Tobacco harvest time!

We've been coming to this region of France for many years before buying Les Granges and this is the first time I've seen tobacco being harvested, in this case just outside Montignac. Over 20 years ago it seemed that every field you passed in this area was the same broad leaved plant, now it probably takes up one field in twenty, an obvious sign of the decline in popularity of the cigarette. they do still produce cigarettes in this area, a large factory is still situated on the outskirts of Sarlat

A 2,500km trek!

Early last week we got a call from Henk, an old friend we met in New Zealand a couple of years ago, who told us he'd be calling near by us on his way to Santiago in Spain. Fine we said, when are you arriving, "Friday or Saturday in Perigeux, can you pick me up, i'm walking from Holland to Spain for charity and could do with a couple of days rest!"

As pictured above, this is how we found him in Perigeux on Friday afternoon after he'd completed 1,300 kms out of 2,500kms looking remarkably fit after walking for 7 weeks, the last few days in blistering top 30's degree of heat, he was looking a lot thinner than when we saw him a couple of years ago!

I think after a couple of days we managed to feed and water him, maybe even put a little bit of weight back on him although he's now returned back to his walk, so that's probably all been lost now...good luck Henk on your trek over the Pyrenees and then onward to Santiago!!

Henks web site is -  http://www.henkhelpt.nl/

Temporary move!

All our gites and the main house are full so we've had to move out of Les Granges for a short while, fortunately for us, some very nice friends have allowed us to 'house sit' their home in a lovely small village up the road in Plazac. Their house is very close to the Romanesque church shown above, I managed to get a bit of time off to have a look around and inside the church I found this fantastic old memorial to the men (and boys) of the village who lost their lives in that terrible war. Some beautiful hand painted lettering with a chandelier underneath that looks as though it is as it was when the memorial was first unveiled.

Also on the stone archway into the church, this painting has survived the centuries, if you click on the picture it will open an enlarged view of it, it's certainly not as old as the cave paintings in this area but is just as impressive.

In the next couple of days we are moving out of Plazac and are taking up residence in a tent on the nearby camp site 'Le Paradis', a place we know very well having been customers when our daughters were much younger, so, as they say, the change will be as good as a rest......possibly!