The spot is so pleasant and restful, we decide to stay on an extra day to explore the surroundings. But it’s 7pm and we hadn’t bought any provisions so go into the town/village for a bite to eat.  As is often the case in rural France though, the place is already deserted and we have a job finding somewhere open.  Eventually, we find a restaurant, La Chaumiere, reminiscent of a 1970 restaurant in Hampstead, with matching decor and offering ‘plats du terroir’ (good country food).  Two of the other couples there are also from the UK, one announcing to us jollily that they’d been celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary – “I’ve been married to him for 55 years” says the woman pointing to her partner staggering behind her in his dark pink chinos.

For the first time since leaving the UK, we take our bikes down and go for a cycle along the river Ile and across country roads lined by golden wheat and corn fields – we’re surprised not to see any vineyards yet. We come across an amazing old small rural house dating back to the 14^th century with its own tiny open porch with trough and room enough for two horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We find a small lake and once again, I cannot resist the temptation to indulge in some ‘wild swimming’.  This one’s a little more daunting as it’s hard to see what’s underneath but the water is a nice temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back, we meet a family of happily-grazing donkeys who come over inquisitively.  If we could communicate I would have told them how lucky they were compared with their hard-labouring and leaner cousins in Cairo.

We also stop at a local Bar Restaurant for a glass of coke and a sandwich but again find that they serve only lunch so we go for local trout fillets and salad which is in fact tastier and healthier than a sandwich.  Someone’s left that day’s issue of the ‘Sud Ouest’ – nothing of great interest but a photo on the cultural page catches our eye.  It’s about a concert in Perigueux devoted to a fusion between East and West.  One of the numbers brings together the Egyptian singer Hind Hassan with Carlos Arenas and PJ Chabot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cafe is outside the old church of Menesterol which also houses a very old organ which unfortunately we’re unable to see as the chapel is closed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so it’s back to the Cigaline campsite for a quiet evening and updating the blog, which proves difficult owing to the poor connection, as we’re finding is often the case.