Spent the morning packing my backpack: 24kg! So tonight will have to eat 1 of the 2kg of food; drink 1 of 3 litres of water and be selective with Topsy’s repair kit. The French army food, although excellent quality, will have to go. ‘Buy there’ is the moto, although I am in need of croquetes for the dogs.

Alan had offered to take me to the train station in the afternoon, but needed a 12.50 train, so as at 12.00, Jean and son Julien were arriving for a session, arranged to leave at 12 mid-day tomorrow. Want to buy croquettes first  and batteries for razor  So akthough politely invited for an “aperitif” it looked more like a heavy drinking session, so politely declined and took the girls off for lunch at the restaurant at St. Adjutory.

Well worth the perserverence, as a simple tomato and mozarella salad masterfully presented and the potatoes dauphinoise were wonderful. Definately worth a return trip.

Did a 10k walk through the woods and past the Chateau (in picture) and Topsy fine. Arrived back at the house ans met Christienne. André had been taken ill at lunchrime and had collapsed. Believed to be a stonach problen. She just wanted to chat, so invited her in in for a glass of water as she does not drink tea or coffee. When you are isolated in a small community such as this and you are getting on, sickness to a partner who you are very dependant on must be very worrying. Apparently he is OK thus evening. So said Alan and Julien who arrived round with a bottle of “Coca-Cola” that was a suspiciously red colour similar to Pineau! Very nice of them to be sociable.

Alan is collecting me at 12 mid-day tomorroe to go to the station.  Catching a train to Limoges then on to Les Eyzes, south of Perigaux, which is on the GR36, but also where there are prehistoric rock paintings. If Topsy well enough, may go on to Albi and take 2 weeks to walk the last 100k (direct) to Liausson for Xmas dinner.

It will be sad to leave this small and extremely welcoming community.