9-10-2010 It's a Beautiful Day for a Ride...

It was one of those amazing days of pure blue sky perfect for riding, sweeping roads through farmland and picturesque towns, the wheels of our bikes leave a swirl of leaves in our wake. Although the temperature is perfect for riding, autumn is definitely in the air, in the smell of leaves and cool air and drifts of wood smoke.

Not far from Brive, we stopped in one of the picturesque towns; a medieval village built from the unusually red local stone, called appropriately enough, Collonges-La-Rouge. (La Rouge means The Red, but I am sure you already figured that out). It’s a charming little village, with turreted houses draped in green vines, sunny little courtyards and arched passageways.

It's easy to see why Collonges is a member of the "the most Beautiful Villages of France" association as well as the listing of many of its buildings as historical monuments. It's a popular stop for local tourists and today is no exception. Within a half hour of our arrival, not only have a couple of tour buses stopped but our motorcycles are surrounded by another dozen European bikes.



Parking a motorcycle is easy - just find a wide spot on the sidewalk. Preferably under some shady trees! 



Back to the road. We flash by medieval villages dominated by ancient churches, crumbling towers on hilltops, over and around small hills and forest until we came to rest on the banks of the Dordogne River, to a restaurant we know well. The French, in a fit of imaginative place-naming called this place the Beautiful Spot on the Dordogne (Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne).



The chapel



The name doesn't lie: for me, this is one of the most beautiful spots in France. What amazes me is how it is virtually un-touristed despite the fact that a few hundred years ago, this town was once a bustling stop on the pilgrimage trail due to the medieval abbey that was sited here. All that remains of the abbey is a chapel, closed to visitors, and the cluster of buildings that make up the town. The village sits at the water's edge at the spot where the river is slow and wide, thanks to a weir which slows the water down to a mirror-like stillness.

For us though, an important part of the draw of this place is the brilliant food we have had at a guesthouse restaurant called Les-Flots-Bleue.



Today is no different; Today’s menu is classic French but beautifully prepared, such as Truits Meuniere - trout filets drizzled with browned butter, and another take on my favorite, the Salad Chevre Chaud - green salad with a creamy vinaigrette and small toasts with warm, melty goat cheese on top. For dessert, a trio of home-made ice-cream; Strawberry Mint, aromatic lavender and a third flavor which escapes me at the moment, so startling was the perfume fragrant lavender...

The food must have been good since we didn't take the time to take a picture of our meal!



I'm stuffed. time for a nap?



With the sun, the great food and the gorgeous setting, it was tempting to stay there for the rest of the day - but we have ground to cover. Time to get rolling.

Before leaving Beaulieu, we take a moment to consult the maps and check to see if we are still on schedule; Yup, I think we can make it to Puy Mary and back, though it will be a long day. If you remember, Puy Mary was the objective on one of our rides from Clermont in which we were foiled by the weather.

We pick out a route where we can hit as many wiggly roads as is practical and set out again through the countryside, through ancient stone villages and large tracts of farm land, golden field of corn and herds of reddish Salers cows.



Villages of old stone buildings along the way...





volcano land...





The road traffic is light but typically French; as we come up on cars in our lane, the driver moves right towards the shoulder of the road in order to let us pass. (you won’t have that happen in America!) France is one of the most motorcycle friendly countries we have every traveled in. Although the French have a reputation for being standoffish, they are certainly a lot kinder to bikers.



Before long, we are starting to ascend the old volcano (the largest volcano in Europe). Mike tells Bob to go first and meet us at the top; within minutes he and Jan have disappeared around a curve ahead while we take a more leisurely ride.

 



That little spec in the road is Bob,  just disappearing around the bend...



  

If it had been the weekend, the top of the Puy would have been crowded with bikes, and riders sitting at the outside terrace of a small restaurant at the summit, drinking strong coffee and eating some of the home-made pastries on offer.



the top of puy mary is in sight!



Today is different and a chilly breeze makes Jan and I decide that a hot chocolate break would be more pleasant inside rather than outside on a terrace overlooking the valley.

Our goal reached, it's time to head back. It’s getting late, the sun is slanting through the trees along the road and I begin to worry that we will not make it back to Brive before dark. We have come a long way and there is no quicker way to get back than the roads we came in on; there are no highways nearby.

Never fear. We roll back into town just as the sun is starting to go down. Time to find some dinner...