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Published: August 24th 2019
MONBAZALLAC
That magnificent castleGot away from the chateau around 10am heading to Puy L’Eveque for an overnight. 5hr drive today through beautiful countryside, chose no freeways just windy country roads and pretty villages, arriving in Puy L’Eveque around 3pm which gave us plenty of time to explore the small town situated on The Lot….very pretty and we stayed in a very old B&B run by a nice English couple. A beautiful town that should be visited more. All pics are on previous post. Thursday left Puy L’eveque around 10am and drove around 3hrs Castillon la Bataille….we decided not to do freeways….just the whole way on country roads through beautiful villages…which you do not see on the freeways…..it was fantastic….watching the changing landscape from the Langguedoc-Roussillon region…which is quite rocky and sparse to rich soils and lots of farming of fruits, tobacco, vegetables on our way to Aquitane region…Bordeaux! Enroute we went via Frayssinet-le-Gelat…the French village home for Mary Moody who was an ABC gardening show presenter and who ran away from home in Sydney or Blue Mountains and her husband to this village to find herself….I read all her books in the 80s and 90s…..I was mesmerized by them… remembering them fondly, Last Tango
MONBAZALLAC
Snapped this as we were driving enroute to Castillon de Bataille butt visited it the next day. in Toulouse, A long Hot Summer etc. So nice to visit the village where these books were written from. Your eyes are all over the place it is so scenic. We loved the drive though it was quite long…stopped off for a coffee and of course a baguette in a small village and It was delish and cheap…it pays to keep off the beaten track. When we arrived to the town where we were staying Castillon-la-Bataille it was too early to check in…5pm in these parts..so we went to St Emillion…which was recommended by a lot of our friends…it is absolutely stunning but OMG full of tourists…like Disneyland, which is not our thing usually….had to park around a klm out of town! We spent two hours or so there and then booked into our B&B Aux Raisins Verte (Green grapes) which would have to be the best so far….absolutely gorgeous….72 euro a night….the couple that own this 1700 built house have done an amazing job with the décor….attention to detail like you wouldn’t believe…all antique linen and beautiful furnishings. Breakfast was typical french…but you could feel the love here….homemade yoghurt, jamsx3, local honey and lovely rustic bread and croissants with
ST EMILLION
Lots of this stuff around Bordeaux cereal, juice done in her THERMO and lovely tea! Had our first dinner in town after we did the guided walk as proposed by the local tourist office…lovely dinner at La Plage right on the Dordogne…the food is improving…we did not have a lot of good food in the south east but we had an excellent entrecote and confit duck with gorgeous salads and desserts. Wednesday had breakfast at our beautiful accom and on the recommendation of our host….drove to Bergerac….OMG this is one of the cutest little places….different style of buildings that we had seen on this route…and the shopping was great as well…bought a cute linen top and not too expensive. Loved our time in this town also on the Dordogne. Then onto Monbazillac….a tiny village in the middle of vineyards…where there is this most amazing castle/chateau…apparently bought by 15 vineyard owners in the region in early 1960s after an horrendous frost in 1956 killed the vineyard…obviously left to ruin…but you should see it now! Not too many tourist at all in these places. Then decided to visit the city of Bordeaux….not too big but a beautiful city….did a walking tour which was great stopping off for a
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View from where we parked 1klm out of town cold beer along the way…30 degrees here today so quite hot in the sun. Lovely walk along the Gironde River….what a huge river it is….very muddy though! Wherever we went was too early for lunch….too early for dinner….so bought a picnic home to our B&B and sat in the back garden with a lovely red and reminisced about our full on day. It is so magical in this part of the world. Tomorrow big drive to Lyon probably 5-6hrs on tollways though if we went the scenic route it could be 9-10hrs…see what tomorrow holds!
Thursday big drive to Lyon through a lot of mountains and nearly $100 in tolls. France is a very expensive country....petrol nearly $3 litre, shit coffee for $3 euro a pop...anyway that is part of overseas travel. Lyon is a very beautiful set around hills and between two rivers. The boys were really wanting a feed of French onion soup, hadn't seen any on menus for the two weeks we have been here...obviously regional but googled and found a few places in Lyon....booked Chez Grande Mere (Grandmothers House) in the old town...glad we did it was so delicious and a fantastic setting....downstairs into a
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Lovely gardens cave for the dining area. Booked for 7 and by 7.45 chock ablock....French onion soup was tasty as was the quenelles of fish with lobster sauce, and chicken with marcelllan sauce. Desserts were also lovely the boys had chocolate pudding which was nearly pure chocolate...delish and I had the raspberry tart...and all for 18.50 euro. Thurs met Paul our guide for a walking tour of Lyon at the council offices (magnificent building), it is just so worth getting a local to take you around... we loved our walking tour which took us up hills, through laneways, opening doors and into courtyards and alleyways connecting streets, these hidden passagewayes are called traboules, so interesting. All of our tour was off the beaten track....some great scenic points and a little bit of history. After tour had a lunch spot booked, lunch is very popular in France, even workers glass of wine for lunch, none of this eating a sandwich at your computer...very civilised! First try of the Moule frits (mussels and fries) smothered with the most delectable roquefort sauce....mmmm delicious and of course with a beer and wine! After lunch took the fununcular up the hill to the Notre dame de Foureviere
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Small streets and also the preserved ancient Roman arena which is still used for concerts etc. Walked back down the windy steps. Fabulous visit to Lyon. Heading to Dijon Saturday to see what we can learn about the yellow stuff but already know that a huge percentage of their mustards seeds to make their famous mustard is sourced from Canada!
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Rhonda
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Hi Glor & the boys
Wow Glor, so exciting to see Mary Moody’s place......I loved the Last Tango in Toulouse!!! So interesting reading the details of your travels!!! The countryside travel sounds magnificent. And the village of Bergerac looks stunning. Looking forward to you next leg......hi to the boys xxxxxx