17th June - Felines-Termenes
52 miles from Quillan
Passed a couple more Cathar castle sites at Arques, Thermes, Durfort and Villerouge-Termenes. Stopped overnight at the village just to the south of the last one. Many have been restored and are open to the public; but, poor Chateau Durfort remains as a wooded ruin next to a farm.
Wandered off for an afternoon walk in the wooded hills from the Aire. No map! Was trying to get to Chateau Villerouge-Termenes - got completely lost in the wooded hills - but managed to arrive back at the Aire eventually - using the sun!
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| Chateau Termes |
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| Chateau Durfort A completely wooded ruin |
62miles from Felines-Termenes
Pretty dreary trip over the flat area to the east of Carcassone in the morning. Was compensated by going up into the hills again to visit Lastours - yes, another, and my last, Cathar site for this trip! Beginning to suffer Cathar overload (same problem with D-Day in Normandy last summer).
However, Lastours is one of the best known sites with four separate castles close together on a high ridge above the village. So finish on a high note.
After lunch next to the river saw a sign for my next destination (Mezemet). Oh dear! I should have looked at the map before I started off, it was a very very steep, hair-pinned and narrow minor road. Got some strange looks from some people as I had to divert through a village car park and squeeze between some houses to get round road works. Made it to the Aire at the lake near Mezemet - which seemed very popular. The French seem to park up for days on end at these places.
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| Lastours - Village One of the castles at the top of the cliff |
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| Lastours - From the footpath up to the castles The cypresses are some form of recent landscape architecture |
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| Lastours Three of the castles from the top of the fourth one |
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| Lac-les-Montagnes A very busy Aire |
103 miles from Mezemet
Had decided to take a look at the Dordogne again, after about ten years, and planned on taking a few days to get there. Had not been particularly impressed on my previous visit finding it hard to see the attraction to so many visitors when there is so much more in France.
Passed through some gorgeous hills, valleys, villages and river gorges on the way to Peyrusse-le-Roc crossing the Tarn at Albi (impressive looking town - loads of orange brick in the buildings and the cathedral). Definitely an area to visit in the future.
Peyrusse-le-Roc is a small village at the head of a deep river valley. With, of course, more castle towers - but this time below the village. The aire had a spectacular view - unfortunately, a french van had parked and blocked the view for nearly everyone else from their vans. Wandered off walking - thank goodness the French way mark their footpaths - except, I think two separate systems met and were both were using yellow and white markers - I ended up going round in circles through wooded hills for ages!
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| Peyrusse-le-Roc Castle ruins in the wooded valley below the village |
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| Peyrusse-le-Roc More of the same |
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| Peyrusee-le-Roc Awesome view from the Aire and the French culprit in front of my van |
91 miles from Peyrusse-le-Roc
Through the Cause de Quercy crossing the Lot between Cahors and Figerac to the Dordognge at Carsac. This part of France is littered with towns and villages with names terminating in 'nac' - not a clue what it means.
Bloody Sat-Nav! It happily sent me down two narrow roads with height restrictions of 2.8m below old railway bridges. My van is 2.95m high. Trying to find an alternative in the back-end of no where is a pain. But to be honest, especially when driving on your own, Sat-Nav is brilliant. I just wish you could enter headroom requirements into CoPilot Live!
Drove down the Dordogne to le Bugues which is on the Vezere, advertised as the 'Valle de Homme' - many of the early human remains (Cro-Magnan Man etc) were initially found in the valley.
Stayed over for a three nights at a campsite at le Bugues. The temperature hit 37C on the Saturday afternoon, so ended up in the shade with a migraine! Managed a walk trough the hills on the Sunday but that was hard going at 35C in the afternoon.
The Dordogne villages and towns were heaving with visitors and the car parks for nearly full - it was only the middle of June. I hate to think what the area is like in August.
The Dordogne really 'don't rock my boat'. Too much like England.
Decided that I would like to re-visit the Ardeche and see the gorges there again which meant a long circuit south of the Auvergne.
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| le Bugues - Campsite Vezere and limestone clifffs from the Van |
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| le Bugues - Campsite The emplacement - 12 euro a night - but no WiFi |
23rd June - Lacroix-Barrrez
140miles from le Bugues
Brive-la-Gaaillarde is a dump and seems to go on for ever - avoid.
Lacroix-Barrez - the perfect out of the way French village to the south of the Cantal. Absolutely gorgeous municipal aire for camping cars. Individual electric and water supplies in a neat shaded field. Additional free services, including electricity, at the entrance. I didn't begrudge the charge of 2.50 euro a night! Amazing! You can't even park in England for that price. The village is on an arable plateau at about 700m with deep wooded valleys below. Good walking and cycling. Marked paths and even free walking sticks in a milk churn at the information board. Even a village shop and Bar-Tabac.
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| Lacroix-Barrez - The neat Aire de Stationment des Campingcars |
140 miles
Spent the first half of the trip following the Lot Valley for miles including the Gorges de Lot. Crossed my path after a short section of the A75 at Chanac (more 'nacs') which I passed through on the 10th May on the way to Ales. Headed through Mende to the edge of the Auvergne.
Was going to stop at Mende; but, the aire was nearly full with no shade and it was in the thirties. Parked up for an hour and drove on up the valley of the Lot to Pradelles and stopped over at a Aire at about 1200m with wide views south to the Cevennes.
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| Estaing on the Lot |
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| St-Come d'Olt - On the Lot |
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| Pradelles- expansive view south to the Cevennes from the Aire (1200m) Thunder storms brewing-up |
54 miles from Pradelles
Camped for a week at Camping Peyrouse about 2km from the town centre and adjacent to the Ardeche. Details to follow.
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