October 3, 2019
Villeneuve-sur-Lot
Bastide Day
Eymet is considered one of the most well-preserved medieval bastide villages of southwestern France, of which there are many. These villages were built between 1200-1400 when the area was largely a frontier region controlled by both France and England. They served to bring rural populations together, and are characterized by a well laid out grid pattern with a central market square, sometimes with a covered market hall. Bastides were at first economic centers and it was only later, after the start of the Hundred Years’ War, that some were fortified with walls. Many, but not all, bastides are located on hilltops, as exemplified by today’s route took that took me through and past a string of bastide towns before ending at Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
Thursday is market day in Eymet, so I began my day with a visit to the market. The market is held in the large central square and along some of the adjacent streets. There are few tourists this time of year, and the market was populated mostly by local folk coming into town to visit with friends and acquaintances and to do their shopping – not just for food, but for a variety of clothes and household items. It was a damp and chilly day, a day for puffy vests and jackets, so I did not linger at the market. Even so, it was almost eleven by the time I was on the road.
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The landscape was a bit eerie - shrouded in fog and the only signs of life were some cattle and a man sowing his field by hand. After about an hour, the skies lightened and the effects of the last few days of rain burst forth in fields of green that lay along the tree-topped hillsides.
I was chilled and hungry when I passed through Montastruc a little past noon. Wanting a warm space and warm food, I paused at a Portuguese restaurant where a man was outside having smoke – is the food good? good but simple was the reply. Just what I wanted. I was directed to the restaurant at the back of the bar, a room filled with working men (all men) on their lunch break. I was given no menu, just water, but within minutes, the madam of the restaurant, embracing a very large tureen, served me a bowl white bean and cabbage soup. Olives and some amazing bread quickly appeared. Without asking, she next brought a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and prosciutto, which was followed by a heaping cassoulet. I passed on dessert, had an espresso, and by the time I left I was warm and full and the sun was out.
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I continued on my bastide trail, enjoying the landscape in a day of sun and clouds. After climbing to Monclar, I dropped swiftly down to Lot River and joined the Lot Valley Cycle route at Fongrave. Crossing the Lot River at Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, I picked up a cycle path and made a short detour to a bike shop on the outskirts of Villeneuve-sur-Lot where I found a replacement for my lost water bottle. Villeneuve-sur-Lot was a lot bigger than I expected, and I arrived in town in the teeth of afternoon traffic. I navigated to my lodging, a guest house where I was the only guest. My hostess Mary was very kind in explaining all about the shared kitchen and laundry. She wanted to know all about my trip, and gave me a large lot of Agen prunes to give me strength for my journey. It was after six before I got cleaned up, whereupon I camped out in the large kitchen and enjoyed my bread, cheese and prunes while doing laundry and journaling. I did not venture out to explore Villeneuve-sur-Lot, my final bastide of the day, but I am sure there will be more bastides to come.
Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 738 miles (1,188 km)
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