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Another amazing day..... It started off pretty routine with a Baguette for breakfast at our AirBnB stay. An old family holiday house that an Aussie couple live in with their two rascal (in a cute way) twin boys. Goats, oversize chickens, creaky floors and plumbing from the 19th century (The pipes ran along the skirting in our room and the cold tap next door created an awesome harmonic at a certain point). A very different stay to the night before, but an intriguing place with an interesting history (Laura was from France, Dean an Aussie). We dashed off to the Carrefour supermarket to line up when they opened (and to borrow their free wifi to book train tickets), grabbed some food and headed south. After our SatNav (Nicknamed Broccoli - after daughter Brooke, who's new nickname is also Broccoli - and who shares the same 'cant make up my mind' personality as the GPS...) took us completely up the garden path (Telling us we'd arrived at our correctly set destination, but we were in the middle of nowhere...), we managed to find our way to Chalucet Castle - built in 1130, then dismantled in 1594 by 100 workers in 4 days. The remains are still impressive and the story of its life was not only fascinating, the scenery breathtaking and the regrowth forest charming - but knowing that all of that happened before white Australia had even started is quite incredible. To think it was intentionally destroyed (but understandably so, in the context) just makes you cringe.
After a pleasnat hour or so wandering the (steep!) site we scooted for Padirac - where Yvonne had read a decent cave was. We found the site with a semi helpful Broccoli (and a few stops and photo opportunities along the way), to be greeted by quite an impressive hole in the ground. Our French not being what it used to be, we had no idea what we were in for..... After climbing down about 600 steps to the bottom (There ARE lifts...) we were amazed at the size and extent of the caverns we wandered through. Waterfalls, running underground river, massive caverns and high ceilings - and there were lots of them. We got to a queue of people and waited....and waited... for whatever was next. Projectors on the cave walls gave us an inlking that boats were in order, and things got moving again. Herded on to small push along boats, we were then paddled through the extensive underground river, then offloaded for a long walking tour at the end through more and more caverns, stairs, formations etc. All the while with the sound of heaps of water. Overall it was amazing. (Magnifique!). Couldn't understand a word of what the guides said, but the lilting french commentary echoing through the cave was just perfect. Another boat ride back, the climb out, then a scoffed late lunch (5pm) by the car before struggling to get a GPS fix on our next destination (There are too many Rignacs in France!). After help from our host, Maud, we made it there late, but were welcomed to an amazing house in an amazing little village. A 200 year old tree out the front (Planted after some historic victory), amazing stone buildings, welcoming hosts, a brilliant apartment that was once a bakery (400 years ago!) with the oven still intact,, a tour by Jean-Luc of the main house - also brimming with history, and then a magical tour of the church by Maud - including showing us their hidden treasures of 200 year old nativity dolls carefully stashed away in the cupboard. A surreal experience of singing (Paul) and 'floating' (Yvonne), in the sacred centre of the church (A cross marked in the floor marks the acoustic centre of the church, and it was quite palatable how special that structure was. Singing in that place makes anyone sound good, and closing your eyes and relaxing had a visible effect on Yvonne as she started the spiritual wobble).
We also managed an hour or so wandering Brive la Galliarde during the day. Amazing town centre with beautiful stone building down every turn, and the most vibrant city centre we had come across. Still seemed empty compared to what we expected generally, but more shops open and people around than other places. We found a) The Paul shop (Coffee shop chain) and finally got to have a drink and a cake and collect all the Paul labelled stuff. (We've seen them before, but always with massive queues as apparrently I'm so popular.....) We also finally found the chololatier Eric Lamy, and paid $20 for 19 chocolates (and some of them are tiny) and have just munched through them all (Half each, although I think Yvonne needs to go back to math class......
Soooo many highlights in one day, but our host's welcome, their amazing house and the church they care for has to be the best. Having fun trying to communicate to the shop assistant in 'Paul' was the funniest moment, and the sheer insignificance of self when wandering through Chalucet the most inspiring. Today alone was a pretty intense holiday in itself!
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