Chatellerault, France
(written 5/3/2006 12:01 CET in Sarlat, France)
After waiting for the tourist office to open to ask them about the location of a laundromat, we trudged off in the rain to where they had pointed us. We found it, but it was closed. An old man across the road babbled and pointed which could have either been directions to another laundromat or telling us that his son once road his tricycle down that street over there, we'll never know.
Assuming the former, we wandered a bit that way but to no avail. The rain was annoying so in the car for a good morning of driving through plenty of pouring rain.
Since that wasn't snow, you may have guessed it was getting warmer - you'd be right. The digital thermometer in the car actually reached 14deg at one point - amazing.
The next rough goal was the Périgord aka Dordogne region. The first and capital town of this area is
Sarlat, which we headed towards. Liz piloted us across some beautiful windy back roads that were a great short cut after the morning's motorways (somehow managed to dodge the expensive toll though). Out came the sun and out we popped wearing short sleeved shirts at a rest stop not far from the day's goal (
pic).
Into the gorgeous Cité Médiévale we drove, parking just outside the town walls. We wandered towards the all-knowing "i" and found a book on hotels. Picking the first one that sounded interesting, Hôtel de la Mairie turned out to be above a Bar-Brasserie on the main town square Place de la Liberté (
pic). I write from there now, and out the window behind me we are on eye level with the town bell which strikes on the hour, starting at 7am this morning. It's a great room and rather cheap out of season. There's low exposed beams everywhere, even in the tiny shower.
We had also grabbed a brochure on a walk around town at the i and used it to wander through the church, old abbey grounds and surrounds until the rain got the better of us. Just across the square from our hotel we sat at a different little café and drank a local cider and some rosé until the place closed.
Plenty of locals and tourists alike seemed to be thinking a restaurant just off the square which we have forgotten the name of was a good place for dinner, so we didn't argue. Apertifs, six odd courses and a bottle of wine later we saw their point. Not quite as amazing as Blois but still amazing value.