Wednesday 09th May 2012
Farewell Picasso!
Today, it was time for Picasso to return home after serving us faithfully for 5 weeks and 3032 kms and we will now get back to daily walking.
Picasso drove us to Cahors and we returned to Gourdon via train.
A lovely day was spent in Cahors, the former capital of the Quercy region.
We strolled through the Market Square and the surrounding lanes and streets.
We also wandered thru the underground parking garage and showed our guests the Roman Amphitheater that was discovered during the construction of the garage.
An al fresco lunch was enjoyed at the Bistro Gambetta in the square overlooking the fountains and commanding statue of Leon Gambetta (the 19th (1838 -1882) century statesman who was born in Cahors, one of the founders of the Third Republic and briefly premier of France
On our walk to the train station, we viewed the “Pont Valentre” and enjoyed the views from the fortified bridge which was built in 1308 to keep the English out of Cahors and apparently it worked.
The bridge is one of Europe’s finest medieval monuments, a wonderful example of military architecture and one of the most beautiful in France
There is a legend (folklore) that the Devil himself helped finish building the bridge on time.
The Devil agreed to deliver all the materials necessary in return for the architect’s soul.
When the bridge was nearly complete, the architect told the Devil to bring him water in a sieve.
Not surprisingly, after several attempts he failed and in revenge he broke off the top stone of the central tower and every time the stone was replaced it would fall off.
During the 1879 restoration, the stone was fixed firmly and a carving of the Devil trying to dislodge it was carved into the stone and is still there.
Farewell Picasso!
The market, weather, food and the scenery. WOW!
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