Sunday, August 28th – Day Thirteen – a wine tasting opportunity between Riberac and Bergerac

Riberac to Bergerac 

This morning we move on from the Dordogne department in Aquitropaine towards Bergerac, which is not just an 80’s TV series starring John Nettles in the title role, but  a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Dordogne department in southwestern France.

The whole Dordogne area appears to be full of British people and British telephone boxes, every second town seems to have one, usually outside the bars, but one enterprising owner had even turned one into a toilet, and in this case, there is a phone box plus a working postbox outside the Mairie in Mussidan.

My early morning run around Riberac was a little disappointing. It is not a particularly beautiful town , I felt pursued by the rubbish collectors who seemed to reappear around every corner I turned, and the sunrise didn’t actually start until I was nearly back at our Chambres D’Hotes

The owner of the house has a very beautiful black spaniel called Chaplin, he is about the only dog we have met in France who hasn’t challenged us at the gate as soon as we park off the road. His behaviour was completely friendly, tail wagging, snuggling up and rolling over for tummy rubs. During breakfast he gazed at me as if I were the love of his life until he realised that the last crumb of my French bread wasn’t coming his way – at which point he just got up with a sigh and turned his adoring eyes on John …..Baaa …that’s dogs for you!

Our journey down the D709 was quick and without incident  – we didn’t even lose one another – maybe because it was only one relatively straight and very fast road.

We arrived in Bergerac to the l Europ’hotel. before 12.30 and they graziously allowed us in early. The hotel has been given 4 stars for facilities but has a smaller bed than usual. It also has secure parking, which is always a benefit, although we rarely leave the bike in the car now as it just makes another job to put is all back together in the morning when we are in a hurry to get started!

Worryingly, according to Trip Advisor one of the top things to do in Bergerac is to visit the tourist office and take a tour of the surrounding area outside the City! We will have to make time to have a look at the statue of Cyrano, naturally!

Actually, living in Florence, a City full of images of Pinocchio, where the author Collodi was born, Cyrano’s nose seems rather diminutive in comparison!

Top thing to do is visit a Church L’Eglise Notre-Dame which is only a four minute walk from our hotel – indeed it can be seen from our bedroom window – I wish it were further – greatest problem with this trip is that John is getting masses of exercise whilst I am, unusually, stuck in a car – and then we go and eat out and taste all these wines…!!