June 7 - Some more amazing days here. Have to say the Dordogne is very lovely. Apricot stone, splendid buildings if rather a lot of new stuff. Lovely valleys, cloaked in deepest green. Too many suffering geese and ducks for me, to be honest and far too many people. It is so busy compared to so much of France. Vast numbers of English but also of Dutch - they seem to be the next highest if not even, as travellers, the largest number. They are a bit stand-offish I am sorry to say. Tend not to pass the time of day and if they do it can be a bit of a challenging process. One in particular greeted my cheery Bonjour with "Good morning - so much nicer don't you think?" I snapped not really and added that we were in France after all but they had strode on regardless. Another couple blithely pushed in front at a market stall and when the stallholder peered round them to serve me were very stroppy.
On the site there have been four vans in a row with the Dutch couple sat outside. They tend to line up under their awnings facing out, having parked their cars off their pitches. I walk past with the dog and say four Bonjour or Bonsoius and even add an occasional Good Morning. I get at best two responses. The French and the Brits always respond or speak first.
We have visited many places - Castle Beynac, La Roche Gagiac, Domme, Les Jardins des Eyrignac, Sarlat (again and again), into Brive but better to villages like Terrasson, St Amand de Coly, St Genies and on and on really. All lovely or grand or impressive or all three at once.If it had not rained today (first real rains for weeks to be honest) we wpould have been in Sarlat again (and still will if it clears up). Tomorre I want to visit the home of anthopology in France at St Eysies de Tursac. We have visited the village before and the valley of the Vezer we have mentioned. But Eyzies has a museum of prehisory that is highly regarded world-wide. The valley is full of discoveries going back tens of millenia. This is where the definitions of Neanderthal and Cro Magnon man were established. Lascaux and its painting are up the valley, there are more such sites everywhere. We have seen some and also some amazing sculptures of animals in relief dating back 18,000 years. Representational art if a very old skill.
One further drama for us - Olly has ripped out a claw while careering around with another dog! Bled like crazy but he seemed cool (more than I was!) and we have bound it and treated it. Seems to be settling down but the rain is a problem as we do need to keep it dry for a few days. Janet is currently out trying to buy cheap (in France? Huh) baby bootees as covers for his bandages!
But after that it will be clear up and set off for Argenton sur Creuse, north about 180k and home to a lot of more recent stuff - Roman. It looks an interesting area and has escaped our attention until now. A few days there will see us heading up to a site near Orleans and the Loire. Its a section we have not visited and so has some chateaux (usually the palatial rather than castle type) we have not visited. A week or so there and we head for Rouen which will feel like we are nearly home! Then it really is a few days near Calais, vet visit, shopping natch and the ferry. After three months our own beds will feel good, I have to say.
