Day Two – Brantôme

We have returned from our first day in the Dordogne countryside and the verdict seems to be that we can walk as far and as fast as anyone cares to take us but the Château visits will need to be pretty interesting. Perfect weather and a lovely walk with plenty to see and remark upon.
Yesterday was a little quick after arrival to write too much but today we are into the rhythm. It is now pre-dinner drinks time and this is when we can talk through the day and write a little.
A picture of the hotel and the abbey as well as one of the château that we visited this afternoon.

From Jim’s journal:
Breakfast at the hotel. Most breakfasts (beginning at 8:00 a.m.) consist of fresh bread and croissants, home-made jam, juice, cheese and meats, cereal (sometimes), eggs (usually hard boiled but soft boiled on one occasion and omelets at the hotel in Brantome) yogurt and, of course, coffee or tea. Hiking begins at about 9:30. This day we drive to our starting point near Condat and begin our first hike to the ruins of an old Cistercian Abbey beyond Campagnac-de Belair, where we experience our first picnic. The Abbey was constructed beginning in 1154 A.D. The Cistercian’s split from the Benedictines in 1098 and began to establish abbeys, monasteries and churches throughout France. Their style of architecture was simple, generally in the Romanesque or Gothic style conforming to their belief that their churches should avoid superfluous ornamentation. Duende “picnics” are like few picnics any of us have experienced. Upon arrival, Anna and Esperanza greet us with glasses of water to ward off dehydration. (We are told to keep the glasses for a better use to come as the “picnic” progresses.) Ben then describes that days picnic fare—consisting typically of (among other things) tossed greens, two additional salads (tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, beets, cucumbers, etc, you name it and we had it in at least one of the salads), numerous cheeses and salamis, fresh fruit, local breads and a different foie gras each day. This ritual is repeated before each picnic. Also plenty of both a red and a white local wine. After an hour and a half or so, we are refreshed and ready to continue. This day we hike on to the magnificent Chateau de Puyguilhem, a superb example of French Renaissance architecture, about a kilometer outside the village of Villars. This Chateau was built in the 16th century on the side of a more ancient military fortress. We have a guide at this Chateau to show us through the chateau with its octagonal tower, broad spiral staircase and magnificent fireplaces. The Chateau is lovely, but we learn much too much about the numerous tapestries adorning the walls than any of us want or need to know. From here, we return to the hotel for rest, cocktails and dinner. Total hiking on this day – 6 miles.