Travels with Louise-France
The Grand Stairway
By LOUISE HUGHES

Rocamadour

Dale and I were refreshed with another fine lunch and ready for the delights of the famous Rocamadour but on the way there is Cahors with it's Cathedrale de St. Etienne . So we parked the car and admired the huge cupola above the Nave said to be the largest in France. There are frescoes and carving from the 14th Century some sadly depicting the stoning of Saint Stephen for whom the Cathedral is named. We also drove over the Pont Valentre, a fortified bridge with seven pointed arches and three towers. It is stunningly built in 1308 to 1360 and is one of the most photographed monuments in all of France, We skipped the museum in the center tower as we were still going to Rocamadour. The site is on a rocky peak above the Alzou Valley. We were driving along this valley when there was a phenomenal view. We had to park and take in this breathtaking scene and take photos. In 1166 an ancient grave was found with an undecayed body of a Christian hermit St. Amadour. Since then it is a holy shrine and pilgrimages still go on. The many chapels on top of the cliffs are amazing, The " Grand Stairway" goes to the top and many Pilgrims still climb the steps on their knees! 217 steps! This absolves then of all sins! Just the image of this is enough but we did walk up to a square with the chapels surrounding us. I was tired! Dale was determined to go all the way! I was quite happy to rest and take a few photos of the various chapels, the ramparts and the amazing views. I let my mind wander trying to figure out how all of these wonders could be built with no machines and here they remain in great condition through storms, wars and all manner of catastrophes.

St-Cirq-Lapopie

Eventually we ended back in the narrow street with its lovely shops and cafes, We needed coffee and sat in a pretty sidewalk cafe to enjoy the ambience, other tourists and the beauty of the tiny town . It was well worth the long drive.

We have covered most of the " Lot" "Tarn" and Haute Garonne areas which have been inhabited by mankind for tens of thousands of years, longer than any other area of Europe. It has had many wars mostly religious, The Hundred Year War was here during 1337 to 1453 including " The Black Death", a plague killing 4 to 5 million people. I could go on but no more history lessons today! This trip awakened my interest and I read several history books when I got home. It had not been my

favorite subject in school but seeing what I have on my trips changed my feeble mind!

There is another fun spot 10 miles, 16 KM N.E. of Rocamadour but because of Dale's claustrophobia we had to by pass it. If you should be in this area do it! A huge chasm at Padirac drops 328 feet to an underground river which has huge stalactite and stalagmitevery spooky. Of course, you see this from a small boat. This is a delightful excursion worth taking.

There are so many worthwhile towns and drives it's impossible to see them all which is why you need to plan your trip with care and choose your favorites.

We still have to say goodbye to the perfect towns of Cordes and our friendly hosts in order to leave the Lot Department and enter the Dorgogne which is not too far from today's marvelous trip.

Also I purposely left out the valleys between St. Girons and the Basque Land. This is incredibly gorgeous and includes some Sawday's Bed & Breakfasts plus Lourdes so after that we will soon go elsewhere. I planned to write next about a month in Portugal which was a gift to my son, Dean for his 40th birthday and his first trip to Europe. I may also write about Southern Spain as I've gone there several times or you might be interested in my six week fly drive to Yugoslavia , just a few months before their awful war which was rumored while we were there. That was an unusual trip and close to being my favorite. This country is so different, The scenery is so lovely as are the people, food, charm and lots more. If anyone has a preference, call me or drop a note to the Sentinel. I hope you enjoy these articles and your comments are always appreciated.

I've also driven to 48 states and most of Canada with my little dog but I will leave that story until later. See you in lovely Dordogne!