To walk again!

Yesterday afternoon, we melted in this ongoing heatwave….managed to set up the fairy garden lights and the solar water fountains..

Which burst immediately into action under the 39 degree sunshine! Apart from that we could only lie horizontally with fans blowing on our barely clad bodies! ( just enough to be decent!)

The local street cats…took refuge in Kevin’s shady garden….this one (the cat with no name)getting as close as possible (to my fan) without actually coming inside…the other one (Gaston) gulping down the water from the front of the house…both ginger ironically( there seems to be an abundance of ginger street cats in this area)

Too hot for wine (Kevin) and beer too heavy (me)…

We took refuge in the famous Porto Tonico cocktail…with white port wine, lemon mint, heaps of ice and tonic! Very refreshing…consumed inside in front of fans, as too hot in the garden, even under the trees!

This morning was decidedly cooler, (about 26 degrees) with a little cloud cover, so I plastered up my last blister, put on my Tevas(sandals) and took myself off for a walk….Aaah to walk again…

Down the street (with trees that need no water and flourish in the heat obviously)…to a big green belt that runs from Fumel through to Monsempron Libos (the nearby village). Remembering to Bonjour (rather than Bien Camino) the dog walkers out early.

Stone roads…. I almost got the Camino feel going on! Not ideal paths for sandals, but having discarded my worn out Salamons (shoes) and not yet replaced I had no option..

Meandering past little rivers and bridges…

And stately homesteads…this one had a river running underneath it!

Historically Monsempron, the old town on the hill above me and Libos, the port town on the river Lot …that (from the 19th century) serviced the ironworks in Fumel, were two separate communes. However, due to the towns growth with this industry, in 1958 they officially became one and the Commune incorporates both towns – now officially known as Monsempron-Libos. The original villages date back to the 1100s. .

As I have never really explored the old township on the hill, I decided to take a hike up there, and get a little hill work…

Climbing up the hill…were the views over the Libos side of the town …

And climbing further into the village of Monsempron…

Were the fortified stone buildings above me and those dreaded cobbled streets underfoot….careful not to roll an ankle on a morning stroll!

French wildflowers growing in Stone earth…these hardy plants choose their home!

To the top of the hill where the Chateau Prieural sits…an 11th century Benedictine Monks priory and neighbouring Convent…I have noticed (in Spain as well) Monks and Nuns residences go hand in hand, so to speak!

This imposing structure, declined after the 100 years war in the 13th century and has since been restored to house its surviving sculptures, ornaments and other historical arrangements that suggest important pilgrimages took place here…

And the convent is now a private residence (I realised when I wandered through the open door!)

However, the views to the north from the Chateau terrace are spectacular. This, now museum, opens to the public a couple of times a year…and for special private events (like art exhibitions) The next opening is in July to coincide with Europe’s Summer vacation period.

I continued wandering through this very quiet village, being a Sunday morning there was not much action or human evidence. I think they are all locked behind closed doors with fans on to keep their homes cool!

To the outside of town and the Town hall area, actually a rather modern public toilet leapt out in front of me, perfect timing…

A a book donation/exchange in the park! I perused the entire cabinet, desperately seeking an English book…about anything…I am so ready to read!!! But alas no..I guess I could practice my French but with my limited vocabulary the stories will most certainly be list in translation!

I then wandered my way back down the other side of the village, stopping often to snap pictures (as my Camino friends know I do!) descending back towards the Libos side of town

The railway station, running between the towns of Libos and Monsempron opened in 1863 (for the iron transportation) and as all trains, on this regional line are cancelled today (as they have been for the last week in the heatwave) I stopped right in the middle of the tracks!!

Past the deserted train station…

Caro and Trudi, you will recognise this! having caught trains with me from here over the last few years…

Through the residential streets into the village centre of Libos…not so quiet on a Sunday morning…

This newer Church of Notre-Dane de Libos, built between 1869 and 1891, catching the morning sun. It features the rare distinction (for a church) of facing west rather than the traditional east orientation chosen for most churches of this time.

It is on one side of the centre square (which is actually a carpark) and on the other side a small grocery store and the bakery doing a roaring trade…but not so much as the only cafe in town…

My coffee reward after the first 5kms…well actually that was most of the walk…another kilometre back to the Fumel house! For a a bit of rose pruning and wall preparation (for painter tomorrow)…lunch and a lie down! As thunderstorms roll in for the evening (so they say!)