Postcards from the Lot

Friday, June 28, 2013

Waltzing with Marie-Rose!

Tuesday morning the sun was shining and I made a start on the packing for our Thursday departure, even though it would have been tempting and easy to sit and relax on the terrace.

Today was also my final opportunity but hopefully not my last chance to walk with Madame M.

We started with our usual route past the train station and familiar "caminos" and "chemins" in preparation for our pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela.

Then Madame M. added some new roads and sites and we walked approximately 12 kilo-meters.

You may ask why approximate distances, well me being sometimes "Calamity Jane" decided last week that my pedometer needed a wash in my jean pocket in the washing machine and I think it swallowed too much water and no longer works.

Madame M's pedometer is moody, one day it works and the next day it goes on strike just like the French trains.

But after all of our walking these past three months we are pretty good at estimating distances.

As the sign says there was "High Tension" because we were walking some steep inclines...

As always there were many interesting and wonderful things to see...

Tasty cherries for energy...

And today after seeing many pink and fuschia coloured wild orchids, I finally saw my first "white" one..

" A True Beauty".

It was a walk to remember ....

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Catching my Breath

Stay tuned for more posts!

We have been busy this past week, saying au revoir to old and new acquaintances and friends as our time in Dégagnac has come to an end.

The week was full of lunch, dinner and aperitif rendezvous' plus my last walk with Madame M. and Monsieur Honey trying to help Msr. Guy with the heavy part of the ceiling drywall job and there was the packing.

We left midday on Thursday after a delicious "Champagne Brunch" with our Belgian Connection friends.

We drove over 325 kilo-meters west and arrived in Basque Country on the Atlantic Coast.

Bayonne and Biarritz were crazy busy...so we drove a short distance further to Bidart, a Basque village on the sea and found an amazing Hotel.

So I have lots of postcards and tales to share of our past week and who knows what we will see and do this upcoming week.

Last night we walked five minutes for our first glimpse of the Ocean with the mountains in the background ...awesome!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Where's Pat and Monsieur Honey?

Today we are starting to pack up and getting ready for our departure from our "Home Away from Home" for the past twelve weeks.

We are heading off Thursday on our last week of adventure in France before we leave on a jet plane back to Canada the first week of July.

This morning the sun is shining beautifully and I would much rather be outside lounging than cleaning and packing... maybe this afternoon I can call it quits for the day and finish a bit more tomorrow.

Early April we arrived at Toulouse Airport and after approximately a two hour drive we found "Beaucaillou" in the hamlet of Dégagnac, not far from the larger town of Gourdon.

The cottage is a converted 17th Century barn and this year the owner has added a pétanque court (boules) in the lower garden.

The main floor has an open plan fully equipped kitchen and a comfortable living room, each area with it's own French doors opening onto the terrace.

Upstairs you will find the Master bedroom and an ensuite powder room and a second large bedroom with views over the back garden, plus on this level is the full bathroom and a small laundry facility on the landing.

You will find the beds most comfortable with bed linens and towels provided.

The terrace is perfect for alfresco dining or lounging in the sun when the weather permits.

There is a wood burning stove to keep the chill off on the cooler days and nights with wood supplied.

Although the village is quiet, there is enough activity in the area to keep you busy.

There is a post office, a fantastic spice shop, an epicierie/ shop for all your needs with a depot de pain (where you can pick up your fresh baguettes, croissants, pain au raisin or pain au chocolat) and there is the local Auberge restaurant.

There are many areas to walk and discover the local surroundings and the cottage is centrally situated to visit many sites in the Lot and Dordogne region of France.

There are many villages nearby with Farmer's Markets which provide an excuse for a great outing to visit new villages/ towns and the opportunity to purchase fresh local produce, breads, cheeses, pastries, meats, fresh seafood and wines to bring back to the cottage and cook a delicious feast for your lunch or supper.

If cooking is not on your agenda, there are also the rotisserie chicken vendors or "Mr. Paella" for an easy take away meal.

The village also has a plan d'eau (lake) where you can fish, picnic and enjoy the sunshine and if want to be more active there is also a tennis court here.