Le Bourro est arrivé! So proclaimed a sign outside the roadside wine tasting cave of le Chateau Mazivert. “Bourro” is the first fermintarion of the grapes. It is about 2% alcohol, still getmenting and tastes like home made fizzy lemonde. It matures onto a light, crisp and uncomplicated dry white wine that is very drinkable. […]

The alarm went off at 5AM. I wanted to get to the Grotte of the Font de Gaume for 7-ish. As my campinf neighbours, Stephen and Anne, were going to keep an eye on Happy and Topsy, I wanted to make sure that I was in the first tour. In fact arriving at 6.44, I […]

Went down to the canoe hore place over the bridge and hired a canoe to their weconf stop of Wt. Chhristoph. So was sortef out for a 4 person canoe for me and the dogs and given a double paddle. Then we got in a minibus and were driven up-river and with great relluctance the […]

I had thought of going to see the 200 rock paintings at the cave or “Grotte” of Le Font de Gaume. However I was late in starting off and Topsy was limping slightly, so abandoneded the idea and retired to the campsite pool. It says 25°C in the certificate beside it on water quality. However […]

Croissants and coffee for breakfast! Perfect! The nightime sounds, as well as the ubiquitous owls, were of rutting deer in the distance. Then headed onto town to post home my MSR stove, as my gas had finally run out and I have moved on to a French Camping Gas stove that I had bought in […]

Today was a sad day in a way, as I wasleaving the small community that had made me very welcome for the past week. I packed, walked the dogs, theb Alan kindly drove me to the station at Chassneiul. Now Akan does not travel by train often, if ever. So when he confidently dropped me […]

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 […]

Tidyed up the kitchen then all 3 of us set out for St. Adjutory (5k round trip), and arriving there, found that the Bar Tabsc was closed on vendridis! France is ferméd again! Spent the afternoon tidying the house as I was thinking of leaving tomorrow.vHowever , I have spoken to the owner and there […]

Spent the morning tidying up after last night, as the cottage here is immaculately clean and maintaining the standard is a challenge! Then took Happy to Montembœuf. A 11k round trip that I had designed so that I arrived after 2PM when the shops would be open. The boulangerie was férméd. (Open 4PM). The supermarket […]

Having rashly invited a crowd for dinner tonight, I needed to do something about it! Alan kindly drove me to the spermarket in the Square at Chasseneuil and I found myself in the happy position of being able to justify buying a lettuce! Then the day was spent prelaring the meal. Without a mixer, I […]