Meandering along the Lot

#lecaillau#beaucaillou#belaye#lotriver#closlacoutale#viresurlot

Thursday 25th August 2016

Today started with meeting our friend, Laury at the train station who arrived on the bus from Cadrieu. We had a full day planned in the Lot Valley.

First stop ... lunch in the vineyards at Le Caillau, Vire sur Lot where we would be also meeting another mutual friend, Clare (we rented Clare's cottage "Beaucaillou" for three months in 2013).

If you've followed our travels over the years you know that this place is a favourite of ours and we try to get here a minimum of once each year. 

Unfortunately last year (2015) it didn't happen, so this visit was even more special to me. 

We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon of catching up over some delicious food and drink. The weather was perfect and we were seated in the open barn courtyard. 

                         

                                  

    

As always we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, good company, good food and wonderful ambiance.

The property is undergoing some expansion and renovation with a new dining room scheduled to be opened later this fall. Chas and Caroline continue to run a successful operation.

Thank you for another wonderful experience! 

From here we visited a local vineyard in order to purchase a new cork screw (an easy one for arthritic hands) ... and of course a little "degustation"! 

A delicious Cahors wine ... Laury purchased a box of six and carried them home in her backpack on the bus! Strong woman! 

                            

    

A couple more quick stops ... now the heat was wearing on us all! 

A photo opportunity in Puy l'évêque ...

Then it was off to Belaye for a panoramic view over the Lot River and valley. 

A visit of the church that has a long history.

             

Back to Cahors for a quiet night of visiting with Laury to celebrate her Birthday! 

More Market Madness ... Using Your Five Senses!

#lotvalley#wednesdaymarket#restaurantlaplancha#brebischeese

#cathedral#cahors#fivessenses

Wednesday 24th August 2016 

Back in Cahors ... for our day of wandering at the Market, lunch at La Plancha and a stroll in the late afternoon. 

Some people may think / say if you've been to one market you've been to them all ... However, they are not all the same.  For myself and Monsieur Honey, it's a chance to experience the French culture to its fullest and we always come away with a "funny" story to share at our "own expense". 

The "Market" in Cahors is held in the square /area outside the Cathedral and is a kaleidoscope of colour from the vendor's umbrellas to the variety of colours found in their wares and the fresh produce.

 

To experience the markets to the fullest you must use all five of your senses ... hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste.  

Listen to the sounds, see the people, the wonderful colours, feel the fabrics, the ripeness of the melons, take in the rich aromas of the fruits, lavender oils, soaps and of course you must have ...

"un petit goût " ... a little taste!

                             

                      

    

There was a time many years ago that you could buy a property in France with your credit card, not so much any more. 

And now you almost need to have your credit card to make some of your special "market" purchases. 

We were walking thru the market aisle / stalls just taking in all that was on offer ... when the "cheese seller" held his hand out and said "Un petit goût?" ... "a little taste ?"

Who can resist the taste of some artisanal cheese?

I should have been tipped off when I saw the debt/credit card machine ....

After a few tastes of different varieties, Monsieur Honey and I agreed on one we both liked ... "Brebis"! we requested ... "une fine tranche s'il vous plaît" ( a thin slice, please ) ... 

15 € later and we were off to our next stop!  

Another little taste of melon and our backpack was heavier with two tasty cantaloupes.

It was a successful morning at the market.

The church bells rang twelve times ... it's lunch time!  We had made a reservation earlier in the morning at a restaurant our French Connection friends had mentioned to us.

So off we went to "Restaurant La Plancha" situated on an old, quiet side street.

The restaurant is owned /operated by a young couple, front of the house Mrs. is French and her husband the chef is from Chile. They met abroad in New Zealand and lived their for a couple of years before returning to France.

                      

  

After this delicious lunch, it was time for a bit of a siesta ... temperatures have been in the high 30s since we arrived.  We went out later in the early evening for a stroll. 

A seventeenth century door ...

                             

Beautiful carousel in Place Gambetta ...

                            

   

Evening light ...

  

Hope you enjoyed the day out in Cahors ... 

Céret Market Day!

#frenchmarkets#ceret#catalan#melons#aubergines#placedeliberte#barpablo 

For my blogging today I'm going to live in the moment ... I'll go back and write, post more about our past experiences in the next few days. I stil have much to write about our last few days in the Lot Valley and our first week in Céret. 

Today in Céret we spent the morning at the outdoor market. 

 

A hub of activity started early this morning with the vendors pulling in to the square below us getting their "stands/ shoppes" set up.

Luckily we remembered from our stay last year that someone the vendors pull in as early as 5:30/6:00 am and we closed the shutters tight last night so we wouldn't be woken up too, too early. 

This market is not just in one little square or on one street ... and a best guess is that there are hundred plus vendors selling their wares. 

                    

                       

  

How about a snazzy, new  pair of knickers Monsieur Honey? 

       

Mmm.... Paella for lunch?

What will we be making this week? 

Two pickups. ... fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, eggplants (aubergines) and smoked paprika to take home, and a bouquet of fresh flowers to brighten up our apartment ... And to support the local neighbours!

We also bought a rotisserie chicken and a jambonneau (a small piece of ham which we enjoyed for our lunch).

Another pickup ... I sent Monsieur Honey for some fresh lemons, he came back with much more ... 

the fresh lemons plus farm fresh eggs and heirloom tomatoes. 

The view looking up to to our apartment from the market stalls in Place de liberté ...  we're enjoying our French life from the third floor apartment ( which actually is the 4th floor but in this pic count up to to the 3rd floor ... you can't see the ground floor).

-  view looking down from our balcony overlooking the "Market" activities! 

And that's a wrap ... the vendors packing up and another busy Saturday market is over !