10 June 1944........Two battalions of the Waffen SS enter the town of Oradour sur Glane, round up it's 642 inhabitants and systematically shoot them all, including 193 children. They then raised the town. Only 6 people escaped to tell the story......... Today the town stands exactly as it was left 64 years ago as a memorial to those who died. Visiting it was achingly sad. Cars left, children's bikes and prams, sewing machines......the melted bell from the church...

Too much exercise (sure it wasn't the beer) yesterday....we all slept in! A quick breakfast then off to St Benoit, just down the road. A hillside-perch gives the town a great view over the countryside. Medievil looking in parts, it had a very nice patisserie that we availed ourselves of....then sat in a sunny spot to devour the goodies. A quick look around the town and a visit to the only hole-in-the-wall before picking up supplies at the supermarket and gazole (...

We woke to a glorious Bastille Day morning, with the sun shining and the birds singing, there's something to be said for the peace of an isolated country town. At a leisurely pace we arose, had breakfast and explored the village a little. The only signs of a national holiday were the fact that the stores were closed and a few flags at the war memorial. If it wasn't for the lack of people on the streets you could almost be in Croatia. Neither are very big on gras...

Up and at it early for our ferry crossing to Calais. Really couldn't have asked for a better crossing the channel was virtually flat. We were getting a bit worried when the ferry didn't dock by 1145 as we had to pick the car up by 1200, when they closed for the day and wouldn't be reopening until Tuesday due to tomorrow being Bastille Day. We needn't have though as the nice lady was waiting at the arrivals for us. She ws lovely and took us through everything on t...

Finished packing the bags, loaded the car and were off on time at 8:30. Decided to drive to Dover by the backroads - very nice but took much longer then anticipated. Rang the rental car company to say we wouldn't make the 1pm drop-off, only to be told that they were open until 4pm! Arrived in Dover ay 3pm, found the hotel up on the cliffs, emptied out the car into our room and then returned down to the Docks to drop the rental car off. Taxied back up to the hote...