No! it wasn’t Veronique who was cooking and singing, it was Serge, while Veronique looked after our welcome beers, aperitifs and wine. It was worth the 2kms walk off track to this now isolated Chambre d’hote, Les Archots. The powers that be have changed the route leaving them isolated from an income as well. A superb location, great hosts seeing immediately to our every need.
However, no sleeping for 36kms today so Serge drove us part of the way.
A wonderful walk through Poppy fields with numerous other wild flowers, amid the thriving crops with the ubiquitous forests opening and closing around us. Bees were everywhere, their preferential patisserie being the Poppy, while I tried to snap them as they came out of the store.
Into a small creek valley a chair by the river beckoned us. A cyclist came over the bridge and we talked about walking. He invited us to his home for a coffee but for some unknown reason we declined. I also declined Corries suggestion of a bite to eat because seats are hard to find.
I was upset that I gave up that opportunity and after walking for a while through the fields I was excited to see a home over the rise – maybe a chair – right! This home was stunning with their own large waterfront, waterfall and…..water wheel. When the owner saw me taking photos of his place he asked us to join them for a tour, and lunch. I told him just a chair would be great.
One and a half hours later and a 4 course lunch with aperitifs life was good again.
This lovely couple had seen the broken down flour mill while going for a drive, bought it, and restored it into a grand home, the water wheel supplying all their electricity needs. They also had a lavoir – the old method of washing clothes, a giant cherry tree that supplied fruit for our 4th course; their Grand Bouvier Suisse dog joined us for salami and photos at the end.
The drizzle stopped as we exchanged emails, and the prospect of homes, and sadly left. As we did so, Helene saw the sign on my backpack and shared that her 85 year old father has had Parkinsons for 10 years.
Finally at our village of rest and while being pampered by the tourist information girl, a woman recently arrived from Paris heard us mention where we were sleeping tonight, and offered us a lift. She waited while we shopped for food and drove us home where we finally escaped this first very humid day.
