SARLAT
Day 5: Mortemart, Oradour-sur-Glane, and a night visit to Sarlat
I was sad to leave our lovely Chinon hotel but we were off to new adventures on day 5. This was the first of two damp days we had in France. It never outright rained but it was either threatening or drizzly most of the day. This was also one of the longer days on the bus.
Late morning we stopped in the small, picturesque village of Mortemart. The mayor greeted us as we got off the bus and gave us an introduction to her home town. The drizzle was intermittant so we were on our own to venture around between the raindrops while Patrick and Phillippe prepared a lovely picnic lunch for us in the town hall. The spread included meats, cheeses, sides, fruit, and tart for dessert. All from France, of course! I found the village beautiful and peaceful with its stone buildings, green vegetation, and blooming roses.
In the afternoon we stopped at what had once been a village not unlike Mortemart. In June 1944 the Nazis surrounded Oradour-sur-Glane, massacred the 643 people there, looted, and burned the town. The ruins have been left as they were and it is a very somber reminder of a not too distant past. The rain seemed very appropriate at this stop.
The main street of Oradour-sur-Glane
This seemingly endless wall in the visitor center had pictures of those killed by the Nazis.
The women and children were locked in this church and the building set on fire.
It was a quiet bus ride to Sarlat. I think we were all reflecting on the events in Oradour-sur-Glane. That night, after a duck and walnut filled dinner, Patrick took us on a nightime walk around Sarlat. The rain made the cobbles a bit slick but the reflections of the lights were amazing!
Day 6: Prehistoric adventures
This was the day the first couple had to drop out due to Covid. But the rest of us valiantly kept going. The weather was the same as the previous day: damp, chilly, and a bit of rain. Our first stop was the Rouffignac Cave with its 13000 year old art work. We took a dramatic small train deep into the cave and were rewarded with some amazing artwork from ancient people. I kept wondering how and why the drawings of ancient animals were made. Photos were not allowed past the mouth of the cave but the images were spectacular!
Exiting the cave Patrick made the decision to cancel our scheduled afternoon canoe ride on the Dordogne River due to the unfavorable weather. This area is dotted with testaments to the ancient people and we instead stopped by a few scenic areas. Here the houses through the ages have very much been built into the rocks and are beautiful.
Lunch stop was Les Eyzies,
We made a lengthy afternoon stop at La Roque Saint-Christophe. If you were a troglodyte you might have lived here. A whole village was built into caves in high cliffs overlooking a beautiful valley.
Day 7: Vacation time!
Our vacation from our vacation dawned bright and sunny. Another couple had to drop out from a positive Covid test, we were now 18. It made me a bit nervous to be around crowds but didn't stop me from enjoying the day. I love street markets and this one was a doozy. One section was only food with another being other products. I walked the streets, looking at the colorful goods and people. I got lost a couple times and ended up seeing more of the town than expected but enjoying it nonetheless. By this time in the tour I think we all needed a bit of a break and this was a great one! The hotel was close enough to town that as I tired I would go back and put my feet up or attend to travel chores.
