Les Eyzies to St Lēon sur Vēzēre

May 22, 2023

Out to lunch.

Today we want to explore the local area and decide on a ride to St Lēon sur Vēzeres, a village in the exalted club 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'. On the way we hope to give a passing nod to La Roque Saint Christophe, the prehistoric cave village that also became a latter day troglodyte dwelling.

It’s a beautiful morning, we’ve even managed muesli and yogurt, carted with our frozen bottle from Perigueux. There’s no easily reached supermarket here so coffee and tea are black.

We’re sharing the road with more cars and vans than we might prefer but it’s not too bad. There are a few climbs too, but having left most of our gear behind we can’t complain. It’s warm enough for short sleeves and shorts too.

Geese - the foie grad industry is big here. Not sure if the geese are long livers, or have long livers.

The views across the countryside are beautiful and the road begins to clear, though there are a couple of tourist buses which take up considerable space.

Soon we reach St Christophe. There are clear signs of the way man has worked on the rocks to enable comfortable and secure habitation. Notches cut for floor joists and rafters and steps cut into the rock. During the Middle Ages the area had an increasing population and the cliffs were transformed into a fortress.

After St Christophe we have a couple of hills before St Lēon. On the way we notice a cycling sign on an uphill route to Les Eyzies. We decide that we might take it back to our abode later, as it should avoid most of the traffic.

At St Lēon, it’s lunch. We cross the Vezere river where canoe hire companies have set up and walk into the small town with buildings of honey coloured stone. Selecting a restaurant, we sit in the warm, shady garden and enjoy a relaxing hour.

The Romanesque church of St Lēon. A simple, unadorned building.

Following lunch we explore briefly before heading back. We find the cycle Route Les Biquettes and head up. The slope is reasonable but the hill is quite long. Once at the top however, it’s downhill all the way to Les Eyzies and ‘home’. We stop at the petrol station before town, as it’s the only place to get supplies.

Today's ride: 31 km (19 miles)
Total: 1,189 km (738 miles)

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Mary HutchingIt's a shame lots of the smaller places have no shops. I noticed that when Em and I were in Northern France in 2013. I suppose everyone drives to the hypermarche.
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