Papa and I left our B and B on the Dordogne this morning and drove about a mile past Castelnaud, high on a rock over the Dordogne. We turned down a country lane and drove past Castle Fayrac, owned by a wealthy Texan, then to Milandes, formerly owned by Josephine Baker, an African American entertainer from the US who bought Chateau Milandes in 1945 and spent her life's fortune renovating it. After she went broke, many people came to her aid, setting up a foundation to take care of the chateaux in the future and Josephine Baker went on to live with Princess Grace in Monaco for many years.
We drove to Belves and walked around. It is a pretty little village, very quiet this morning. We crossed the Dordogne and stopped at Limeuil, with steep streets, all torn up for sewer reconstruction. We went on to Tremolat, a beautiful village nearby. We stopped for gas and the attendant was anxious to use his English. We walked around a bit, enjoying Tremolat. There is a Le Relaix and Chateaux property in the center of the village.
Our next stop was in Cadouin, famous for it's abbey, started because a "shroud of Christ" was passed down in a family, then sold and got the attention of the Catholic Church which ordered an abbey built in Cadouin in the 1100's, to display it. Pilgrims came to Cadouin for hundreds of years, until the 1960's when carbon dating was done on the "shroud" and it was determined to be from the 700's and Islamic, rather than Christian. So much for the pilgrims! We had a wonderful four course lunch in Cadouin.
From Cadouin, we drove to nearby St. Avit Senieur, another 11th century abbey, this one built on Roman ruins. Back on the road to Beaumont de Perigord, a cute town, then we stopped in Monpazier. Monpazier was my favorite village thus far on the trip. It is a bastide town, built in a square with all streets flowing out from the main square, a market square. The surrounding buildings have vaulted and arched porches, so that shopkeepers sell their wares under the porches. Monpazier is beautiful!
Just down the road from Monpazier we stopped at Chateau de Biron, the largest chateau of the Dordogne region. It is impressive! It was built over several centuries, so the style of architecture changed somewhat. Very interesting! We are staying in a B and B in Puy L'Eveque tonight, quite nice with a four poster bed and large sitting room. Papa has a hard time walking by patisseries without stopping, so we are having a snack of pastries from numerous stops throughout the day. Having fun!
We drove to Belves and walked around. It is a pretty little village, very quiet this morning. We crossed the Dordogne and stopped at Limeuil, with steep streets, all torn up for sewer reconstruction. We went on to Tremolat, a beautiful village nearby. We stopped for gas and the attendant was anxious to use his English. We walked around a bit, enjoying Tremolat. There is a Le Relaix and Chateaux property in the center of the village.
Our next stop was in Cadouin, famous for it's abbey, started because a "shroud of Christ" was passed down in a family, then sold and got the attention of the Catholic Church which ordered an abbey built in Cadouin in the 1100's, to display it. Pilgrims came to Cadouin for hundreds of years, until the 1960's when carbon dating was done on the "shroud" and it was determined to be from the 700's and Islamic, rather than Christian. So much for the pilgrims! We had a wonderful four course lunch in Cadouin.
From Cadouin, we drove to nearby St. Avit Senieur, another 11th century abbey, this one built on Roman ruins. Back on the road to Beaumont de Perigord, a cute town, then we stopped in Monpazier. Monpazier was my favorite village thus far on the trip. It is a bastide town, built in a square with all streets flowing out from the main square, a market square. The surrounding buildings have vaulted and arched porches, so that shopkeepers sell their wares under the porches. Monpazier is beautiful!
Just down the road from Monpazier we stopped at Chateau de Biron, the largest chateau of the Dordogne region. It is impressive! It was built over several centuries, so the style of architecture changed somewhat. Very interesting! We are staying in a B and B in Puy L'Eveque tonight, quite nice with a four poster bed and large sitting room. Papa has a hard time walking by patisseries without stopping, so we are having a snack of pastries from numerous stops throughout the day. Having fun!
