Castle of St.Laurent & The incomparable Gouffre de Padirac
There’s a château in a hill opp. our campsite and we decided to visit it - difficult to find actually, although we could see it clearly - very hot today. It was in fact the home of Jean Lurçat (1892 - 1966), Castle of St.Laurent. Very famous artist (well, to some people) very interesting as his most important work was in tapestry - “Chent du Monde” being very famous 10 tapestries. It was lovely and peaceful up there with views all over the town and countryside around - had lunch in St.Céré, shops closed at 12.30 until about 3 to 5.30! It’s Monday - no banks. Made our way to the Padirac gouffre (Michelin Guide Périgord - Queray - Page 109) words fail me on this - I have just never, ever, seen anything to compare to it. Just seen a goose going for a walk with his owner - he spoke to it and he/she answered! Well, in goose language. The man carries it about with him in a basket normally, it looks quite quaint sitting in that! Something else I’ve never seem before! The people who had booked here had arrived when we got back and we moved the caravan away a bit so they’d parked theirs very close to ours - we thought they wanted our bit, but they don’t, so we’ve decided to stay another day here, just looking around, and I want to visit the casino art gallery where one can purchase cards of Jean Lurçat’s work. He was certainly a workaholic, he decorated ceiling, walls, doors and furniture, and 2 chairs presented to Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, done in tapestry had been re-made. These works are extremely detailed and Lurçat had specified each tiny change in colour on the cartoons, all the colours were numbered, as tiny changes in shade occurred. On the way back we found an Intermarché - open on Monday - so got something to eat!
La lac de la pluie - la source Bordue du lac supérieur la grande pendeloque
FRANCE 03 JULY - 04 AUGUST 1988 holiday overview
- Zoë growing up; arriving in Falaise
- Tour from Falaise to Putanges
- From Bougé to Angoulême
- Cold shower and Moulin De Fleurac
- Boggy sites but good meals and pool
- Villeréal - a bastide town
- Losing Bill at Biron; Moving to Monpazier
- Moved site again; ran into friend
- Two enormous castles: Gavaudun and Bonaguil
- From Monpazier to the Abbey at Cadouin
- Picnic in the Old Port of Bergerac
- New campsite at St.Céré & lovely town with fish feeder
- Castle of St.Laurent & The incomparable Gouffre de Padirac
- Jean Lurçat exhibition
- Getting lost on the way to new campsite in Faux-la-Montagne
- Lake Vassivière and the Tour de France
- Discovered a dolmen & Learning swearwords
- Camping at Cheverny and massive rainstorm
- Calmer weather - campsite at Bourgueil
- Broken exhaust & Bill's bad foot
- Walked to Market in Bourgueil
- Getting car back & Château de Chinon
- Château d'Ussé and Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
- On the road again - campsite in St.Suzanne
- Local cattle show with large bull creating havoc
- Basilica of Evron & a joust at the Château of St.Suzanne
- Chilly weather and mist in Falaise
- Manoir de Coupesarte & Château de Vendeuvre
- Lunch with Chris and Maxine and then home!