France
Meyronne

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    • Day 10

      14 stations of Rocamadour

      May 16, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      Yesterday was a moving on day. Not far, and still hugging the Dordogne, but it gave us a chance to catch up with shopping, planning and washing . We don't do it often, but spent the afternoon chilling beside the van and reading. We have a lovely pitch on the edge of the river and facing west so we get the evening sun. The campsite is great. Run by 2 young men who also cook in the snack bar, which seems to attract all the local cyclists, always a good sign. They cook up meals and deliver them to people's tents and vans!
      Today up and away on the bikes to Rocamadour. We rode quiet lanes for 10 miles or so and then burst out into tourist central, the viewpoint over the village, Bellevue. We parked the bikes and hiked down from the top on a serpentine path with one of the 14 stations of the cross at each bend in the trail. The tourbus folk took the elevator....
      Half way down is the church with the black Madonna. Pilgrims climb up the many steps from the village on their knees to show devotion. The jury is out as to whether the madonna is black from centuries of church candle smoke, or it's meant to depict the fact that Africa is the mother of all humanity. Anyway she seems to attract a lot of interest. Saw our first walking pilgrims of the trip here with shells on their backpacks.
      We went all the way to the bottom of the hill to eat our picnic lunch watching vintage cars snake up the road opposite.
      Suprised ourselves by the speed of our ascent back up the steps and the hillside.
      Glad to get back on the bikes and away to the lanes with their carpets of wild flowers .
      Then sat watching the sun go down over the river back at the van.
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    • Day 11

      Up the cliff to another Bellevue

      May 17, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Slept in today, not sure why. Woken up by barking dogs. Set off a little later than planned on a hike the campsite owner had recommended.
      Out along the river, then scrambling up under the limestone cliffs , and up onto the plateau at the top for a picnic and a splendid panorama .
      The route down had some health and safety elements, so much so that we googled the French emergency number! (112)
      But we made it down safely. Walking poles probably responsible for saving us, not least from several aggressive dogs who tried to ambush us on the route.
      Back to the van and spent the evening watching our camping neighbour fly fishing beside us as the sun set.
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    • Day 12

      Steaming along the Dordogne valley

      May 18, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

      Waking up to a Baltic but clear morning that needed the heat on in the van to get us up out of bed. Lunch packed we pedalled off to a nearby medieval town Martel 6 miles away up a long hill. Part of the draw was a scenic steam train ride running today. Our route to the town was along quiet, empty country lanes. We hadn't booked a ticket expecting it to be quiet.... but we didn't factor in another national holiday (Ascension Day). When we got there it was heaving, with families (schools all shut), motorcycling groups, cyclists. You name it. We did get a ticket, but there must have been 200 on the train ride, steaming through tunnels in the rocks and past majestic viewpoints from the cliffs. Not sure how any asthmatics would have survived the return journey with the train in front...the smoke in the tunnels was choking!
      Then we pedalled on into the medieval centre and were seduced into a menu du jour at a nice little restaurant that seemed to have attracted all the cyclists too. Very tasty . We had a nice glass of local wine and sat in the sun. Picnic tea instead tonight.
      Lovely return journey down wooded lanes and through wild flower meadows.
      Campsite busier than its been all week. Think its a french " long weekend"
      We will leave them to play in the Dordogne. Moving on tomorrow.
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    Meyronne

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