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!

Sunset over Le Moustier

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago when just returning home after an evening stroll, i think it was the last time that we had a nice sunset as ever since its been a bit overcast. But today has been a little better albeit much warmer and tomorrow will be even nicer....here's hoping!

A polite reminder!

I've seen this sign on the main road in to Montignac many times since we've moved here, at last i remembered to take my camera in order to show just how far the AA stretched in their help to its members and other motorists. A very wise owl indeed, it's situated near to the Intermarche supermarket, maybe people we're so relieved to get all their shopping done they were going to forget which side of the road they should be on!

I'm not quite sure how old the sign is but i'll guess at when the AA changed their logo from the classic to the very plain lettering, maybe sometime in the 70's?

New Gite Swimming Pool up and running!

For customers who visited us before June this year, we thought you'd like to see how the gite swimming pool has turned out following it's new liner fitting. It's already being used regularly by our present customers, which as the temperatures as i write are in the mid 30's, you can imagine is very refreshing when cooling off is required!

Butterfly Ball!

Another macro picture taken earlier this week, the buddleia's are now nearly in full bloom so the butterfly's are very visible now.

There has still been very little rain in the area and some of our guests who have been canoeing on the Vezere have said that during their journey they've run-aground 3 or 4 times because the water level is so low, needless to say, storms are predicted this weekend so it may be a different story soon!