It’s all coming back to us now, village hopping through France is a gentle way to travel. Not to mention the plethora of boulangeries and cheese that happily pave the way. Even the most basic supermarket offers an outstanding array of dairy and special fridges reserved for local produce. Each Boulanger has a unique take on a baguette “tradition”, local artisan bread and don’t even get me started on the joys of French butter. When we run out of Les Plus Beaux Villages, you could tour France again using cheese varieties as a guide.
Our next stop is Saint-Jean-de-Cole, nestled in the hills of the Perigord Vert. Originally established as a fortress in the 11th century to defend the Perigord / Limousin border, it was a victim of the Hundred Year War, burning flat. Not to miss a good real estate opportunity the 15th and 16th centuries saw the village experience a Renaissance architectural boom which lives on today. The current castle and its pepper pot turrets were built in this period.
The romanesque Byzantine church was built in the 12th century.
Someone in the village has a very fine hand with flower arrangement – the church is full of the most beautiful flower displays. Possibly a wedding recently past?
The church features an unusual dome at its centre covered in wood. It was once a proper dome but fell down more than once – the wooden structure finally replaced it in the 19th century. At the rear of the church is a covered market hall.
The edge of the village features a beautiful stone 15th century medieval bridge crossing the Cole River, at the side of which are the remnants of an old mill slip way.
With its cobblestone laneways and beautiful houses what an absolutely charming spot.
There’s plenty of restaurants to choose from too, but it’s a bit early for lunch. We take the opportunity to travel a little further on to Saint Martin de Fressengeas where Himself wastes no time in selecting a restaurant. He plumps for a plat de jour three course feast but I can’t go past an ouef cocotte and prawns flambed in cognac. Yum.
We love French villages’ approach to motorhome travel – most of them feature a dedicated Aire for motorhome parking that provides essential services, encouraging those travelling to stop and engage. So very different to the UK where, whilst the campsites are lovely and very well serviced, they’re usually miles away from the nearest village. You just don’t get the same experience if you can’t walk into the village.
St Martin de Fressengeas is such a welcoming spot that we stay an additional day, taking ourselves off for a long hike in the morning, upon which we get promptly lost, much to the amusement of the local cows. It’s a much longer hike than intended but it’s a glorious day and one has to work the cheese off somehow.
Back home, Himself shepherds me up the hill, back to the restaurant we frequented yesterday. Clearly he enjoyed it and is determined for a repeat. Who am I to argue? The weather’s beautiful and it doesn’t take much convincing to slow down.
Miss Baci Travels 