A beautiful trip up the Dordogne

Went to reception to see if we could stay another night, we could have but would have had to move again so after more faffing we chose to leave as we felt like we were paying premium rates but not getting the benefits of having our tent up and relaxing.  Tough for the kids as they’d have loved to have been in the pool today – one of the hottest days of the year, paid 33€ for the night. Before we left we drove up to the medieval village on top of the cliff above the campsite, there were amazing views across the valley.

We chose to go to a village called La Roque Gageac with an aire again right by the river Dordogne.  We stopped at Castlenaud – la –Chapelle on the way and again got out to admire the stunning chateau on the cliff and we also went down to the river access where people were canoeing and kayaking downstream.  Saw lots of fish close to the bank which the kids loved – the river can’t be more than 1 metre deep.

The aire at La Roque is at the end of the car park but right on the river again and we were lucky to get a front row spot which backed onto grass for the kids.  When we arrived it was a  boiling 38C hot, thankfully there was a tree for the kids to play under.  On our left was a British couple – super friendly, and a French couple to the right who we managed to converse with, again very friendly!

We decided to quickly go for a walk to (hopefully) buy bread (knowing we had some from yesterday for Rennie) to make lunch, saw that boat trips were running and the next was in 40 mins time.  So, march on to find boulangerie – I request 2 baguettes and then march kids back to make lunch in time to be on jetty for 1.30.  We made it.  We’re given headphones and receptor by a woman who is neurotic about the order we return the devices and how we operate them.  The boat goes 7km up the Dordogne river to Castlenaud where we were this morning.  Commentary is actually rubbish and mine and Evan’s stop working 1/3 of the way through.
 

 At this point the woman has a go at us for messing with the channels even though I know we haven’t touched them – it worked for about another 15mins and then packed in again so we left it.  Trip was beautiful  the river and really fun to watch all the canoes and kayaks.  Kids loved it.  Scenery was stunning. 

Came back to van and chatted with British couple, they recommended a Passion site near Bordeaux which is an abandoned chateau and sounds really cool.  They live in Spain and tour France during July and August to get away from the heat – they were actually finding this heatwave a relief!!!  Kids played great in the heat with toys and fuzzy felt etc.  Chatted to another British couple before bed whilst the village had a boules competition late into the night  - classic French!  

Enjoyed a nice local French red and (chilled after I requested it) rose wine for the evening.  3€ for the day and 7€ for the night.  

Evan learns to swim!

Woke up prompt and Chris packed tent away – so thankful we bought a pop up easy to use tent.  I paid lady – checked on Google translate how to explain we were leaving after a day despite booking 2!!  Found a proper nice site at Beynac et Cazenac called Le Capeyrou, pg 45 in book.
Impressed myself by asking fully in French for a place.  They first told us they were full but then found us a pitch just for the night.  The site was immaculate, amazing toilet and shower block and we were pitched right next to the river.

We walked around the site and the kids had a go on the playground, then we followed the path about 1 mile along the river to a river beach where hundreds of people were getting in canoes and kayaks to sail down the river and then be collected by minibus and brought back.  Looked great fun but our kids were far to young and they had to be able to swim.  Another boiling hot day and kids enjoyed a Calypo on way home. 

I took the kids swimming in pool just as it clouded over – typical but again had a really great time!!  Encouraged Evan to get swimming and he did it!!  Right across the pool!!!he was so pleased with himself and I was very proud – about 10 metres I think.  Morgan is fearless, she jumped in right out of her depth and went straight under and came up laughing!!  Put a load of washing in laundrette, took a right load of faffing around to work out I needed to buy a token which I managed to ask for confidently in French!!  Clever me!!

Chris cooked  a great BBQ with prawns and steak with a commentary from our English neighbour from Warrington about why he got rid of his T25 for a T5 – quite an irritating man but actually there were lots of English on the site, many of whom were much worse!!

1^st day of hearing so many English and to be honest we didn't like it.  We explained to the Warrington man that we've stayed in some Aires and his ignorance was shocking.  So many Brits not even trying to speak French was embarrassing to me.  Forecast for tomorrow is HEATWAVE!!!!!

Gouffre de Proumeyssac

Woke to a police woman collecting money for the aire, 5€ so great value again although the toilet was awful with no seat etc.  Left in the morning to go to Supermarket at Sarlat-en-Caneda, a medieval town that the guide book says is great.  It was heaving when we went through – the Sat Nav has a dodgy lead so we ended up going through the centre and this was a mistake!  We found a shop selling camping stuff – not a great range still though, no idea where French people but their camping stuff from.  Chris got 2 folding chairs, probably not going to be good enough but better than nothing as my chair also broke last night!!  Found a municipal campsite on internet last night to stay at tonight so can shower again hopefully!

But before we found this we chose to visit the Gouffre de Proumeyssac, the second biggest underground chamber in the Perigord region.  Bought tickets and audio headsets for during the tour.  We somehow managed to get on the wrong tour but the nice guide sorted us out –could have been due to Seren wetting herself in the queue and Chris having to taker her back to Flo to change!!  We walked down a tunnel into the cave but it wasn't lit so we didn't really know we’d arrived.  They turned off all the lights then began by lighting the ceiling shaft where the original explorers entered the cave.  There was a new basket following the original route that you could pay to go in – we didn’t fancy it!!!  Music played to build the atmosphere and gradually the whole cave lit up – it was amazing!!  Water enters the cave in 4 places and where it drips it has created 4 magnificent shaped calcium formations; they are named Jellyfish, Waterfall, Octopus, and the Mermaid.  We then walked down some steps to the bottom of the cave, it is called the crystal cathedral because the hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites that look like a cathedral organ, the roof is a perfect dome just like a church.  Under the dripping water they have put pottery and after a year they become covered in the crystallised minerals from the water, very pretty!!  The water in the pools is surprisingly warm and said to be drinkable.  Lastly we climbed into a tunnel behind the main cavern and saw triangle shaped crystals forming in the pools – apparently they need very specific conditions to form like this and are very rare.  Kids really loved it – as did we.

Left after lunch to travel to campsite in Cazoules.  This site wasn’t great – it was on banks of river Dordogne but was quite wooded so mosquitoes everywhere.  Unhelpful, French woman on reception and no English people on whole site! Not great facilities near us – Chris’ shower was awful….But, there was  a pool so I took the kids in, Morgan’s first time in a pool I think! – got them all jumping in and splashing confidently, they loved it. The boys also played table tennis which Evan loved.  Millions of bites before bed so not going to stay another night.  Cost 19€.

2 places in history...

Lovely bright morning at Marboue so we packed up quickly to make the most of the day.  Had shower in 'pit' toilet room with a kettle full of hot water mixed with cold in the portable shower - worked a treat! Today we went to Orador sur Glane, the memorial village to the people who were killed there by the SS in 1945. Free entry.  Haunting place, very emotional, difficult not to be upset by the brutality of the way the massacre was carried out.  Shattered, smoke stained buildings show the brutality - they preserve the memory of the once prosperous village.  We spent about an hour there and felt we'd seen enough and kids had been good so felt we shouldn't push it - we decided not to take any photos - it just didn't seem right.

Left straight for Dordogne and headed for an aire in a village called Les Eyzies de Tayac.  The road from St. Yrieix-la-Perche to Les Eyzies had awesome scenery, especially from Montignac to Eyzies which had chateaus on every bend and the river Vezere meandered through huge limestone outcrops like I've never seen.  Particularly impressive was La Roque St. Christophe; we could see people in the caves where pre-historic (!) people used to spend winter months and they have found the earliest cave paintings of bison and people etc.  The whole area is full of caves like these and also impressive stalagmite/stalagtite caverns - we're really excited to see some of these.

Les Eyzies is a beautiful village, one of the prettiest we have ever seen.  The river is at the bottom of a cliff face (where the aire is) and the houses are all built into the rock.  It is called "The National Centre of Pre-History" and has the national museum built up into the cliff face; we didn't go there though as didn't look interesting for the kids really.  It was a very hot afternoon, we walked around the village through tiny narrow streets and saw several lizards much to Evan's delight!!  Stopped in a cafe on way back to Flo for 2 bieres and the kids each had a slush puppy, their first experience of one - they went down really well!!  Found ourselves next to a Dutch couple again in the aire, the guy had a rescue dog who only spoke English and they smoked a lot of weed!!  The people weren't as friendly as we were used to at Chinon - we moved Flo away from some right old grumpy French couple!! Our crime seemed to be having children with us!

Heading south

Decided to leave Loire. All the washing was soaking and lots of branches were down all over the site after the storm... we left because we wanted to see more France!  In the morning there was lovely sunshine so we could dry tent easily by picking the whole thing up and moving it into the sunshine - such a great buy!!!! Pop-up tents are definitely the way forward! Said good bye to Dutch couple, never did find out their names, pretty sure the guy was Peter and I called the girl Chrissie but don't actually know!!! Found out yesterday that the site freezes cool blocks and bottles of ice - don't know why I didn't think of it before so I collected some as I paid - total price for 4 nights was 53€!!!!!! BARGAIN!!!! Can't believe how cheap it was!! British sites could learn a thing or two.

So set off about 11ish heading south for Limousin.  Beautiful countryside, lots of sunflowers fields, but so many trees and branches on roads after last nights storms, some entire fields of sunflowers were flattened!! It was very interesting to see the change of roof colours as we travelled.  Arrived at Javerdat aire mid afternoon.  A pretty rural village with church.  Just 4 places in aire divided by bushes, great wooden toilet block and sinks.

Only 1 other (British) motor home in aire.  The aire was on top of a sloping hill with a little park & picnic benches.  Morgan managed to fall off ladder on slide but amazingly held on and hung like a monkey until I got there! Rather annoying flee-ridden Labrador around most of the day but the whole place was very peaceful.  Hung washing out, again (!) hoping this time the rain would not ruin it! Mostly bright afternoon but finished with light shower; Chris was sat in my chair whilst I was on the blanket holding the parasol to keep the rain off!

Sunny Saumur

Chris broke his chair last night so today we went to Decathlon in Saumur to try to buy a new one.  Lovely drive to Saumur, beautiful river.

Decathlon was useless; no chairs but I did get new sandals for my very swollen feet!!.....and a watch that we can't change the time on!! Drove to the viewpoint above Saumur and took some great panoramic photos.

Went around about 50 different shops looking for chairs and ice and fridge solutions but no joy!  Arghhhhhh!!!!! The biggest thunderstorm in the world last night - was clear when we went to bed so I left the washing out to dry again.....BIG  mistake!!! 2am woken up by rain and then followed the biggest thunderstorm we've ever known! Dutch couple's awning blew down! Couldn't sleep through it but very thankful we were not in a tent!

La Fortress de Chinon and dragons!

Feet swollen because of the mosquito bites, ouchy! Leisurely morning tidying tent while kids did Maths and English books - their choice honest!  Then went to the fortress de Chinon, 7€50 entrance for Chris and I, kids free again! Fantastic castle.

 

Great remains and dragon exhibition, kids loved finding dragons as we went around.  Lots of steps up and down loads of layers in towers.  Very hot day.  Wine tasting in castle grounds, arrogant vineyard man let us taste red and rose but offered no English at all - bought red and it was very nice.

Great views across Chinon from the top of the towers! We could just about see our tent on the campsite below.

Spent evening talking with Dutch couple from tent next to us - really good company! Talked about loads; lovely couple.  Did washing by hand - hard work, not doing that again when there is a machine on site!  Big thunderstorm overnight, washing all got soaked, what a waste of time!!

Villandry

Mosquito bites!!!!! I am covered, lots of midges here as we're right next to the river.  Went to Villandry Chateau and gardens. Cost 7€ for Chris and I, kids were free, amazing value.  Parked in the aire next to the chateau.

Fantastic gardens and play area for the children.  Beautiful - really impressed.

 
Drove back along river to see Chateau Usse, the Sleeping Beauty castle, and also saw many of the troglodyte dwellings in the cliff faces.

Very impressive.  BBQ prawns for tea, yummy!!  Morgan didn't go to sleep till 10.30, might be a long day with her tomorrow!!!

And relax!

Travel to Loire, 2 hrs
Arrive at a municipal campsite on the banks of the river at Chinon.  Amazing view of the fortress including a blue dragon!

Large campsite but quiet.  Good showers which are very welcome! Fridge finally stopped working and also found LPG for first time after 5 stations advertised but didn't actually have any.  Very friendly site owners and neighbouring campers. Everyone says bonjour, bonsoir etc.

Perfect spot to sit and watch castle at night - lit up beautifully. Solar fairy lights working well!!