Beynac and La Roque (The Rock)

These are two “must see” medieval towns. And they were really interesting and different.

Beynac sports a large chateau that teeters on the edge of very high cliffs with it's medieval town built steeply down the side to the river below. We drove to the top and wandered around before we started walking downhill. Narrow narrow street, really only an old cobbled path. At the very top some people were living in the homes, fixing them up with lovely colored doors and shutters and rot iron gates. Then just below, I think maybe it was just too hard to get to so the dwellings seemed less taken care of but at a certain point cars were parked and houses began looking put together again. Some were for sale. The views!!! So cars managed to drive up from below on skinny streets...little skinny cars which there are far more of here in France. We could not stop our explorations downhill so of course we had to climb all the way back up! I remembered Marcia Smith saying what a steep climb it was.

La Roque is very different. The town is mostly on the one main street next to the river. Tour boats and canoes are for hire but it was a cold day and walking was in order. Above the town tower limestone cliffs which have been inhabited by humans since the 10^th century. Masonry finished off some parts, with windows looking out to the valley. Original deep caves were in other parts. I could not imagine how the people got themselves into the caves. There did appear to be narrow pathways maybe reached from above but they were worn and gone in some places. I would not be able to travel those trails I know! The last to really use these caves were the French soldiers of the 100 Years War against the English. They used them for barracks. We walked as high as we could hoping that we could take a wooden staircase attached to the side of the cliff but it was closed. Probably a good thing. It did not look very safe! The limestone cliffs hold heat and allow exotic plants to grow. Cactus, palm trees and forests of bamboo. A quick stop to another hilltop medieval town, Domme. It was a good one but we seem to be saturated with old stone towns and big chateaus for now. They are beginning to run together so we will give it a break for awhile. Tonight we are visiting friends of Eric and Virginia Hoyte who have a winery and vineyard close-by.