Friday 25th April Montfort Virac to Boisse Penchot via Souillac, Rocomadour and Figeac.

Montfort Virac is a deserted place, presumably it must get busy in peak season as there is a holiday park enorme down the road on the banks of the river. At the moment there is no one here, but very optimistically they little shop opposite the aire is building an extension to their bar/glacerie. Good luck to em we say.

The weather remains heavy so we set off to Soulliac where there is a Byzantine Abbey and hopefully some strong coffee. We arrive to discover it is market day and we are overwhelmed once again with fragrant local produce – as normal Moo and Norm make their presences felt under various market stalls and coffee tables. With a true flair for the French language Jon exclaims over a vat of cream that one stall holder is offering.. “Look at that cream Noush, Kinell!!!”.. a murmured “Good morning” is the only response and this from the rather dapper gentleman standing next to us. The reach of the Empire should never be underestimated. 

We pop in to the Abbey to atone and are rewarded with a magnificent and stark beauty and peace. It’s an awe inspiring place and we leave much becalmed.

We leave Soulliac and push on towards Rocomadour. We have the choice of two roads, both of which threaten hairpins and overhangs, we choose the wider of the two (still not that wide!) and are rewarded with astonishing views and hair raising drops.

We arrive at Rocomadour on the top road and park up outside the Chateau. It’s spectacular..

However we resent being asked to pay €2 just to access the ramparts, especially as much of them seem to be shrouded in scaffolding. We admire everything from a distance and decide to forsake the pilgrimage to the famous Black Madonna and get back on the road. Next stop Figeac.

Figeac, on paper, allows motorhomes to park anywhere, but on arrival it transpires that the fair is in the process of coming to town, so the place is somewhat snarled up and parking is limited. However, we manage to squeak into a spot for an hour and zoom down to centre ville. The fabulous café Champollion – named after the man who was born here who was first to translate Egyptian Hyroglyphics – soothes somewhat frazzled parking nerves and is situated just opposite the museum. We don’t have time to seek out the replica of the rosetta stone, but would happily come back to Figeac again to do so. Really lovely place, without the fair…

We make our escape from Figeac before the artics block us in completely and zoom down the road to Boisse Penchot. We have  an aire lined up for the weekend, alongside the River Lot, at the foot of a Chateau, BBQ, fishing, grassy and shady, bar on the corner, wifi the works… heaven. We arrive in sheeting rain and batten down. Hohum.