July 7, 2017

July 7, 2017

For breakfast we walked down the street to a Bakery and had Cappuccino and a chocolate croissant. Aimee thinks we need to cut back on our croissant consumption.

We then drove upriver a few miles and found the tiny road that scales the cliff, where we found the fortified city of Domme. In an attempt to find the parking lot closest to the viewpoint, we ended up going down narrow lanes to a dead end facing a cliff. Thank goodness it was still early and I could turn around and violate one way streets. We are having too many of these driving adventures lately. From a central parking lot we walk along the cliff admiring the views of the river valley far below.

We stopped at the Farmers Market back in La Roque Gageac and bought some raspberries for the ride. Our next destination was Lascaux IV. It should have been an easy drive but apparently neither of our GPS units have the latest roads and the French signage is limited, even for major tourist attractions.

Lascaux is the premier Cro-Magnon cave art site. Unfortunately it attracted so many visitors so quickly, the paintings developed mold and deteriorated. The cave was closed permanently in 1963. In 1983, a replica, Lascaux II was built. Unfortunately it was located too close to the original cave and added to the damage. Six months ago, a new replica opened.

At 11:06 our English tour group is called. The tour starts a little like Jurassic Park to make you believe you are entering a real cave. Unfortunately the experience is interrupted as we walk around the undecorated concrete bunker-like walls of the building. The replica cave has been precisely duplicated and is astounding. There are dozens of colorful animal figures decorating every surface. Lascaux deserves its reputation as the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art.

After the cave tour, we enter a workshop area where another set of replicas are available to photograph and study. Instead of an audio guide, we are each given a hi-tech tablet. Sadly, it is very temperamental. We learn a lot but it is a very frustrating experience. The cave was awesome but it could have been so much better.

From Lascaux IV we drove back to the Dordogne stopping at Beynac. We are hungry so we quickly walk to the top of this cliff-side town and stop at Taverne des Ramparts for lunch.

Afterwards we toured the castle that dominates the peak. During the Hundred Years War, the Dordogne River was the front line separating England and France. The whole area bristles with fortresses. Beynac Castle is impressive; so much so that it is has starred in many films. Its location made it impregnable. We tried walking some of the vertical town below the castle but the brutal temps are sapping our energy. We opt to return to the hotel and sit under the A/C.