Easter in France - 4

Weather is always an uncertainty, but this April the weather in Bordeaux couldn’t have been better, with blue skies and warm sun during the day, and cool evenings for a comfortable sleep, with windows and shutters open all the while. Perfect!



So long as you have a hat, plenty of space and time to take your ease on the deck around the pool!





Purdy always there to keep you company.



If it gets too hot outside, there is always the shade of the living room inside the thick limestone wall of the house.



The evening meal, always a crowded table, and hungry mouths to feed . . . Ed and Amy, Cis and Toby. . . .



. . . . . and of course, the providers!

Easter in France - 3

. . . . and no . . . . leave it!



The road to Conac offers stunning views, and the odd castle here and there!



Finally, the vineyards of Bordeaux



The market in Mirambeau, flowers and family





Then finally, the farmhouse at Conac, family and work!!





. . . . . and cooking . . .



and of course eating, and good cheer!



then the following morning . . . . watch out if you vacate your bed . . . Purdy is there!!

Easter in France - 2

We rounded out our ‘day trip’ with a visit to the Grotte de Villars, caves in the limestone hills that were discovered back in the 1950s. Now world famous for not only the natural formations that were carved out by water over the centuries, but also for the ‘cave drawings’ painted there on the walls by inhabitants 117,000 years ago.





No photography allowed inside unfortunately, but highly recommended for a visit. They are, in a word, breathtaking. . . . and of course, even though photos aren't allowed, there is always a website :) - http://grotte-villars.com/



. . . . and you just never know what’s immediately under your feet.

The next day, a trip to Brantome, the ‘Venice’ of the Dordogne. A medieval town, sitting on an island in the Dronne river, it boasts a fine, fortified monastery built partially into the limestone cliffs overlooking the town. Postcard-worthy views wherever you look.





Always worth offering to take another couples picture . . .they return the favour!



Then, our three day stay at the Moulin du Roc comes to an all-too-soon end, time to bid farewell and move onto the next destination, with the Browns in St. Thomas de Conac, Bordeaux.

Easter in France

Heading for the UK and France for Easter, and an ideal opportunity to catch up with family members.

A lunch in the pub, with cousins Susan and Rosemary, before leaving for France.



The plan is to join Mar’s cousin Lindsay and her family in St. Thomas de Cognac in the Bordeaux region. But before doing, a few days R&R exploring the Dordogne Region.

Our ‘hotel’, a small chateau – Le Moulin du Roc, formally a flour and walnut mill, located on the banks of the Dronne River.







Originally built in 1670, the hotel exudes charm and comfort



and rooms with their own balconies overlooking the Dronne River.



All kinds of treasures await discovery by the inquisitive traveler, and since we’re ahead of the tourist season, we have most of the ‘sites’ to ourselves. Our first stop, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but just outside the village of Villars, is Abbaye Cistercienne Notre Dame de Boschaud, constructed between 1154 and 1159. Now a ruin, but still enough of the structure remaining to wonder at the skill of the craftsmen who built it almost 900 years ago.