Tulle
When we weren't working on the grounds at La Sudrie, Karen and I explored the nearby area, poking our noses into the historic centers of the area's many medieval towns.
Before beginning their ascent to the highest political office in the land, two of France's most recent presidents had served as mayor at Tulle, just up the road from La Sudrie. We made it one of our first excursions. The busy little town is strung out along a river in a tight little canyon, spreading up the sides to the higher elevations. In the historic center was a nice church and numerous small shops and restaurants. Not far away we found our "main" grocery store, the ubiquitous E. Leclerc, found all over France.
We also found a friendly little pharmacy, where Karen could conveniently refill some of her lapsing prescriptions, all at a fraction of what she had been paying in the US. France is well known for its world-class healthcare system, which is cheap, clean and efficient, and apparently the cost structure carries over to the pharmaceutical side as well.
Dordogne Valley
A bit further afield was Argentat-sur-Dordogne, a quaint little village on the upper reaches of the Dordogne River. The previous year Karen and I had journeyed up the Dordogne from Bordeaux to Souillac, which was just downstream from Argentat. With Argentat now virtually in our backyard, we knew we'd be coming back time and again.
We stopped in for a look around, grabbed lunch at a cute cafe, and marveled at how far the river has to travel to reach the sea.
Nearby Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne was especially picturesque. Here the Dordogne passes over a small dam, creating a still lake which is popular for kayaking and swimming.
Just over the hill to the south, in the neighboring department of Lot, was Figeac. We stopped in one morning on our way to a weekend of paragliding and bike riding at Douelle, near Cahors. By the time we arrived, the town center was crowded with market day tourists.
After poking around the market, we split off from the crowds to search out the hidden corners of Figeac's historic center. With the tourists focused on the market, quiet back streets weren't hard to find.
Brive-la-Gaillarde
When it comes to markets, not many towns can beat Brive-la-Gaillarde. Only thirty minutes from La Sudrie, it would become our regular Saturday stop for fresh meat, cheese, and vegetables. We love the color and textures of France's small-town markets, where traditional boundaries of class recede, and everyone, and everything, seems just a bit more, well, French.
Lot River Valley
Another special market was in Cahors, just a lazy, Lot river bend away from my favorite paragliding spot at Douelle. The market covered numerous streets in the historic center, with many vendors set up in front of the main cathedral.
While Karen shopped for supplies for a picnic lunch, I shopped for street photos.
We had discovered nearby Douelle the year before, and from La Sudrie it was a convenient hour's drive away. We made a weekend trip out of it several times, booking an Air BnB at a little family winery.
Domaine Le Passelys has been in operation for eight generations, and like most wineries in the Cahors AOC, specializes in the vibrant Malbec varietal. The owners were extremely welcoming and friendly, and we've stayed in touch ever since.
The location was perfect for flying, too--in twenty minutes I could be on launch at Douelle, with the whole day--and the whole valley--ahead of me.
If fine dining in a 13th century castle is your joie de jour, the nearby Michelin-rated Chateau de Mercues is a good choice. We avoided the expense of dinner by lunching at the bistro, where newly-starred chef Julien Poiisot served up a delightful three-course meal, but at a much more reasonable price.
An after-lunch digestif at the window overlooking the locks on the Lot river perhaps?
To work off the calories from your meal, the area around Douelle is perfect for bike rides through the vineyards. Tiny lanes branch off the main highway, enabling riders to escape the traffic and enjoy the tranquil countryside. Our rides would often take us by small, medieval hamlets, castles, and beautiful country homes, some of which housed BnBs and upscale restaurants. All the ingredients for a perfect week's vacation recipe were here for the booking.
Along the Dordogne
Another great spot to bike and fly was at Mont Mercous near Saint-Sozy. When we were there the wind was "nuking," so only pilots with small wings or steel nerves were flying. Lacking both, I stayed on the ground and watched as the other pilots danced in the air.
We had booked a room in the quaint but economic Logis Hotel Grangier in Saint-Sozy. The location was the perfect starting point for long rides along the scenic back roads on the banks of the Dordogne.
Not far from Creysse, between Colombier and La Tuilerie, we thrilled in riding along the river, where the road squeezes between the river's banks and a dramatic limestone escarpment.
Beyond La Tuilerie, the road to Saint-Denis passes a charming old millhouse, complete with swans a-swimming. And to complete the tourist package, I found a beautiful old door to photograph. The property was located just below the launch at Mont Mercous, and appeared to be abandoned. I would have liked to buy the place, if not for its proximity to flying, but for the doors alone!
The more we got to know the department of Correze and the surrounding area, the more we appreciated the opportunity to spend a few months caretaking at La Sudrie. With a wonderful mix of biking, flying, fine dining, historic villages and colorful markets to explore, and refreshing rivers for swimming, we couldn't have asked for more!
Correze Historic Home Society
One day our host, Guy de Belinay, asked if we wanted to tour some historic properties in the department of Correze. The de Belinays belong to a society of owners of historic homes, and they were having their annual soiree. Without hesitation, we said "Yes!"
The group convened at the first property, a large estate near Saint-Bazile-de-Meyssac. The chateau was in the midst of restoration and remodeling to become an event center for weddings, reunions, and other special events. With the bulk of the property in poor shape, we didn't envy the resources it would take to bring the property up to snuff. Castle weddings are a big business in France, and though it's hard to anticipate how long it will take for the owners to recoup their investment, we could appreciate their vision. We wished them well in their endeavors.
From Saint-Bazile-de-Meyssac we convoyed to the nearby Ferme de Tersac, near Cressensac. This chateau was an amalgam of different construction styles from different eras, and was undergoing yet another remodel (to the interior) to be used as a gite, or guest house.
The family also runs a small business making goat cheese. They quickly sold out their entire stock to the appreciative crowd.
For the last property of the day, we visited the beautiful Chateau de la Rue, near Ligneyrac. Dating to 1657, the home is on the registry of historic monuments of France. The group enjoyed seeing the outcome of the architect owner's vision, effort, and expense, which included an infinity-edged lap pool overlooking the surrounding countryside.
During lunch we got to meet several of the society members, all of whom own historic properties in the area. This led to invitations to visit other castles, including a beautiful 18th century estate in Segonzac.
The architectural design for this chateau was very unique for the era, as it had been designed and built by a mason, who only had to satisfy his own desires. Unfortunately, the building's completion coincided with the French revolution, and the state seized the property. Apparently, hatred for the bourgeoisie and chateau ownership were incompatible ideals, and like many such confiscated properties of the time, this one was promptly sold right back to the original owners.
The property had since been renovated and reoriented such that the original back of the chateau was now the front, and the front the back. This allowed a long approach driveway with a view of the surrounding Correze countryside. The interior was tastefully decorated in period pieces, including a considerable collection of museum-worth timepieces. The owner told us that the chateau had recently been used in the making of a period film about the life of Mozart.
Like other historic properties, this one was also a work-in-progress. An adjoining 15th century fortress was being renovated into a guest quarters, and the owner proudly relayed how he had sought out and contracted with a blacksmith in Vietnam to faithfully replicate the hinges and door hardware of the era. When it comes to castle ownership, sometimes no detail is too small to overlook.
Domain de Chedal
On another day, we went to see the Chedal estate at Segur-le-Chateau. We had met the owner, Marc Boisseuil, at lunch during the historic home tour, and after hearing of our interest in historic properties, he had graciously invited us to come for visit.
Marc met us in the village and we followed him to the property, where we began our tour.
The Domain de Chedal maison and outbuildings were cozy and quaint, reflecting a medieval heritage predating the more opulent late renaissance era, and though nowhere near as grand nor as opulent as some of the other properties we had seen, it boasted over 2000 acres of farmland, including a remarkable arboretum containing several hundred species collected from around the world.
At Marc's direction, we went out into the countryside to visit with his niece, who is passionately converting much of the acreage to a sustainable permaculture operation. She allows only animal-driven farm implements, and is exploring various crops to see what can--and cannot--be grown in a completely organic fashion. She hopes one day to employ local labor much like in the renaissance era, compensating the volunteers for their effort with output from the farm.
The arboretum occupied a small corner of the vast acreage, and included by proxy a remarkable treehouse built around the spreading roots and branches of an ancient cedar. Marc, who is also an author, painter, and long-time professional in the fashion industry, welcomes visitors to tour the property, and like some of the other historic estates we had seen, it can be rented out for weddings.
We had just come from the market in Brive-la-Gaillarde, and after our tour, Monsieur Boisseuil invited us to stay for a picnic lunch. While Karen set up the long table in the dining room, I just had to sit down for a moment at the grand piano in the conservatory
During the meal, we learned of the family's heritage. According to Marc, his ancestral step-grandmother Lucie Madeleine d'Estaing was the illegitimate daughter of a prominent viscount, and was recruited at seventeen to be an unofficial mistress to King Louis the XV. She was eventually "legitimized" through marriage to Francois de Boyssuhl, whose son by a previous marriage was Louis de Boyssuhl. French noble standing can be either inherited through a family's noble lineage, from service to the king, or from some combination of both, and the Boyssuhl nee Boisseuil case, nobility was bestowed upon Louis by writ of decree from the king himself. Eventually, the tangled roots of this family tree brought us to Marc, with whom we were now coiffing a fine, French claret. Thank you for your service!
My own grandfather and uncles immigrated from Slovenia and Austria to Montana in the late 19th century, where they mined coal for a living under conditions considerably less comfortable than those enjoyed by the French courtesans. Karen's own French origins have been traced back to the Huguenots of the 15th century, and although her ancestors too had served the king, it was as galley slaves.
In spite of the vast class divide between our respective backgrounds and that of our host, the honorable monsieur Boisseiul, we "mongrels" enjoyed our chance to hob-nob with the elite of modern French society, learn about the history and traditions of the French nobility, and tour some of their remarkable estates.
