Home >European
Touring > Europe 2007 > France 2007
- From Tarn to Lot
|
From Tarn to Lot
|
After a damp and decidedly cooler overnight
stop at a commercial (ACSI listed) campsite by the large Lac de Paraloup
which wasn't very accessible at least at the northeast corner, we drove
past Rodez then south on a busier main road towards Albi, turning off to
Carmaux, a large industrial and mining town where every carpark had
"Nomads Interdit" signs, then through more
attractive villages to Cordes-sur-Ciel where there was free daytime
parking (overnight €3.50) in the coach parking area (signposted
Les Tuilleries)with a well hidden service point - a single tap and a
drain. From there it was a very steep walk up cobbled streets
(there is a petit train but not at lunchtimes!) to the fascinating old
walled town. We hadn't read much about this town previously although it is
in the guidebooks and has famous artists' connections. Among the
restaurants, antique, craft and gift shops we found an interesting modern
art gallery with a few Picasso sketches and works by other less famous
artists. As it was in a very old palace building we were given a key to let
ourselves in to each of the rooms, presumably closely observed on CCTV!
Another exhibition was the museum of the Art of Sugarcraft with amazingly
intricate and delicate sculptures and tableau, luckily all behind
protective glass cabinets. Both these places cost only a few Euros and
were worth a visit.
|
The Art of Sugarcraft displays Cordes-sur-Ciel
|
Main square Cordes-sur-Ciel
Back lane in Cordes sur Ciel
|
Steep climb
to the Old town
|
Cordes-sur-Ciel
|
The next morning we again headed north on back roads to Najac arriving after a long detour to avoid narrow roads.
It is set on two hills
with an impressive fortified chateau, an attractive but more touristy
village with several coach parties wandering around and a small Sunday
market. After stopping briefly to look at the church with an impressive
iron cross at Villefranche-de-Rouergue where they were
setting up for various evening events and some custom cars were showing
off their sound systems along with with jet-ski rides on the river Aveyron, we
were pleased to find a shady and quiet lunchtime stopover on the Causse de
Limogne, an area of rough countryside before dropping down to the Lot
valley at the small town of Cajarc to find a new aire by the old railway station, with a
forlorn looking train touristique ( only operating later in the summer
of course!) alongside the river, and a suspension bridge with a noisy
planked surface.
Train Touristique at Cajarc
The rain returned with a vengeance the next
morning as we drove along the attractive river Lot to St Cirq Lapopie set
dramatically on the cliffs -a place to revisit when the weather is more
accommodating. There is no motorhome parking in the official carparks due
to height barriers but we passed an aire at the riverside campsite about a
kilometere away. With the rain set in for the day a visit to the
supermarket became our aim so we continued to Cahors and after a long
detour on the ring road found a Carrefour to the west of the town to
replenish our provisions and while away an hour or so. Continuing on a
busy "red" route with too many lorries for a few kilometres, we
turned off at Souzet on minor roads to Albas and vineyards along the Lot
valley with white cliffs on the south bank and yellow ochre on the north.
We found a pleasant free aire at Prayssac, although the town was
completely empty with all the shops closed as it was a Monday! After a stroll to
the edge of the town where there was a display board showing waymarked
walks we spent the evening sorting out photos and planning our
next few days' route.
As usual our planned itinerary via "green" roads was immediately
changed the next morning as we needed to refill our Gaslow
bottle, so we headed to Fumel, another industrial town to find
an Intermarché supermarket selling GPL. From there we continued North to
the Dordogne stopping briefly for a torrential rainstorm then taking a minor road
to the pretty but heavily restored hamlet of Besse, where the interior of
the ancient church was closed for restoration but the carvings on the
porch were visible
|
Najac chateau
Bridge across Lot at Cajarc
St Cirq Lapopie
St Cirq Lapopie above the Lot
|
Flowery corner at Besse
Carved portico at Besse
|
Ancient church at Besse
|
It was a short drive from there to Domme
above the Dordogne and a long signposted diversion to reach the motorhome and coach
parking area where there is a aire and service point. We walked around the old
town which was much busier with tourists, before finding an ACSI listed campsite at
Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, a short walk from the river with imposing chateaux on
the skyline.
|
<< The
Millau Viaduct
|
Around
the Dordogne>>
|
| top | Home
| Europe 2007 | Europe
07 campsites | European
Touring | UK Touring |
|