Day 6 - Saumur to Limoges and beyond

Wow the days are starting to whip by now it seems, this is not good. We woke late and found a café in the old part of town (it's all old, this part was really old) for quiche lorraine chaud, a couple good café au laits, and a tea for Jo. Chase it down with a pastry and hit the road by 11:30 or so…

We were immediately in amongst the wineries, and if you squinted just right you'd swear you were in Napa Valley,CA. We drove past several wineries before stopping at one smaller looking one that had wine for sale. Turns out they also had tasting, hey it was nearly noon. Gustachon (or something like that) is tasting.
Very nice young fellow (son of the owners) of ths domaine winery, he spoke no english (of course) but when we told him we were Canadian he flagged down his Mom who was leaving with two other peope in the car. They saw the Canadian flag in our back window and pulled in. Turns out the two people were Quebecois, and came here on a road trip 5 years ago, and now come and work at the winery every summer. It was kinda nice to speak English (such as it was) to someone beside each other.

We stopped at another domaine winery, preferring their atmosphere to the chateau (larger) wineries. They were having lunch, which is about true for nearly every business or shop in France from 12-2PM they are close for lunch. This is something to remember when organizing your day.

7 nothings open
8 nothings open
9 some cafes (bars) open and bakeries
11 most cafes open
12 noon shops closed
2 pm open again
5 pm most shops closed - most all grocery stores and ALL bakeries are closed
7 pm you're outta luck they have rolled up the street and gone home to bed/dinner or something.

Trying to get something to eat for breakfast before 8 is impossible, so it seems is getting enough coffee. Today was perfect café au lait times 2 for me ;)

Mostly a highway day, we stopped as some little park to make some lunch from the cooler we bought yesterday in Mt St Michel. Finding ice has proven to be a little problematic, very few places actually sell it. Luckily my French is gaining momentum and pantomime makes up for any shortfall. I had a bit of a one sided conversation with a pig farmer at the gas station today - long story. Asking for directions to the B&B near Limoges from some old guy out sitting in the shade beside his house was good for a few laughs - as was arriving at the chateau directly following his French instructions through town and several turns. Turns out it was the chateau owners' daughters wedding, so no rooms!!

We went by lots of cornfields and lots of sunflower fields, but it looked like they sit "ready" for a long time to dry out before harvesting. I'm noting this now sowe can google it later when we get home. The roofs have also turned to red clay tile like spain I guess, and the earth looks redder as well. The "dirt" in Paris was pretty much limestone gravel, we didn't see any brown dirt or topsoil anywhere.

Limoges was a busy city, and we drove right to the center and went to the tourist info, found out that basically every hotel in town was booked and we'd have to try out of town. So no internet again today - hopefully tomorrow. We tried a few places "complete" was the response (full). We finally followed a sign for a chambre de hotel about 6 kms off the main road down a farm road to this old mill house that has converted the upstairs of an old out bulding to a few suites. It was ancient and charming, so we checked in (verbally) then tarvelled about 10kms into the nearest town (Chalus) for diner.

We had a fantastic dinner of Steak in a Pepper Sauce for me and Duck Breast for Joanna with all the trimmings incluidng wine and dessert. We decided this was the anniversary dinner we didn't have last night. And Joanna has changed ger mind, Bronwyn, she does like asparagus - but only the white ones. Which seem to be available quite readily in France Jseptember.We're really loving the road trip now, and tomorrow we're going to the region of Franxe famous for truffles and Foie Gras. So we should be there by mid AM and then we are going to bomb on down to the Mediterranean. Tonight we are spending "on the farm" which is nice. Bon nuit!