France at 3 MPH: Slowing Down

The Camino has a way of taking a Pilgrim to marvelous places. The path is never the shortest distance to the next town. The Grotto at Peche Merle is one of those marvelous places. This painting, in a karst limestone cave deep underground was made 29,000 years ago. I have read about these drawings but never imagined I would see them. Now we are in Saint Cirq le Popie. Below us the Cele created fog at sunrise to create magic. This is one of le Plus Beaux Villages and has 400,000 visitors in the summer. One of the many shops and art galleries is this wood turning workshop. Jackie and his dog were a delight to get to know. He said only a dozen people stay the winter in the old downtown. We met Nathalie, a glass artist, in her shop. Slowing down to have a conversation.

We took a ride on a ship built in the tradition of the barges which plied this river for hundreds of years. Originally pulled by people, then horses, and the towpath was carved into the canyon wall. We went through a manually operated lock.

Tomorrow we leave the Cele River. Tonight we are in a gite in an old train station; it is strange to say the least. Who knows what adventures tomorrow holds?