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Date walked: 10th October 2016

Distance: about 9 miles

Our route in thick red

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I have been visiting France since I was a child but possibly the greatest pleasure I have had there (that I am prepared to share) was when Bob and I spent 10 days a few years back walking part of the pilgrim “Route de Saint Jacques” (known to us as The Way of St James). We had promised ourselves another amble though the French countryside and Dordogne Experience‘s Plus Beaux Village itinerary ticked all the boxes: not too challenging walking, beautiful villages, comfortable and friendly small hotels and our bags transferred each day. What could be nicer?

October has to be one of the best months to visit this fruit and nut filled countryside, so we were surprised to be advised that several of the hotels that Keith Starr usually uses would be closed by our chosen dates. But with a little adjustment of the usual route and some ringing around he came up with an excellent alternative.  We would walk from the tiny village of Cartassac for 7 days, finishing at St Cere, and passing though 6 of France’s most beautiful villages (according to Les Plus Beaux Villages de France).

The information pack we received contained a comprehensive introduction to walking in France, as well as large scale (1:25,000)  maps for each day with routes marked, a turn by turn description and some tips on sights not to miss. It was excellent in all respects bar one – I found a nearer train station (Turenne) to our first hotel, thus saving quite a bit on a taxi fare.

Getting there (the day before) was as good as international travel gets. Bristol airport was uncrowded and our flight to Limoges departed on time. A taxi ride to the train station was  affordable and gave us time for a coffee on the station forecourt. The trains put our rolling stock to shame – they were bordering on beautiful and clean as a whistle.

Actually I don’t think beautiful is too strong

(TIP: book your train tickets in advance through SNCF’s  excellent and English-friendly website).

We were the only passengers getting off the train at La Gare de Turenne and we only saw one person for Bob to interrogate for directions to our hotel but one was enough. We trundled our suitcases for about half a mile alongside the quiet D20 arriving at L’Auberge de Cartassac  to receive a friendly greeting and in plenty of time for an afternoon stroll.  I liked everything about this hotel. The rooms were comfy, had character  and were away from the road….

Happy bunny

… and the overall decor of the place quite adventurous.

Yes, it is almost as loud as this

Following a Ricard in the bar, our  supper (set – no menu was offered) of home-made Foie Gras with rustic bread, slow cooked (24 hours) pork with roast potatoes (no veg) followed by  flambe Creme Brulee, accompanied by a pichet of unidentified but perfectly nice local wine set a high standard for the week ahead.  And breakfast the next morning was just as good, offering fresh mini pastries, several different kinds of fresh bread rolls and home-made jams and lovely butter (and further options of cold meats and cheese and even some fruit).

Nine miles is rather less than Bob and I would normally think of as a days walk but it was good to set off thinking that a relaxed day could be followed by a snooze and a pre-dinner drink in a bar over a game of crib.

Leaving the hotel ….

Nice place if you are ever going there

….we walked back into La Gare de Turenne, where not a soul was seen; I paused to admire the metal gateway of P. CASTANET.

Welding is a skill that I really ought to acquire

After passing the entrance to the station we took a small lane that climbed gently though the woods, heading for Turenne. I was struck by the slate-roofed, chateau-style architecture of one of the  modern houses we passed.

It will soften with time

Near the top of the hill we joined the D8 and from there had a great, though slightly misty view of the castle of Turenne  – the first of our Beaux Villages of the week.

With time to spare we were happy to explore the village. The main square was neat and tidy and lined with pretty, limestone block built houses.

Maybe just a tad too tidy?

The village became a feudal state after the Crusades and was one of the great fiefs of France in the 14th century. From the Middle Ages to the 18th century, the viscount of Turenne had complete autonomy until the 8 June 1738, when it was sold to Louis XV to pay the gambling debts of Charles Godfrey, the last of the Viscounts of La Tour d’Auvergne family. Thus ended the quasi-independence of this last French stronghold. End of history lesson.

We climbed the steep street passed the war memorial…

I love how this is weathering away

… and the nearby church of Notre Dame Saint Pantelon. I popped in.

Hoping that the sun may burn through soon

At the top was the entrance to the castle and a hut, occupied by two men, one a beret wearing Englishman from Salford with whom Bob immediately engaged in conversation about the Brexit vote (he was all for it, describing everyone in the EU machine as “corrupt bastards”).

The castle grounds contains Ceasar’s Tower…

…. and a garden, which, if in England, would certainly open for the National Gardens Scheme.

I’ve seen a lot worse in the NGS

We climbed the tower, natch, and it was well worth it for the drones-eye view of the garden and the surrounding countryside.

It looks better from up here

There were several rather beautifully made ceramic plaques on the tower walls pointing up places within view.

I took a pic of Bob, who is also beautifully made in his own way.

And he does a nice smile

At the hut Bob re-engaged his Brexiteer foe, so I wandered off for a bit. This was a mistake as when I wandered back Bob was nowhere to be seen. I should have rung him up to locate him but instead walked back down to the square. Then I rang him and found out that he was lost. I think I must have been a bit frustrated by now as I was keen to have a coffee; I said that I would come and find him. When I did he was pissed off with me for having walked off.

We had a coffee; the cafe owner being amazed that we would want to sit outside in what she thought was the cold and we thought was fresh-air-with-a view.

Peace offering

I had bought us a little cake but it was not enough to sweeten Bob’s mood. I offered a sincere apology later. Leaving the village on the C4 after a few hundred yards we were directed to join the GR446-480 footpath by a sign on a post….

We came to love these very clear signs

… reaching La Croix de Belonie a little later.

The sign behind is a bit of a shame

The track we were on made quite a steep descent passed a field of handsome but lazy cattle…

No where near as nice as Aubracs

… and a slightly strange viewing point.

I see no ships

Towards the bottom of this very pleasant track….

Spot the route sign?

… was an impressive collection of buildings which may have been the grounds of the Chateau de Coutinard.

Then again it might not have been

Bob and I had a (good-natured) debate about the authenticity of some  dismantled mill stones – my view was that they were genuine.

What do you think?

What was certainly genuine were the remains of the stone surface on the lane we were walking on.

A proper road!

At the bottom of the track we were back on a road for half a mile, crossing under the railway line and passing below the Sanatorium Bolou-les-Roses which was perched on a cliff top above us (but mostly hidden by trees). It is said today to house handicapped adults.

New path signs pointed the way up another wide track towards Ligneyrac….

Bit brash?

… passing our first fields of sweet chestnuts trees of the week some young,…

… and some very old, and showing signs of their ageing.

Still cropping heavily, though

There were plenty of opportunities to sample windfall nuts but they are hard work to peel satisfactorily on the hoof and even then they are a bit dry in the mouth.

Next stop was Ligneyrac ….

…. where we had decided to stop for refreshment should there have been any but there wasn’t. Sad face. In fact we didn’t see a soul.

There, was, however, a rather lovely church…

L’eglise Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte

…. with some interesting iron-work on its doors…..

Meaning?

… but the church itself was locked. Another sad face.

We found an explanation board for  the “Circuit de La Vicomte” which clearly ties in with the new boards we had seen by the side of the path and with the viewing point we had seen at Turenne (a 2015 initiative, it seems).

Still not warm enough to take the jacket off

From Ligneyrac there was a gentle climb through the hamlet of Soult, passing both a Madonna and Child…

They do lots of this in France

…  and a cross.

This, too

Leaving the road shortly after Soult we had a gentle climb towards Peyrignac…

Now its warm enough for the tee-shirt layer

…  the countryside opening out and the skies improving as we approached the top of the hill.

Yes, its turning out to be a lovely day

A potentially confusing confluence of  five roads and a few paths had us pausing to carefully read our map….

….and to think that Keith might want to clarify the direction at this point, but we took the right track – thanks to a GR route sign on a stone- (though neither of us would have said that it was “tiny” as our notes suggested.). This dirt road descended passed a hamlet called Le Chastanet …..

Benefiting from the shade, now

…(though the 0nly sign we saw was for St Mesme).

Alongside a field on the right were several Medlars – a fruit unknown to Bob and though I recognised it I could offer no enlightenment as to its eating.

They are not edible at this stage

A steady climb for half a mile gave us our first view of our second Plus Beaux Village of the walk – Collonges-la-Rouge.

It is easy to see where the “rouges” bit come from – practically everything is built from a local red sandstone.

It is quite an extraordinary place.

It also had quite a lot of tourists milling around and lots of cafes and restaurants, though what I wanted more than anything was an ice-cream.

I got the ice-cream (excellent) but Bob forewent the beer. He bought his wife some truffle infused walnut oil from one of several goodie-stuffed shops.

It’s the kind of place one really should grab a table in and have a meal but we were only a mile or so from our destination, so instead we had a bit more of a wander around.

It deserved more time but I was feeling a bit weary and that snooze I promised myself still seemed a very attractive possibility.

So we followed Keiths notes out of the village, passing the Catel de Vasshinac…..

… and a house with quite a ridiculous tower.

We didn’t get our route right from Collonges to Meyssac, taking instead a more circuitous road via the camping and caravan site. This was of particular interest to Bob as he was about to be the proud owner of a swish conversion of a VW van to a mobile home and was keen to suss out possible sites. I think it got the thumbs up.

We found the Le Relais Du Quercy easily enough. I think we took it well when the slightly odd but perfectly friendly reception person told us that regrettably that the  “wee-fee” was not working. No matter, the room was very nice. And I got my snooze (serenaded by sheep and donkeys from below my window)