Category: An Epic Adventure

Exploring the World – 2017

August 21: The Luberon

To be completely honest, I would be perfectly happy staying around this house/property all day, but I know that there are things to see and that I will feel guilty if I do what I could do at home, so, map in hand, I set off to see what I could see. First stop, a nearby village called Mirabeau that…

August 19 & 20: Provence

Yesterday was a long drive from Conques, and without much to note. I was lucky in avoiding any serious traffic issues, which surprised me, as Saturdays have been notoriously difficult driving days. It was still almost 250 miles and I didn’t arrive until 4PM. But oh the wonder of knowing that you can sit still for 2 weeks! And have…

August 18: Conques

I forget what wonderful sights you can see when you are moving at the speed of legs instead of wheels. I had an early morning run, and found the loveliest scene just around the bend from the town. Reminds me of the benefits of what I call “slow touring without windows” — on foot, by bicycle, or kayak. I think…

August 17: Kayaking the Vezere

After many days of walking and seeing museums and chateaus and ruins and caves it was time for something different. The Vezere river winds it’s way through the valley until it meets the Dordogne, through a canopy of very green trees and limestone cliffs and fields of corn and sunflowers. It moves slowly, and isn’t very deep, so I thought…

August 16: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

I didn’t realize when I selected Les Eyzies as a place to stop that it would offer so very much to see and do. I simply wanted a place in Dordogne since I had heard it was a wonderful region for walks. So imagine my surprise when I arrived yesterday afternoon to find the street full of people, the confluence…

August 14: Some more Saumur

A sunny morning and a run along the Loire started off the day right. It was the first day that I actually was warm enough to just wear a t-shirt, after a month in England and France. At last, new things to wear in my suitcase! “Stopped into a church I found along the way….” of course. The Royal Chapel…

August 13: Saumur and Surroundings

The Loire Valley is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments (the châteaux), and cultivated lands. My short travels today took me south to visit a few of the Grand Saumur sights well advertised in the brochures. Along the way I passed vineyards, heavy with grapes…