Day 18
This was the most perfect day of the trip, and a great note to leave the Perigord on.
We were the last down for the 10€ breakfast, so got no eggs from the buffet but had croissants, baguettes, jam, coffee, tea, juice, etc. Kind of weak, but ok.
Before breakfast, Dave had gone to the Font de Gaume cave to get tickets – 8 years ago we had missed out since they only allow 100 people per day in, to preserve the cave atmosphere.
Font de Gaume contains the finest polychrome cave paintings still open to the public, anywhere. Our group of about 15, ½ English-speaking, saw red and black bison, deer, and maybe a horse (?) on our French tour. The guide, like most, spoke very clearly, so I understood some. The paintings were nice, but a little faded after 15,000 years! Rouffignac was clearer but not in color.
Then it was back to the garden at Les Glycines for a sandwich lunch, followed by a tour at Le Grand Roc.
Le Grand Roc is a stalactite / stalagmite cave discovered in 1924 by a guy who tunneled for 2 years to find it. Why?, I didn’t ask!
But the cave was very nice and our guide Lisa was kind enough to translate for us – there were only about 7 on the tour.
It was a small cave; they had to excavate a path to allow headroom. Kristen had the best view. Everything was still dripping and forming, but no spectacular 100 foot ceilings like we’ve seen in the past at Padriac.
Home early for some pool time. The sun was nice and hot. Kristen and the little French girl (Leia) edged around each other. I introduced them but there wasn’t much interaction until Miss Hotbody (topless again) brought over the pickup sticks, and I brought over Kristen’s zoo animals. Leia, Mom and Grandma played pickup sticks – Kristen told them the English names of the Zoo animals and they told her the French. Apparently they had never seen a seal before. Kristen said “Tigre”, but not much more French.
We were the last down for the 10€ breakfast, so got no eggs from the buffet but had croissants, baguettes, jam, coffee, tea, juice, etc. Kind of weak, but ok.
Before breakfast, Dave had gone to the Font de Gaume cave to get tickets – 8 years ago we had missed out since they only allow 100 people per day in, to preserve the cave atmosphere.
Font de Gaume contains the finest polychrome cave paintings still open to the public, anywhere. Our group of about 15, ½ English-speaking, saw red and black bison, deer, and maybe a horse (?) on our French tour. The guide, like most, spoke very clearly, so I understood some. The paintings were nice, but a little faded after 15,000 years! Rouffignac was clearer but not in color.
Then it was back to the garden at Les Glycines for a sandwich lunch, followed by a tour at Le Grand Roc.
Le Grand Roc is a stalactite / stalagmite cave discovered in 1924 by a guy who tunneled for 2 years to find it. Why?, I didn’t ask!
But the cave was very nice and our guide Lisa was kind enough to translate for us – there were only about 7 on the tour.
It was a small cave; they had to excavate a path to allow headroom. Kristen had the best view. Everything was still dripping and forming, but no spectacular 100 foot ceilings like we’ve seen in the past at Padriac.
Home early for some pool time. The sun was nice and hot. Kristen and the little French girl (Leia) edged around each other. I introduced them but there wasn’t much interaction until Miss Hotbody (topless again) brought over the pickup sticks, and I brought over Kristen’s zoo animals. Leia, Mom and Grandma played pickup sticks – Kristen told them the English names of the Zoo animals and they told her the French. Apparently they had never seen a seal before. Kristen said “Tigre”, but not much more French.
Stayed at the pool till about 7, then off to the chateau-hotel restaurant in Campagne, where we had a great outdoor meal on their terrasse, served by a Chilean waiter fluent in French, English, Spanish and German.
Jill – salad with toasted goat cheese, and flambéed crepes Grand Marnier. Dave – giant shrimp, steak, toasted goat cheese with honey. Kristen – jambon blanc and frites. Rosé wine, our best of the trip. 75€.
Home around 10:30 or 11, where Kristen noticed the spectacularly clear sky as we pulled in to the parking lot. Dave went to the bar and got 2 Grand Marniers and we spent ½ hour looking at the stars and Milky Way. Kristen was nice all day.
Day 19 >>>
Jill – salad with toasted goat cheese, and flambéed crepes Grand Marnier. Dave – giant shrimp, steak, toasted goat cheese with honey. Kristen – jambon blanc and frites. Rosé wine, our best of the trip. 75€.
Home around 10:30 or 11, where Kristen noticed the spectacularly clear sky as we pulled in to the parking lot. Dave went to the bar and got 2 Grand Marniers and we spent ½ hour looking at the stars and Milky Way. Kristen was nice all day.
Day 19 >>>
