Weather again overcast with rain in the air. Headed North via Roquefort (where the cheese comes from), and stopped for coffee and looked round for cheese factories, fromageries and boulangeries – none to be found anywhere. After buying a baguette and some Roquefort cheese from a minimart, had coffee, with Chris posing for a photo with the aforesaid baguette and cheese. A friendly local told us that there were 5 Roqueforts in France, and thisJune 8th ~ Sainte-Foy-la-Grande one did not make cheese. Undaunted, pressed on to Sainte- Foy –la- Grande and its neighbouring village Pineuilh on the Dordogne just West of Bergerac. This turned out to be a lovely site run by an English couple, and was full of English and Dutch vans.
Sainte-Foy-la-Grande is one of many Bastide towns and villages that we have passed through. Bastide towns were hurredly built in the 13th Century by both the English and French, to encourage the settlement of unpopulated areas before the Hundred Years War. They were the medieval equivalent of “new towns”, with their planned grid of streets and fortified perimeters, often around a central square. Over 300 Bastide towns and villages still survive between Périgord and the Pyrenees, Saint Foy being one.
We walked round the village which retains its medieval feel and look, particularly the arcaded market place. Then had a long walk along the other side of the Dordoyne, which was very picturesque. On the way back, we rested on a bench by the river, and then walked back through the village. Halfway back,, after 20 minutes, Jackie realised her camera was missing, and we hurried back to the chemist where we had bought mosquito spray, but not there, so back to the bench by the river, but only the map was there – the camera had gone. Walking back , Chris had noticed 2 teenage boys looking at something, but they disappeared quickly, so perhaps they had taken it, and we started looking for them. After giving up hope of finding them, a woman and her daughter with their dog came round the corner, with the camera, looking for us. They had found it on bench, and rather than leave it there, took it nd looked at some of the pics for clues on where to find us. They had seen the Lourdes pics and for some reason, thought we might be pilgrims on the Camino road to Santiago del Compostella , Spain(Pilgrims Way), and were heading for the Auberge where walkers stay when they found us. Jackie was overjoyed and relieved, and insisted the little girl took a 10 euro reward for their trouble and honesty.
Back to the Campsite about 6pm for dinner and a relaxing evening – again good wifi connection. Light rain most of evening and overnight, and forecast for the rest of the week....very unusual for France in June.
