# Other Places Around The World > France Travel Forum >  >  Dordogne Bike Trip

## tim

Arrived on schedule in Frankfurt this morning for connecting flight to Toulouse in a few hours.  For those connecting in Frankfurt on future flights, wear your walking shoes.  This is a massive airport, and one can easily walk a mile to connect.

Business class rocks on Lufthansa with great service, in flight entertainment, and food.  Also, one gets to go through a special security line in Frankfurt that was one tenth as long as that for the coach passengers.

I don't know if my bike travelled across the ocean with me, but I know it got to Philly because I made the ground crew show it to me.  Here's crossing my fingers.

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## JEK

Have a great ride!  Dordogne looks like a great region.

http://www.discoverfrance.com/region...html#geography

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## MIke R

enjoy!!!!.....be safe

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## amyb

Nice little travelogue and I am really looking forward to seeing it from Tim's viewpoint.

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## GramChop

have a blast, tim.  i'm looking forward to what i know will be a great report!  be safe, mon ami!!

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## rivertrash

Have a great time, Tim.  Looking forward to your reports.

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## tim

This is a gorgeous area of France, but we've had nothing but cloudy and gray weather.  As is the custom with this tour group, our routes are mostly small country roads with fabulous scenery.  Because it's been so gray, I haven't even pulled out my camera.  60 miles/day with around 4,000 feet of climbing is making my butt a little sore, but the legs are holding up well.  17 folks are in our group, and I fear one gentleman is getting more riding than he can handle.

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## andynap

Pedal on Tim.

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## smason3

Gray or not, it's a beautiful area. For the gentlemen getting more than he bargained for, remind him that he is in France after all. How much longer is the trip?

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## JEK

Tim goes for two weeks or 75,000 vertical feet of climb, whichever come first :)

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## tim

Today's ride from Conques to Languiole was the toughest day yet in the saddle with 65 miles and 5,000 feet of climbing, but we had a brief flash of sun so that I could take the above photo.  Dordogne is so beautiful that there's a photo almost everywhere one looks.

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## andynap

Very French looking- LOL

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## amyb

it looks like a movie set!  Just wonderful.

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## JEK

> Languiole



I love their knives, forks, spoons and corkscrews!

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## amyb

When in Minneapolis airport, they wanted to toss out Phil's corkscrew-I freaked. Went back to the suitcase to pack it up for the return trip! What a tool-what a great product line.

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## JEK

One of the first things I bought on the first trip to SBH was a sterling silver Languiole corkscrew. Now our standard engagement gift with engraving. We have a full set of steak knives, carving knives and forks. Great stuff and a standard around the world of fine dining.

http://www.laguiole.com/laguiole-cor...ml?language=en


Kevin needs one of these!

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## julianne

Tim, Have a fantastic trip. Don't fall while you are looking at all that gorgeous scenery!

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## KevinS

> Kevin needs one of these!



Kevin would hurt himself with one of those!  It provides an impressive result, but I'm quite happy just easing the cork out with nothing more spectacular than a sigh of escaping bubbles.

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## bto

Oh, Tim, how majestic!  Wow, what a trip...enjoy yourself and stay safe!

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## GramChop

wow, tim....how beautiful!  thanks for giving us a small taste of what you're seeing all day long!!  stay safe and continue to have fun!

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## tim

Thanks for all the good wishes.  We had a beautiful sunny day today so I was able to capture a portrait of these two beauties -

 

They live in a none-too-shabby neighborhood -

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## andynap

I am surprised the bull looks placid. Normally they are very possessive of their cows and will charge you if they feel threatened.

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## amyb

Obviously they saw Tim as a kinder gentler bull.

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## andynap

The first time we went to Sonoma and Napa we stopped at Clos du Val winery and across the street was a field of cows. Phyllis having grown up in the city never saw a cow up close so she went across to say hello and for me to take a picture of her with 2 cows next to the fence. About 10 seconds later comes a bull charging and snorting and I hurried up and took the picture. You should see the look on Phyl's face- priceless.

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## amyb

If you can find it, Andy-do post it. I bet Phyllis looks  moo-rtified

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## andynap

I'll look tonight at home.

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## amyb

Cool.

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## GramChop

happy the sun came out for you, tim!  i like those cow's neighborhood....very lovely!  thanks for sharing with us.

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## JEK

> I am surprised the bull looks placid. Normally they are very possessive of their cows and will charge you if they feel threatened.



Those are both cows. Udderly.

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## andynap

The one on the left is a bull

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## amyb

Of course, you can see him moo-andering up to the brave cow that came forward first!

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## tim

We climbed up to the Pas du Peyrol today, a fairly high mountain in the Massif Central -



I don't know why, as it was pretty warm up there, but there was still some of this white stuff lingering -

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## bto

Gorgeous country, Tim!  Love these pics.

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## tim

Cloudy Sunday in St. Céré -



No riding today, butt break for les véloists.

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## julianne

Oh, my---superb photo. Hope your day of rest was also superb!

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## andynap

Adorable looking town. Is the canal in use?

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## tim

Of no use for boats, the canal is very shallow with a rapidly moving current.  There was a quite active market in the little town this Sunday afternoon, also a car rally.

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## tim

Julia,

Other than stretching my legs by walking a couple of miles back and forth to town, I've been a real bum today.  Washing my clothes and watching Rafa Nadal in the French Open are my major accomplishments of the day.

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## BBT

Tim looks like a wonderful trip. No doubt a piece of cake for you after climbing Mt. Vitiet each day.

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## amyb

So picturesque and thanks for sharing the views you have come upon for your bike tour in France.

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## GramChop

what a cute little town...it looks like a postcard!  thanks for sharing!  hope your hiney got a nice rest!

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## tim

The Dordogne River, namesake of the region -

[

Last night's humble abode.  Individual rooms weren't fancy, but one expected to see knights in shining armor in the common areas -




Today some of us rode 22 miles in the rain to get from the above Chateau to our next hotel in Sarlat, riding in the rain being one of the worst features of bike tours.

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## amyb

You just got wet, Tim. Those aforementioned knights got rust!

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## GramChop

sorry you got rained on!  

did you take any photographs of the inside of the castle?  what a cool place!

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## tim

Missy,

Sorry, no inside photos, but I should have.  The dining room was especially spectacular.

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## bto

Fascinating area, Tim....supposed to be some of the finest medieval architecture in this region, Sarlat having the highest concentration  of any town in France.  I read that one of the best markets in France is the Sarlat Market every Wednesday in the Place de la Liberté....Wish I was there!!

Où est le chateau?

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## tim

Bev,

The chateau was just outside of Condat, down a beautiful drive that wound first through the old village and then out into the open countryside.

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## bto

I'm following you on my little map at home...learning from each post...Merci!

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## amyb

Bev, I too am loving Tim's ride.

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## tim

Tim is not loving Tim's ride today; rain is projected all day today and tomorrow.  Luckily we're in the same hotel in Sarlat for these next few days.  I may walk into town in the rain just to stretch my legs.  :Frown:

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## tim

A tribute to Foie Gras -

 

Remember these babies?


 

Thank goodness we were not riding today.  There was a huge thunderstorm accompanied by significant hail.

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## bto

definitely not biking weather : )  love the ducks...any more castles on the agenda, tim?

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## JoshA

Nice. I remember several of my student friends had 2CVs in the seventies. I guess they can't meet regs anymore.

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## GramChop

what a great adventure you're on, tim.  glad you had a chance to rest your legs and protect yourself from the hail!  

what kind of car is that in your photograph?

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## KevinS

The Citroën 2CV "Deux Chevaux" 

I think I've seen a red one on-island that is in excellent condition.

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## GramChop

those are really cute....kind of a cross between a vw bug and a rolls royce!

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## JEK

> those are really cute....kind of a cross between a vw bug and a rolls royce!



You are really cute. A car is just a car :)

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## tim

No WIFI at last night's hotel, but we pedaled past this lovely sight yesterday -

 

The Lot River was doing some serious flooding yesterday, and we actually had to pedal through water on some of the roads.  The water on this poor farmer's field was an example of many that we witnessed -

 

The pedaling is over, and just in the nick of it.  When disassembling my bike, I noticed that my rear tire was almost completely worn through to the tube.  One more kilometer would have caused a blowout.  I'm headed to Toulouse tomorrow, and the plan is to meet my lovely wife for some touristing in the same area by car.

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## phil62

Good timing, Tim. Hi to Rickey.

Now, relax and enjoy the hospitality of France.

Hugs, Amy

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## JEK

Congratulation to you and your butt on another spectacular and safe ride. Enjoy rolling on four tires for the next week.

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## bto

Good timing, indeed!  Glad you didn't have to experience a blowout.  Toulouse sounds lovely, would love to hear about it if your wife lets you do any posting : )

Thanks for the pics, Tim!

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## MIke R

great job...enjoy...Wendi is so jealous...Toulouse is where she lived....she absolutely loved it...

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## GramChop

> Originally Posted by gramchop
> 
> those are really cute....kind of a cross between a vw bug and a rolls royce!
> 
> 
> 
> You are really cute. A car is just a car :)



awwww.....i'm blushin'!  ....and i agree with you about a car simply being a car!

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## GramChop

wow...that IS perfect timing!  the scenery is beautiful, tim.....i'm sure more so in person than in photographs!

enjoy your tourist leg of the trip with rickey.....tell her i said hello!!

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## tim

Hanging out in Toulouse today, this country is all about the World Cup.  There were even flat screens set up in the outdoor café where I had dinner tonight on the Place du Capitole.  Germany was kicking Australia's butt, but in every match someone has to win and others have Toulouse.

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## Dennis

> , but in every match someone has to win and others have Toulouse.




He shoots, he scores!

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## JEK

Grasshopper,

Wit and understatement, that is how you become Mod #1. Trust me.

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## amyb

Speaking of Grasshopper. Tomorrow grand son Adam has invited us to view KARATE KID as his 10th birthday celebration begins. I find it hard to believe that there could be a remake when the show was just on TV and there was just a full length movie as well as the kid takes life lessons and wisdom from his mentor. YIKES-where did that time go?

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## tim

Amy, time does indeed pass, mon amie.  Just two weeks ago we were cycling on the sunny roads of Dordogne.  Most of our group is in the photo below.  All but three of us were from the western part of the U.S. and Canada, and we other three were remarkably and coincidentally from the Commonwealth of Virginia -

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## tim

St. Sernin Basilica in Toulouse.  What a steeple!

 

Fancy, fancy interior -

 

Not knowing anything about confessionals, this one appears to allow two parishoners to confess to the priest at the same time.  Was this the original multi-tasking?

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## andynap

Traditionally, it was always like that and some Churches still have the same configuration confessional. It's not 2 at the same time tho- LOL. Modern times allow the priest to hear confession near the altar out in the open- one at a time.

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## MIke R

I hated those things....just hated them...

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## andynap

Because they locked you in- bad boy.

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## MIke R

I never told them the truth anyway..it was none of their damn business what I did or didn't do...I usually  just made up a bunch of trite stuff to make them happy...got my 10 Hail Marys, and was done with it....

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## andynap

Why bother??

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## MIke R

exactly...I didn't have much of a choice in those days

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## bto

magnificent, tim!

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## tim

My LW and I, retracing my bike routes a voiture, are stopping every few minutes for photos.  She shot this Scotch Broom and Poppy shot directly from the car window -



A random chateau by the side of the road -

 

Tonight we're in the medieval village of Conques enjoying Mexico and France in the World Cup.  So far French people have nothing about which to cheer except for Mexico's barely missed goals.

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## amyb

You are hanging out in some very fine neighborhoods, Tim. Lovely shot of a French fence-they plant and do them so well, don't you think?.

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## tim

Amy,

We've seen hundreds of beautiful, well-tended gardens over here, but I think the Scotch Broom and Poppies are growing wild. The Scotch Broom especially, we have seen for miles and miles.

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## JEK

When we were in Tuscany recently the poppies were growing wild everywhere. When do you return Tim ?

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## bto

Just beautiful...love the random chateaus you see along the roads in France...so unexpected...LW did a great job!

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## amyb

Me too Bev-except I was always looking for John Wayne  and a squad of GI's behind the hedgerows!

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## andynap

> Robert Taylor



Ivanhoe??? LOL

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## GramChop

wow...that 'random chateau' is just stunning!

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## tim



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## bto

Tim, quel village?  Tes photos sont merveilleux.  Wow.

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## tim

Bev,

The first shot was in Conques.  The others were in a village called Belcastel, of which there are at least two by that name in France.  When the sun finally came out today, we got some of our best shots of the trip which we'll post as time permits.

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## bto

I can't find Belcastel in my little book but it says there are lots of treasures in Conques to see.  Love these pics you're posting.

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## tim

Prettiest dining room, Chateau Fleunie just outside Condat -

 

Most picturesque village, Rocamadour -

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## amyb

Tim-I am loving France through your eyes!  Merci beau coup......

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## JoshA

Love these photos especially the one of Rocamodour. Colors and topography are great!

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## bto

c'est magnifique! merci, mon ami!

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