It's time...

...for a little more of France. After all, this baby I'm growing is kind of a little bit French.

This is the Pyrenean chapter. It blew me away. I'd go back anytime. I love mountain scenery and, having grown up in Scotland, I tend to love grassy landscapes with dark green trees. The Pyrenees were perfect for me! I used to go walking in the mountains in Scotland as a child and I have this memory of the best feeling being lying on the grass, in the sun, just listening. Everything sounds so muted and peaceful. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love bushwalking in Tassie, but, what with the spikey, scratchy scrub, the leeches, jack jumpers and mud, there aren't really that many opportunities to lie peacefully and comfortably. There were plenty where we went in the Pyrenees.



View from the Col du Tourmalet. Awe-inspiring. So steep. I felt like I was on a pilgrimage and now have even more respect for the riders who slog up and then speed down these slopes. Sam, of course, started scheming to ride it one day. I was totally daunted. I did have a dream to ride the length of the Pyrenees one day. Driving up this vertigo inducing road may have put paid to that. So stuningly beautiful and you could hear the whistles of marmots all over the grassy slopes.



Medieval buildings in Mirepoix. The scene of what may have been my best lunch of the entire month. Cured salmon for entree followed by seven hour roasted lamb. The lamb was so good I can't even remember dessert. Not like me at all.



Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees (maybe the Pyrenees even?). We spent a day walking here. Chloe and I stopped in a grassy spot and I lay in the sun while she played on some rocks. Sam went on and I was envious but had to let Chloe out of the backpack for a while.



Stunning clear stream on the track up towards Vignemale. The track leaves from near Cauteret and we did cheat and go up a bit on a chair lift!



Old, unused Hotel at the Cirque du Gavarnie. These cows are so attractive! We also saw Pyrenean ponies, goats, huge eagles and marmots.

PS Sam tells me that is a terrible photo in the last post. Fair enough but it did make me feel better to read all your lovely comments. Thanks so, so much. I actually feel even more excited about the new one since I told you guys!

Dordogne

One more in the long drawn out series of holiday posts. Hey, that's OK, it prolongs the holiday for me!

Brantome. We arrived here after a whole day of driving from Brittany. It felt like paradise after the car! The village is a manmade island surrounded by this beautiful river. We arrived on dusk and saw water rats and something almost beaver like that we still have no idea about. Wandered in the dark, peacefulness and had a beautiful room overlooking the river. Just beautiful.

View of the Dordogne river valley. This was us nostalgically retracing our last France trip when we spent 10 days cycling in this area. Walnut orchards, sunflower and maize fields abound. The river, and several others in the area, the Lot, Veziere, for example, wind languidly through limestone country. There are lots of cliffs and an endless number of quaint villages with houses built into the cliffs (I have a secret dream to live in a troglodyte house just for a week or so!). This is also an area full of caves and some of the most famous cave art in the world. Lascaux is near here. And amazing chateaus, great markets and wonderful, wonderful food.



We stayed near here in a B & B on a farm. The owners family had the property since the 1700s. He'd converted an outbuilding into a restaurant and a couple of guest rooms. Wonderful food. The lovely owner took Chloe for walks around the restaurant so we could enjoy our food fully. So if you're ever in the area look for Le Roi Carotte and go there! Feeling like King Carrot is a local term for the way you feel when little things, like a flower bud in your garden or the sun coming out after rain, make you happy.

St Cirq Lapopie, famously beautiful cliff-perched village.

Gardens at Le Manoir d'eyrignac.

I have been lazy and haven't checked spelling. Please forgive me if you spot glaring errors or if you're French!

A little more of Cadel

Cadel didn't win but in my opinion showed he was the strongest overall rider anyway. Maybe next year. And if Cadel Evans doesn't make it maybe this Cadel will. Iris drew my attention to this and I'm impressed. Cadel's mummy has even put sponsorship on his little yellow jersey!

Go Cadel!

I'm just sitting here wasting time (when I really need some sleep) but it's the big night for Cadel Evans at the Tour de France. I've really enjoyed the tour this year. They went through some areas Sam and I rode through when we went cycle touring in France a few years ago. They even rode a col in the Pyrenees that I have ridden (Ah, yes, it's true, I was fit once).

For anyone who doesn't know, and if you're in Australis this is pretty unlikely, if Cadel Evans can make 1 min 35 secs on Carlos Sastre in the time trial tonight he will become the first Australian to win the Tour de France. He has had so much pressure on him so I really hope he manages.

I'm also daydreaming about another trip to France. It would be nice to go on a big adventure before we have to pay for a seat on the flights for Chloe. It would have to be minus the bikes this time and I'm not sure if it would live up to the last trip.

I did an impressive thing and managed to put on a small amount of weight whilst cycling for four weeks. Those patisseries were irresistable especially with the excuse of having to ride.