18km plus exploring Montcuq
The air was cool and clear and refreshing this morning and the gentle light made the scenery even more beautiful. What might have felt tiresome yesterday in the hot sun was delightful instead. The first 10km went by swiftly with only a little chapel, a caselle (the round stone huts) and a fresh toilet facility until we reached the darling town of Montcuq.
There might be more English people in Montcuq than French. The main intersection had several cafes open and bustling with locals and visitors having coffee. Walkers called out greetings to one another and gathered to have coffee and catch up. A few of us went up the steep hill to the immense tower on the top. It was rather imposing and had a dungeon inside but looked closed when we arrived.
Eventually we figured we had lingered there long enough (1 1/2 hours) and headed back to the trail. The temperature had increased but thankfully there was some shade since most of the rest of the way was up and down hills. A small 12th C church in Rouillac was flanked by sycamore trees and had a picnic table in front which served perfectly for our lunch spot. Inside there were amazing old frescoes on the ceiling.
The last bit of walking today was up a very steep hill to our gite run by an English family. They served us cold beverages on the terrace overlooking the valley. The view was absolutely spectacular and we had a delightful conversation with the man and his daughter. The daughter's three children are now playing in the garden nearby and speaking in British accents. Adorable!
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