Fire and rain

Our most recent visitors arrived on Tuesday evening last week - Bob and Pam. We collected them from Cahors railway station and managed to comfortably fit their luggage into C3’s boot although they were left nursing the parcel tray in the back seat.

Here we are having lunch in our courtyard.

During their stay, Cahors was hosting the 28th Cahors Blues Festival offering a free concert on the Wednesday. We made time for a wander around Cahors, Fran and Pam forging ahead of the men, up one street and down the next, looking for a restaurant listed in the Lonely Planet. When we found it, the staff were all outside having a drink and a smoke so we guessed we might have been a bit early. After visiting the St Etienne Cathedral and Cloister , we found a little bar in the cool of one of the narrow little streets in the old town as by then, we had all worked up a thirst, enjoying a cold drink and tapas. A nice meal at Le Lamparo (the staff were now back in the kitchen and behind the bar) followed by a digestif on the house, Calvados - delicious, and then we scampered back to the concert venue arriving minutes before the second band - Le Swing Machine - was due to play. It was packed, but being optimistic (and tinny) Fran went straight for some seats she could see and although the 4 of us could not sit together we found 2x2, grabbing them tres vite.

The weather was absolutely superb, warm and still (apologies to family and friends in SE Australia). The band members, all 17 + of them were bedecked in yellow blazers with black shirts and pants and the sound was pretty impressive. Throughout each number one musician would nonchalantly wander to the front, grab a mike, play a solo for a couple of minutes, bow graciously to the applause and even more nonchalantly wander back to their place with the others - alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet and euphonium. Even the conductor had a go, playing the flute very well. The band was joined in the second half by Shanna Waterstown, a blues singer from the US with a big voice.

The next day we took off on a tour of some more of the pretty villages nearby - Goujounac, Les Arques and Lherm. Les Arques is famous for the creative works of Ossip Zadkin, on show inside and outside the Church with more on display inside the museum. However, unfortunately we arrived at the door to the museum one minute before it closed for two hours over lunch. Despite the fact that the town was very quiet - perhaps 8 tourists (and a cat) - 4 of whom were at his door and very keen, the curator shut!! Oh well, C’est la vie, or perhaps C‘est la vie francaise. What we did see of Zadkin’s sculptures were unusual and impressive (see photo of sculpture of Mary and Christ, a modern version of Michelangelo’s Pieta). We also checked out the menu for the restaurant in Les Arques called La Recreation which features prominently in the travel book called “From here you can’t see Paris” - looks good and we may venture back there one day for a long, lazy summer lunch as it’s only 30 minutes away. Afterwards, we paid a visit to Lherm (below right) hoping for a picnic spot in the shade and by a river or stream (not asking much) but no luck. So on we went to Le Lac Vert near Cazals - a popular swimming hole - where we enjoyed a picnic lunch - bread, cheese, sausage - complete with a bottle of local white wine. En route home we tried unsuccessfully to find La Plage aux Pterosaures - allegedly one of the most important paleontological sites in the world with fossilised tracks of 50 species of animals who lived in the area 140 million years ago. We know the site exists as a tourist site because Fran had spoken on the phone to someone there to find out … when they closed for lunch!

The next day was overcast and rainy and so we headed underground to another of the amazing Grottes for which this part of France is renowned, this one, La Grotte de Cougnac, close to the town of Gourdon. It is billed as having one of the most amazing cave ceilings in France, with thousands of long needle-like stalactites. Whilst there were prehistoric paintings similar to those at Pech Merle, they were neither as impressive nor as many. Afterwards a walk through the town of Gourdon which probably warrants a further look at some stage.

That evening was to be la piece de resistance - dinner, music and fireworks in a wonderful setting - at the medieval Chateau de Bonaguil, featured in an earlier blog entry. Pam and Fran were keeping a close eye on the sky and as the afternoon passed, they were convinced that the worst of the weather was over. And besides … we had visions of us dining in style in one of the grand salles in the Chateau as we had been told that the meal would be inside. Hmmm…. !

Chateau de Bonaguil between rain storms

No sooner had we been allocated our seats on long trestle tables outside at the bottom of the hill below the chateau, than it started to rain. The locals were smart - they had brought their wet weather gear and their umbrellas. It was such a pity as the setting was beautiful. Fran managed to grab one of the few large umbrellas made available by the organisers but our backs were still catching the drips and the weather wasn’t too warm. Not to worry - there were enough reasonably dry spells between courses for us to eat and enjoy a delicious meal and afterwards we retired to the warmth of the car to wait for the fireworks spectacular, the carpark offering an excellent vantage point. Set amid the ruins of the Chateau and accompanied by the uplifting strains of music by Bach, Mozart and Verdi, the fireworks offered a wonderful spectacle, accompanied by the story of the Chateau (we think) narrated over a loud speaker. It was a late night. Bob and Pam left us the next day after very little sleep, heading for a week’s walking in Corsica.

As for us, we have had a few lazy days because the heat has returned - around 38 degrees on Monday, watching the Tour de France live on TV and enjoying another swim at the waterhole near Montcuq. We are planning to go to a tango night this evening at the local community hall featuring demonstrations by dancers from Buenos Aires followed by a bal (dance). Should be fun.