Cabrerets Day #5…….day trip to Peche Merle & Chateau de Cenevieres

October 9th

Morning is cloudy but the crew is resolute and after breakfast yours truly drives Queenie, Annie and Bob to the Grotte de Peche Merle, a very short drive away, where they will visit the caves and the gimp will seek out a bar wherein to scribe……I have to catch the blog up!!

This is one of the largest painted caves in France and the intrepid trio enjoy a very informative one hour tour of the grotto. Incidentally the person who discovered this cave system was the grandfather of our next door neighbour. Unfortunately there are no pics as no one is permitted to take any photos to ensure that there is no damage to the paintings. For this reason visitors are limited to 700 per day and everyone must follow a tour. The pic below is of horses taken from the internet and gives the reader an idea of what is there :

The trio elect to hike back on the assumption that they will follow a bridle path……however no such luck and in fact it is a goat track…..however Queenie perseveres and all is well. Everyone convenes back at the house for a hearty lunch of leftover beef bourguinion stew and cheese etc.

In the afternoon we decide to take a tour of the Chateau de Cenevieres, which is nearby, in the Lot Valley.

The tour starts promptly at 2PM with the “seignieur” aptly clad in wellingtons and a cardigan > into which he occasionally stuffs his hands (when not gesticulating). He goes into minute details of French history which while interesting leaves even the French visitors shuffling their feet. The man is irrepressible and room by room he takes us through “his “chateau…which in fact dates back to the 700’s and has been occupied by several different families. It became a Renaissance era chateau when Henri IV stayed there subsequently transforming it from a fortress to a chateau.

Finally we are taken to the dungeons where there are torture instruments and  in awkward/painful positions:

After such a historical lecture we retreat back to the house to pursue less intellectual sport…..reading Charlie Hebdo and a pre dinner blast of sparkler:

Then our last supper in Cabrerets, at La Roue….pretty plain looking place but producing really excellent food:

                                      Starter:

Main:

                                      Dessert:

Yummy meal, good vin de pays and the end of another week….we march quickly back to our digs as it is a chilly night.