The Bucket List
I have a little set-up here in the manor.
Basically it’s a collection of disks all connected to a network so I can access everything from everywhere.
One disk has a few films and series on it, another has my own collection of music [about 20,000 tracks?!] and all my digital photographs [nearly 5,000].
Last night we had watched a film and when it was over I idly started flicking through the photos.
We nearly wept.
I had found a whole collection of images I had taken in France around the Dordogne region over several holidays.
On our first trip to France we had gone the whole hog – all the way down to the Spanish border in an old Fiesta packed to the roof with luggage and a three year old. If I was going to learn how to drive on the wrong side of the road, I might as well do it properly?
The second trip was in ’90 and we happened by chance to end up near Sarlat-la-Caneda. We fell in love with the area and returned a further three times.
It’s hard to describe the Sarlat area. It has just about everything we wanted in abundance.
The weather is fantastic – usually dead calm with temperatures around the thirties and it’s a very comfortable temperature. None of that Irish thing where if the thermometer rises above twenty you start to sweat ike mad and get very uncomfortable.
The towns and villages in the area are amazing. All seem to be stuck in the middle ages yet all function perfectly. Sarlat in particular is a modern town [we’d call it a city in Ireland] but the entire heart of it is medieval architecture and all pedestrianised.
Of course the food there is somewhat different from the Irish stuff. The one of the plate above is Confit de Canard! One of my favourite dishes over there.
Now the problem is that looking at the photographs has given us a wee hankering to return. Things have changed somewhat since our last visit ten years ago. Whatever luggage we bring would have to leave enough room for a wheelchair or a wheelie-walker, not to mention the dog. Wherever we go has to be on a level, so stairs are out. Either that or we have to get Herself’s knees replaced [but I can’t find any suitable knees on eBay].
One way or another, we are determined to return.
Maybe next year?
I recognize the bar in Sarlat bottom right. I’ve had a few beers there! If you do return to this area, you are most welcome to drop in. After a road accident in late 2015 I’m partially paralized and although I can walk a limited distance with crutches, I use a wheelchair when out and about shopping. If you like duck, I certainly know some excellent restaurants and Auburges that specialise in that. Also a local bar stocks Guiness, in bottles sadly but a taste of home none the less!
I should have identified the photos. Here goes –
1. Main Square Sarlat
2. Beynac-et-Cazenac
3. Domme
4. View of Beynac-et-Cazenac from the garden of the pace we rented
5. Fabulous meal in a restaurant in Carlux
6. Main Square Sarlat [again]
I would imagine there are about five or six bars in that bottom photo!
If [and it’s a big if] we ever return there I will indeed let you know.
I’ve had quite a few beers and coffees in the various establishments Sarlat. I know people in Domme. The others I know but don’t frequent very often.
Any time you want to draop by……..
Confit de canard is wonderful!
The Dordogne in September is a delight. The roads are empty, the weather is beautiful and parking is easy – and house rentals are cheap. The drive down from the port means only skirting around Nantes and a small bit of the Bordeaux ring road – both of which are simple compared with the drive you have to take Herself to hospital.
It would seem a lovely excursion to plan.
The driving is one of the great pleasures. Our route usually consisted of an overnight in Poitiers and then straight down to the Dordogne. The return trip was a little longer to tie in with ferry sailings and that meant an overnight in Poitiers and another in Caen. Of course that was with the old Irish Ferries timetable and route. I havn’t worked out how the new sailings fit in.