# France visit CAPTAINKING 2ND WEEK



## captainking (Jun 16, 2005)

Sorry for the long post's...hope you enjoy! will post again, soon we have decided to stay a little longer untill we find something!

Hi Everyone………..Tuesday 25th had a very restful night only heard a few lorries leave in the early hours out of a hundred or so that was parked up!…..The sun came up across the small valley with the local church spire pointing out it’s direction of travel up into the clear blue sky, a slight chill but the sun’s rays were soon upon us, this was the first time we were able to relax since leaving the UK.
Had a lazy start, looked quickly around the services (Aire) this is a new’ish stretch of motorway the facilities were very good, food hall coffee shop etc, we drove back round to the designated M/H service area where we emptied our now full tanks and filled up with free water, checked oil etc, a couple of M/H arrived for fuel and one huge RV (rear engine) and smart car on a A frame the English chap called over to me while he was waiting to fuel up….he rattled off several names where heed been and where he was going (straight over my head) and made comments about our trailer said It’s easier with a A frame…I took it all with a pinch a salt..!!

We headed off to Cahors down the steep winding road to the next valley getting into Centre Ville presented us with a few tight corners and was quite busy, as we drove down the main street people were at tables either side of the road having late coffee…seemed to find our approach quite amusing, which gave us big grins! Not knowing which way to go, we went over the bridge that crosses the river Lot and happened upon the parking Aire only space for about 6 M/H at a squeeze we were unable to fit in a bay so had to reveres in lengthways. 
We walked back over the bridge (needed the exercise) the river is very wide a deep gorge with cliffs on the S/E side a very low parapet separates you from a sheer drop into the water 60 foot below (hold onto your kids while crossing the bridge)

We visited the Immobiliers only to find (once again) advertised prices for houses on the internet don’t exist and there is a lot of hype for UK buyers we weren’t disappointed as we had expected this we had a look around the town its narrow medieval back streets, bought some provisions, called at the tourist office and made our way back across to the south side.
We were greeted by a Frenchman his, wife and Hymer they were very friendly and told us where to visit (panoramic magnicfic we must visit rocamodor tre’bon) in his pigeon English and our French the language barrier didn’t matter the smiles and handshakes said it all..! We had a late lunch went back to town to see the immobiliers that were closed previously, still the same so we decided to make our way to Moisac further south where there was a farmhouse for sale. It was getting late and darkness grew, the sun just drops out of the sky by 19:00, driving down the B10 a narrow winding road where huge artics trundle along at great speed, enroute we happened upon an Aire on the edge of a small town called Montcuq we missed it, pulled up at the small petrol station and did a U turn through it and parked up for the night. It had hook-up water and waste disposal, tokens available at the petrol station.
We settled in and I walked down to get some tokens and met the young owner Deni (35) he was an encyclopaedia of information very good English and had worked in many places in the SW.

The next morning we walked to the centre ville for some bread and discovered to our surprise a very quaint and medieval town with It’s little back streets, steep climbs overhanging buildings and quite a few immobiliers, we decided to stay and look for property in this area. 

We returned to the M/H, took Sue’s car off the trailer, it was 25 deg and a beautiful blue sky so Sue got her top off! And we went in search for our new home, we looked at some in our price range but found them unsuitable, one house (well ruin for complete restoration) was next to a farm very messy with cow pats everywhere and flies, we live at the back of a cattle farm in the UK and the flies leave their mess all over everything very difficult to clean off! We soon found that this area is very pricy it seems there are a lot of English around and this hypes up the prices in some cases nearly double!…..We were warned that the coming weekend was the yearly 200 km Montcuq endurance horse race and the Aire where we were parked was the designated horse box park and an expected 200 or so were due to roll in. 
After fruitlessly tearing around the countryside we decided to return to our M/H and turn in for the night.

The next morning sure enough the Aire started to fill up, to escape the commotion we went out to look at another house, again was unsuitable upon returning to our M/H it was surrounded by horse boxes and 4x4’s we decided to move camp, the municipal campsite opposite was closed for the season, as we readied to leave loaded up the car no sooner as we did another 4x4 with horse box raced into our spot! We were glad to be leaving the area. Oh! The French interpretation of the town Montcuq! sounds like “MY ARSE” which left us laughing all the way to Montpezat via Cahors where we spent the next couple of days for 12.70 euros per night inc hook-up water etc…But they close for winter 31st oct. as you can imagine it is very quite…!!! It is now 28th Friday…..we may have a house that looks promising, but still looking, we have found a honest immobilier she said prices are falling her clients are saying drop the price! This is contrary to what other agents have tried to make us believe….But we are not parting with one penny until we are 100% sure! 
After a week we are getting use to where everything is placed in out M/H, but get the odd surprise….we must remember that after arriving somewhere new there will be the odd tin of beans or jar of honey ready to launch itself at us from the overhead lockers! Sometimes for a split second we breathe a sigh of relief as it lands on the soft seating below but this is short lived after a backwards somersault like some Olympic high diver up in the air it go’s and comes crashing down on an unsuspecting foot..!!!

We have spent the next few days driving around the countryside with the top down in temperatures around the 25 deg, a phone call back to our two sons in the UK said it has been raining heavy for a couple of days “one more tick in the plus box for moving to France” The beautiful rolling countryside of this area with it’s magnificent views small medieval towns free parking laid back attitude friendly service in the shops the way the young and old greet each other and us with friendly respect makes the UK seem a little hostile at times, with it’s big brother CCTV, speed cameras around every corner traffic wardens lurking, waiting to pounce at the mere hint of leaving your car for a couple minutes where it shouldn’t be or slapping a £30 fine for overstaying at a car park…..!! France will have its faults no doubt but at least the sun is shining !

At the deserted campsite here in Montpezat de Clercy the autumn leaves are falling the church bell chimes on the hour! Through the night the wind gets up and the surrounding trees sway and rustle, a family of magpies have the odd chatter to each other breaking the silence, a far cry from the hustle bustle what this place must be like in full summer swing with it’s communal barbi, children’s swings and play area in the centre of the sloping terrain campsite “ very eerie”
We decided to have a meal out in Montpezat on recommendation from our friendly campsite owner Monsieur Bro, big mistake! All they could offer was cold meat salad…it was disgusting.
We discovered that Montpezat was another medieval town with restored columbage buildings very tidy clean and friendly, we visited the only Immobiller, Bridget from Denmark, she sent us to a house not far from town, when we arrived it was just perfect away from the main road it’s own approach great views and in pretty good condition…..too good to be true! We discovered a young French couple restoring it, they had bought it some months earlier, the owner had failed to tell Bridget, one way to save paying his fees!

31st Oct loomed upon us we had to move from the campsite in Montpezat, closing for winter, Môn sure Bro said his neighbour’s mother and father were selling their farmhouse not far from town we agreed to follow him…….
I have been driving for over 37 years and seen hundreds of the caution triangle silhouette of the prancing deer signs even the Moose type in New England and never seen one, as we drove out of the towns perimeter a wild deer hopped across the road bounced over the field eventually disappearing into a wood we looked in amazement! 
Not much to say about the farmhouse but when we arrived in Sue’s sports car ££££’s signs must have been coming out of our heads! The little old lady rubbed her hands together grabbed her calculator keyed in the price and that was that.

The weather had changed overnight, cold and raining I loaded up the car did the usual departure preps said our goodbyes to Môn sure Bro and made our way to Cayrich via Puylaroque in the darkness.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

Many thanks for your report Cap'n, I always enjoy reading about peoples write ups about their travels and that was a great read, thanks from me and I hope you eventually find that magic house you are searching for.

I have moved both of your reports into a more relevant forum where it should get more views.

pete.


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Cracking report Capt

Bloody hell  

I've gotta go to work tommorow  

Have a great time, keep looking, you'll get there.

Dave


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