Georgie's birthday

Georgie's birthday yesterday. Hot and sunny (in mid October?!) so set off for a couple of places she wanted to visit. Boogied across the plateau de Millevaches (splendid area and a well kept secret) without a cloud in the sky. Got stopped by the cops in the middle of nowhere but allowed to continue when they discovered I was anglais - weird. Stopped off at Egletons for a coffee. Next stop, Curemont. Apparently it's one of France's famous historical villages (typically, I'd never heard of it but Georgie had) with the added attraction of having magical healing properties (hence 'cure' in the name). Being on the tourist map, visitor parking was somewhere outside the village, with (surprise, surprise) a very modern ticket machine that gobbled cash. While Georgie marched off to inspect the village, I gently strolled with Hamish up the adjacent ridge. Great views.

Half an hour later, cultural visit over, Georgie returned and we hit the road for Turenne. Again, I'd never heard of it but Georgie had. And again Georgie marched off, this time to the hilltop castle and garden (garden photo nicked from web) while I gently strolled around the lower regions of the touristy village with Hamish (advancing age and physical decline dictate that extreme exercise be kept to a minimum). Killing time, I found a glass of rosé and a fig tree interesting (hence boring photos). About an hour or so later, Georgie returned from up high and joined me outside a pretty café where I was leaking coffee from every pore. She then demolished a lethal looking ice cream while Hamish was busy leaving his calling card on a wide variety of vertical thingies much to the disapproval of la madame propriètaire.

Next, head for home via Collanges La Rouge (yes, it's a red village - photo nicked from web) and a hillside road near Serilhac where we stopped to view our distant barn which, surprisingly, still seemed to be standing, then motorway to Ussel (in a 3.0 V6 Alfa one has to keep eyes peeled for cops) where we lashed out on a McDonald's each, then dogwalk, home and a glass or deux of champers.

P.S. Photo of barn from years back plus photo of impressive view: