More Road Tripping in France

Wednesday 3 September

The big Wednesday market was in full swing in Perigueux this morning as we made our way through the Place de la Cautre and down the hill to the carpark with our luggage.  Stopped only to buy a fresh croissant and a beignet to nibble en route to our first stop of the day, the wine town of St Emilion in the Gironde department, near Bordeaux. We were en route to our next stay in the town of Condom, Gers department.

Market day - Place de la Cautre, Perigueux

St Emilion is just over an hour on the autoroute from Perigueux and we parked in the designated bottom of the hill car park and strolled up the very rough cobblestone streets, past a never ending parade of wine shops to the lovely lower square where there is a large and quite impressive troglodyte church. The town sits on a hilltop and is surrounded by vines in all directions as far as the eye can see.  The old pale stone buildings are quite beautiful and the whole town has a distinctive air of prosperity.  Today St Emilion was humming with visitors and little French dogs, some of which are quite peculiar!

Weird little dog, St Emilion (the toddler was walking!)

Of course this area is famous for its red wines and many domaines vie for business from the crowds of visitors from the town.  Being mid-morning we felt that it was a bit early for wine tasting. With plenty of time to spare today we ambled up the hill, checking out all the nooks and crannies before arriving at an upper square - the perfect place to enjoy the views and a nice cup of coffee.

View over the rooftops of Saint Emilion to the vineyards beyond

Afterwards we wandered to the edge of town amongst the vineyards and then ambled down the hill again.  Another warm sunny day - perfect for exploring villages and driving through the countryside.

Typical wine domaine just outside Saint Emilion

Our route south took us back alongside the Dordogne River to St Foy-la-Grande, where we crossed over and followed a country road to Duras, driving through rolling hills and more vineyards.  From the little town of Duras we looked out over a huge valley towards the Garonne River, which we crossed at Marmande.  After driving a little further south we took an easterly route towards the riverside town of Nerac which is the hub of a large agricultural area.  Our first impression was of a pleasant but unremarkable town, but then we explored further and discovered a very old area on the banks of the River Baise where the tanneries once operated.  Today the river is populated with canal boats and there are pretty restaurants at the port to serve this floating community.

River Baise, Nerac

We took time out for a snack and then made our way a little further south to Condom, our destination.  As usual the GPS had no idea about one way streets so it took a bit of guess work and driving down seriously narrow street to eventually locate Chateau de Gensac, our home for the next three days.  We buzzed at the huge gates and our lovely hostess, Kinza, greeted us and gave us the tour and instructions.  The chateau dates from the 1700s and is owned by an English couple who have renovated extensively.  It is a small chateau which sits in a large walled garden right in the centre of Condom - we are just steps away from the main street.  Our two bedroom apartment is very grand in terms of size but very country French in decoration.

Our living room in the Chateau

 It occupies just one wing of the chateau and has lovely views across the terracotta rooftops to the cathedral of Condom.  There seems to be a huge pigeon population inhabiting the rooftops of the town!  The supermarket was easy to locate and not far, so we stocked up and then settled into our very charming accommodation, with Gerri cooking a yummy meal of lamb cutlets.

View from our kitchen window

  After dinner I strolled through the centre of town and was hugely impressed with the magnificent floral decorations as well as the imposing bronze statue of the Four Musketeers who of course hailed from this part of France.

Four Musketeers, Condom (and tiny girl)

Apart from the cooing of pigeons and the occasional pedestrian passerby this part of town is very peaceful and conducive to a good sleep.  We felt very aristocratic in our enormous high ceiling bedrooms with their tall shuttered windows and very delighted to have been so wonderfully welcomed with all sorts of goodies - baguette, cheese, wine, fruit, milk, butter, jam.  We could not ask for a more comfortable and lovely place to stay.  We even have a huge swimming pool in the garden and it certainly feels warm enough for a dip.

Gorgeous flower displays in Condom