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Of course, St Emilion has a prime purpose of
selling its well known high quality wine to whoever will buy. Open fronted
shops such as this are the norm. |
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Raise your eyes above the shop level and there are other
vintage sights to be seen. |
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Just behind the gents toilet, I spotted this
interesting example of weathering.
Nothing to do with me, guv. |
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A little later, we met up with our friends,
Tony and Mary Escott who were holidaying nearby. |
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Tony and I used to work together in the same office
and studio (C1) in
BBC Wales. |
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In the grounds of their chambre d'hote were
some rather fine birds of the hen and rooster variety. That's what free
range does for you. |
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"Now you just carry on with laying those
eggs whilst I go for a stroll". |
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Lunch was taken in a nearby restaurant which was probably
responsible for most of the weight I put on that holiday! An excellent meal
of goodness knows how many courses. |
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That's me in the corner topping up my wine glass! |
| Then, all too soon, we had to move on to Gavaudun.
This was a lovely old restored water mill at which Richard and I had stayed
on our 'big' bike ride of 2002. The owners remembered us and once again we
enjoyed their good food and warm welcome. |
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Feeding time for the ...? Are they a special
type of goat? |
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Around the rear of the mill is a vast lake.
It appears to be full of some pretty big fish, too. |
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| The following morning, we headed east to Puy L'Eveque,
a charming and fascinating town clinging to the steep northern bank of the
Lot river. |
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There is a well signposted 'trail' around the town which
takes you past, almost through, the many pretty patios and gardens. |
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What would you give for a garden with a view like this? |
'There's an old mill by the stream.' Not
actually this place, but right on the water course is a former tannery. |
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This is/was it. Having lived near a working
tannery in my youth, I can vouch for the terrible smells that must have
emanated hereabouts when it was in full flow. The river Lot would not have
had its present sparkling clarity, either. |
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Nearby, there is a delightful shop selling
all manner of pretty artefacts. Rather like our own Xantippe in
Cowbridge.
Each room was an absolute picture. |
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Not just pot pussies; Jean spotted a real
one hiding:
once woken, it decided to pose in the
window. |
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Maybe she was watching the birds opposite. |
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A few more 'snaps' of the town to finish off our whistle
stop tour. |
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Wine on draught? That reminds me of Yates's wine lodges
in the UK! |
| Inevitably on holiday I take pics
of butterflies, follow the link below to see a few taken in
France. |
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