Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Saturday 5 April
Our 4am start for the airport was pretty taxing but we were in better condition than some of the youth of Vienna who were making their way home after a night out on the town - some still drinking on the public transport! But in no way loud or offensive - just talking among themselves and looking after those who were having trouble walking. The plane was small - with visible propellers - and only 2 seats either side of a middle aisle but our trip was calm and uneventful. We collected our hire car and set out across country to Claude & Michele's. Ray prefers the smaller roads for several reasons - less traffic, better views and he can pretend he is a rally driver. For lunch, we picked up some nice quiches & fruit at Carrefour supermarket & finally arrived at 2pm after 3 hours driving.
We had time before dinner to visit a nearby village (St Saturnin) where there is a Roman church dating from 12th century and a castle from 13th century - both fully restored and the latter functioning as a B&B - but that's the norm in France. Claude & Michele's house is a former rectory which they have restored and created a truly charming home (although I do suspect the main attraction for Claude was the huge wine cellar formerly used for the altar wine). Dinner was at the neighbours' whose son came to visit us in February in Oz, but we were not the best of company by about 9pm after our early start and lack of sleep the night before. The food was great - lots of local goodies served as finger food and I have a great recipe to try when I get home "Gougere Bourguignon" - a savoury choux, to put it simply.
Sunday 6 April
After brekkie, we set out to visit another nearby village (Veyre -Monton) where there are caves once used for habitation set into the hillside above the village - similar to Cappadocia in Turkey. It was quite a climb and very interesting - it is said the last person to live there left in 1950 approx. Above on the summit of the hill is a giant statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the lovely patchwork of green canola interspersed with yellow flowering canola and plowed fields against a backdrop of volcanic cones and snow spattered mountains.
After "un tres bon diner" we set out to visit the Puy du Dome, highest of the many volcanic hills/mountains for which the region is famous. We took the lazy option and rode up in the train to the top for a panoramic view over Auvergne - simply magnificent. It is a very popular place for walkers and hang-gliders - as many as 12 hang-gliders in the sky at any one time. We have been blessed with wonderful sunny warm weather so far. Let's hope it keeps up tomorrow for our walk in the high meadows - Michele calls it a "desert" because it is deserted!
- comments