Ferreting at the Fleamarket

Our Sunday outing took us through the village of Catus and then south of Cahors to the lovely village of L'Hospitalet, where if you haven't yet guessed there was a "Brocante - Vide-greniers".

This was the eighteenth annual sale for this commune.

The Center of the village was roped off and the many local habitants and several other dealers had set up their stalls (90 in all).

We wandered through the village and spotted several items that would be wonderful to have back in Canada...however, the size and shipping of these items discourages these purchases.

Monsieur Honey's deal of the day was a silver handled cheese knife...see last photo in post.

I had my heart set longingly upon a hand painted Limoges enamelled portrait of a young boy, (it was very beautiful) a large copper cauldron and an old watering can!
We may see the Limoges portrait again at another sale because the seller was a dealer.

After our fill of the "Brocante", we strolled through the village before heading home via a different route where we discovered some lovely villages and an old wooden windmill.

Do you see the cat?

The copper cauldron....

Anyone know what this is?

The Limoges portrait of the boy on the right hand side.

"Monsieur Honey" ferreting through the bits.

Man in the mirror....

Non, non...Monsieur Honey that is not my dream house!

Lovely street view in Labastide Marnhac.

A wooden windmill (circa 1699) that was dismantled and reconstructed in the early 1800s in the commune of Saint-Alauzie.

Is this roadside mowing or rush hour in the French countryside?

The plane trees in Cahors just starting to be dressed by the unfurling leaves.

The deal of the day...Brie anyone?

Saturday's Snapshots

A walk in the countryside with my friend "Madame M" uncovered yet more interesting vistas, undiscovered areas of rural France and her musical talent.

Again, I left the cottage without my pedometer so I couldn't check how far we had gone and my fate was in the hands of "Madame M's" pedometer.

We walked in excess of ten kilometres up and down the lanes and byways many with steep declines and inclines.

Later this evening, we enjoyed aperitifs and a lovely dinner with "Madame M" and "Monsieur Guy" at our local Auberge.

The walnut grove down the road from the cottage.

Nature's sculptures in the trees.

Beautiful colours found in the countryside in an abandoned barn.. green shutters, orange and terracotta bricks, yellow and grey stone, and graduated shades of brown in the old wooden door.

This might well be my dream house in France. It is a gorgeous property but not listed for sale.

Catching up with my friend after a great photo opportunity.
"Madame M" broke out in song ...singing her version of "Lonely Boy"
"I'm just a lonely girl, lonely and blue...." and on she went and surprisingly very much in key, not at all like my karaoke interpretation of Patsy Cline's "Crazy".

Today was the first time "Madame M" said..."I don't think I know where we are".
Lost in the French countryside, we just trekked on and eventually found our way back to the village.

A view of the Church spire from a different angle on our return walk into the village.

The old cloister that has not been used by the nuns for many years.

The gate entrance to the old cloister property.

Decorative door architecture.

A stone wall lined lane way.

Traditional French aperitifs of Pastis, hot steamy vegetable soup, followed by "moules " (mussels) for a starter and for our entrées we all chose something different.
Monsieur Honey had his favourite...a slow braised lamb shank served in a creamy garlic sauce.
It was a fun evening with "Madame M"and "Monsieur Guy".

Bon week-end mes amis!

At "Lantis"

Thursday, April 25th, 2013.

Today, Monsieur Honey had a day out with the boys...his story to follow in another post.

I spent the morning doing some laundry and other household chores.

Madame M,  my new friend who doubles as my walking companion/ tour guide arrived at my door just after 1PM and I joined her for another walk..she said "we can do as much or as little as you want..and if you need to stop we will call "Monsieur Guy" to pick us up".

Away we went, walking out of the village into the countryside with my plan not to do a too long of a trek today.

Madame M suggested we walk to "Château de Lantis".

The Château de Lanits is a 17th century monument that is now privately owned, offering tours.
Centuries ago in one of the interminable wars in France, this castle was a safe house for soldiers.

It was a very warm and sunny afternoon.
I had left the cottage today without my pedometer so I had no idea how far we had gone..by the end of our tour we had walked just over "10" kilo-meters through tiny hamlets, tree-lined lanes and we found our "Atlantis ".

Setting out.

Who knows what's down this lane?

The rolling hills.
"Over hill, over dale
Through bush, through briar....I do wander everywhere"
Quote from William Shakespeare..Midsummer Night's Dream.

The Château de Lantis.

Colourful shutters.

The road home!