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Very few steps and all kinds of miles.
Our first rest day was a proper, lazy one. Dawn in Domme was again grey, cold and uninspiring. With no wifi, we just noodled around, doing laundry, and reading.
We decided to walk around town, which was beautiful despite the weather
Domme is perched on the top of a very large hill overlooking the Dordogne valley.
Here I am in my unseasonable attire.
Flatiron (stone) building.
Details
Domme has two tiny tourist trains
As well as some modern machinery. Here this guy is outside the 13th cen. gate mowing the edge of the world.
After our wander we picked up some bread and had a picnic in our house.
I learned an interesting fact about France. It is a national law that bread has to be available every day in every town. This means that on the day that the local bakery is closed, there is a Depot du Pain (bread point) at which an out of town bakery drops off the bread for the day. It's usually another store, but in Domme, it's the post office!
That evening our lovely hosts Francine and Patrick invited us over for an aperitif. After we went to eat something wonderful --Vietnamese food! Unfortunately we forgot our cameras
On our second rest day, we awoke to see the sun shining! It feels like it's been days since we saw the sun, so we unpacked every piece of clothing and hung them out. We had plans for an excursion today, unfortunately there was something looming on the horizon. Domme domme domme domme... DOMME! (Yes, I did make that joke about a thousand times in three days.)
We set off to check off two more of les plus beaux villages de France (apparently there are 10,000 "most beautiful" villages, or at least it seems that way...) Today: Le Roque Gageac and Beynac et Cazeac. We set off down the hill from Domme and within a minute, I had a flat tire. Back wheel. Again.
New tube in, we peddled off to La Roque
It is perched on the banks of the Dordogne river and built into the cliffs that tower above. Each one of these towns also has its own Chateau and / or Castle, sometimes in ruins, sometimes intact.
And plenty of tourist shops selling the local specialties, foie gras and walnuts.
We stopped for lunch - hamburgers - and pedaled on towards the Chateau that we were going to visit. Here are some castles we saw along the way.
And here is Eric trying to look happy as yet another bank of clouds roll in.
Our next stop was the Chateau Milandes, former home of Josephine Baker. The Chateau itself was pretty nice, and it was full of Josephine's costumes (yes, including the banana belt), photographs, and interesting biographical tidbits. Here's one biographical tidbit: she really liked glitzy bathrooms that look like our house did before the renovation!
We stayed for the animal show, a bunch of cool birds including owls and eagles flying low around the audience and chasing fake prey.
Happy with our day, we left the Chateau prepared to head home. And guess what? Another flat tire, same rear wheel. Our only other spare tube did not fit through the rim so we were stranded!
Luckily, Bike Bus, a British-owned local business came to the rescue. They sold me a new tire, and drove me and my bicycle back to Domme while Eric schlepped back on his bicycle.
Back at the house for the last night, we had another home cooked dinner and thought nervously about our next few days. We are out of spare tubes, and have no idea why Arah keeps getting flats. Hopefully the new tire will work, but who knows?
Domme Domme Domme Domme... DOMME!
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