Our lives are very quiet here in Perchede. We’ve had a bit of rain – they were desperate, everything was so dry – and very foggy misty mornings – which we love. The animals are definitely our main focus on this house sit. Our morning routine is to walk the dogs – some mornings the fog is so heavy we can barely see where we’re going – feed the dogs, feed the horses, have breakfast ourselves, and head off to pick up our daily bread. Both dogs sit happily in the back of the car – always enjoy an outing. The boulangerie in Nogaro is the best – we have tried a couple of others – so it tends to be our usual destination. To make life a bit more adventurous we find our way back home on different back roads. Circling around in little loops, passing by vineyards and ploughed farmland, visiting little villages. It’s especially beautiful at the moment with all the amazing autumn colours – we are always oohing and aahing. I sit in the passengers seat – the “road map book” open on my lap – trying to find the most interesting route back to Perchede. Lots of the little back roads aren’t even shown, obviously ignored by the “road map book” people – but we take them anyway. Love driving along these little narrow roads, no white lines, the odd sign post giving the vaguest of clues as to where we might be. We especially enjoyed a tiny hamlet called Caumont – on a dead end road south of Perchede. It sits on top of a hill, surrounded by vineyards. Lanne-Soubiran – on the way home from Caumont – had an amazing little old stone church – all higgledy-piggledy. Open to the public so had a quick look inside. Also enjoyed Bernede – another gorgeous village south east of us – huge old stone church with well loved gardens. So many tiny villages have very big, very old churches – all different, all with so much character.
We had been waiting for a fine day to head north and visit three villages included in the “France’s most Beautiful Villages” list. Gave up in the end and just went anyway. Forecast said the fog would start to lift by lunch time but it didn’t happen!! Didn’t matter – just added to the experience. The first stop was Larressingle – a 13 century medieval fortified village. Wow!!! Great arched stone bridge crossing an old mote – now grassed – to the village entrance. The buildings inside are mostly in good repair and still in use – cafes, church, museum, private houses and gites. Pretty quiet this time of year with most shops closed but still a lovely place to visit. Then it was on to Fource – tiny village with an amazing square – large lawned area with a wide gravel path crossing it’s centre. Probably used by the locals for an afternoon game of boules – always popular. Loved the walkways in front of the shops, restaurants etc. They are like tunnels but open on one side. The second floor of the buildings form a roof – very similar to what we saw in Thun, Switzerland. The third village was Montreal de Gers – much bigger with the old town up on a hill and newer homes and buildings down below in the valley. We had the dogs with us so they had a bit of a walk and a stretch before we popped them back in the car and walked into the centre of the old village. Large paved centre square, more very old houses, more “tunnel” walkways. We then headed off across country to the town of Estang, and home to Perchede. The mist was still hanging heavy – so much for weather forecasts!!
Love Di and Reg
PS Just goes to show that you don’t have to travel far to have little adventures – they can be right on your doorstep!!
This entry was posted in Europe, France, House Sits, Perchede, Gers