The ‘caravan’, which comes through about an hour before the riders is a particular highlight.

In 2017 the Tour de France will pass within 30 minutes’ drive of La Vieille Grange, this year cycling along the banks of the Dordogne and through scenic villages of  La Roque Gageac and Beynac. The Tour came even closer in 2012, when we joined a crowd of locals at Payrac to watch Cadel whizz by.

The build-up is great fun, with the caravan that precedes the cyclist tossing out gifts to those lining the way. Then the cyclists come and go in a flash. Although no Cadel this year, there will be other Aussies to cheer on and so we’ll be out beside the road again. And when it is all over, we’ll maybe take in a castle or cool down with dip in the river.

Replacing the whole roof of the original house and shoring up the front of the building allowed us to extend the floor area by about 12 sq m. This picture shows the laths almost ready to receive the recycled flat tiles (tuiles plats), some of which are more than 200 years old. Incidentally, the reason the house is known as ‘the Spanish’ house is that for many years following the Spanish civil war, a family that had fled north from Spain lived in the house, becoming tenant farmers in the village. They whitewashed both the interior and exterior of the house in the Spanish style and added a number of other Spanish touches such as castanets hanging above the fireplace and a small Spanish dancer as decoration. The family moved to Souillac for work in the 1960s and live there still.

I think one of my favourite meals at a restaurant last year was at La Gabarre restaurant, St Julien. This picture will give you an idea why – it was a beautifully cooked special of pigeon two ways with delicious fresh vegetables and a light sauce. Washed down with a rose from the Lot Valley, it is a good example of why La Gabarre is a favourite for most of our guests. And why we will be going back this year!

http://www.restaurantlagabarre.com

Main pool area — giant slides visible in background

A fifteen minute drive away from Mercadiol, located on the outskirts of Soulliac, lies a children’s paradise.

Quercyland, open from 11am until 8pm in the summer high season, offers a full days entertainment for all the members of the family. An enormous pool, with an easy access, beach-style sloped entry greets you as you walk in, with two additional pools for your toddler and preschool aged kids (complete with a number of appropriately sized waterslides).

Cool French teens sunbake and chat in the shallows of the main pool, while younger ones go nuts on the mini-slides just a stones throw away. Mum and Dad can relax under the trees or catch some rays in the sunbeds (extra cost for the ones near the pool of 2E per chair per, but worth if if you’re making a day of it).

Opening from midday, the adult waterslides include an open air chute, and a jaw-droppingly steep vertical speed slide. There is a short wait for these rides, but the queue seemed to move at a steady pace.
For the more land-lubbering types in your tribe, there are over 5 huge jumping castles, an inflatable climbing wall, and a racing track with push pedal cars. An area reserved exclusively for the under 7’s includes jumping castles, sandpit and trampoline, in addition to an assortment of swings and see-saws. For a small cost, you can hire ping pong balls and bats for the tables set up around the park, and there is a full sized multi purpose basketball court/football pitch free to use.

You are welcome to bring your own eskie of food in, although they do ask that you don’t bring glass bottles. Available on site are cold drinks and ice cream, wood fired pizza, hot plated meals, frites, and the usual filled baguettes. The pizzas are cooked fresh to order, and one is enough to feed two hungry adults — at 9 Euro, a bargain. In the delightful French way, the cafe also sells a range of beer and wine – because, goodness knows, that’s just what Mummy needs at about 4pm after a day in the sun.

We spent an amazing day here with our almost-four-year-old, and have left with some wonderful memories.

Recommended: preschool aged kids to teenagers
Budget: 9 Euro for entry, sandwiches from 5E, pizzas from 8E, drinks from 3E.
Insiders tip: get there early to secure a table or sunbed, well worth the additional cost. Otherwise, we recommend taking a blanket and tucking up in the corner where the hedge meets the fence for the pool just at the start of the picnic area (keep to the left, and turn to the right just after the white gravel). Not only do you get good line-of-sight for the kids pools, this space gets most of the sun for the morning, and lovely shade in the hottest part of the afternoon, from around 3pm.

More info: http://www.copeyre.com/quercyland.html
or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quercyland-Parc-aquatique/61342638774

Almost four-year-old Audie gets into the action on the kids slides.

We’d recommend supplementing a packed lunch with some cold drinks and hot chips. Just right for hungry tummies at the pool!