fall back on the Canon!  It would have been most annoying to have missed out on taking photos of this lovely place, and no least after such a hike!

 

  

  

  

  

  

This evening we are parked up at Vers, heading towards the Dordogne.  Ordinarily it’s 5 Euros, but not for another week.  Parfait!  

We are only 5 vans here, but one had a very loud tv racket emanating from it, which I could hear inside our van! – so I thought I’d knock and politely ask the people to turn it down!   An elderly man answered the door and in my best French I politely made (or tried to make!) my request.   I didn’t feel I did too badly and couldn’t understand why the old boy didn’t seem to grasp my request quicker.  As it turns out, they were very hard of hearing! – which makes sense!  A French lady in the next van told me!   She agreed with my sentiments of preferring the peace and quiet (which is so much of what the lifestyle is about), and from that initial brief point of contact with her, I must have been chatting with her for a good hour!  In fact her husband too latterly.  When I say chatted, it wasn’t quite as easy as that!  I do find it ever so hard to understand what the French say, and understand just snippets really, but can speak a little bit of the language which is great (albeit still horribly inadequately! – and an ongoing frustration to me).  

Michael meanwhile had been sat reading outside around the back of our van, and not wanting to involve himself in the conversation, nor rudely snub the people, he sat in his chair getting colder by the moment hoping the little soirée would end soon!   What a laugh!!!  

We’re both back on board our van now having a nightcap before bed.  

Tomorrow we may have lunch in the village here – the restaurant ‘La Truite d’Orrée’ has very good feedback on Trip Advisor I see.  

Bfn!

Sophie

p.s.  Due to technical problems this update is now a day late!