We got a 10am start to Chateau de Hautefort, a truly picturesque castle, one you would recognize. Though the spot it was on has had some castle from the 9C through the 17C, it was bought by Baron Henri de Bastard and his wife in 1929 and restored it as well as adding French style gardens. A fire hit in 1968 and they had to rebuild. The place however looks like a classic French castle and not as the medieval castle it started as.
We spent an hour and a half there and then began driving, looking for a small town to eat at and found St. Agnan. A small village, with a quaint eating place and covered patio and arbors. Pizza for Karen, but no matter how often Michael says he'll have a small lunch, again, not so. Though this time no wine. A salad with Avocado, shrimp, Lettuce and mayonnaise dressing followed by a large filet of Salmon, with Haricots Verte and a garlicky sauce and tomatoe, that followed by an Apple tart which we shared. Dinner will be late tonight.
Off to stop at St-Amand-de-Coly, population 394. The main attraction being its 12C church, with 12 foot thick walls, which went from church to fortress, during the Hundred Years War, and then back. Those thick walls meant that when we entered, granted it was probably 100 degrees out, it felt like we walked into a freezer.
Finally off to Abri du Cap Blanc, a rock shelter uncovered in 1909, with a frieze almost 50 feet long of bas relief in stone of horses and bison. This was once a cliff ledge on which people lived 15,000 years ago and created these artistic sculptures in the limestone walls. Today they've built a protective structure over the cliff face and you enter it to walk the ledge and admire the art. Truly an amazing site to see.
Then back to Sarlat to rest and wash up and go out to dinner.
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