Rest day: Montignac

Thursday, 23 June 2005

Walking in France: Walking back into Montignac from the camping ground
Walking back into Montignac from the camping ground

There was a tremendous heatwave in progress. Even at dawn the air was stifling, so we decided to lie low for the day.

Our plot was not very shady, so when we noticed a better one that had been vacated, we dislodged our tent, still fully pitched, from the ground and carried it round to claim the new place.

We were in the process of softening up the ground for the tent pegs when Keith saw a caravan leaving from an even better spot, a really choice one with a cavern of shade (number 6). One more move saw us settled for the day and we rushed down to the office to pay for a night in number 6.

Walking in France: Trying to keep out of the sun at the camping ground
Trying to keep out of the sun at the camping ground

A leisurely breakfast in the street, at le Tournay, then a visit to the Office of Tourism to get information about camping down the Vézère, took up the rest of the morning.

We ate our lunch propped up against the wall in our camping place. The afternoon was fit only for sleeping. Even going to the bar in the camping ground for an icecream was almost too hot to be worth it.

For dinner we patronised the Dolce Vita just over the bridge, and sat on a sort of wooden stage and awning projecting onto the street corner.

Walking in France: Two pasta carbonaras for dinner
Two pasta carbonaras for dinner

We got a table on the edge, with a bit of a breeze, and ordered local specialities for our apéritifs – pineau and vin de noix, both sweet but interesting.

For mains we both had pasta carbonara, presented in the French way with an egg-yolk in a half eggshell balanced on the top.They were filling and delicious with a salad and a jug of wine. It was 10 pm and getting dark as we left.

Previous day: Terrasson-Lavilledieu to Montignac

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