To Brantôme

September 27, 2022

We have a bit longer ride today, but an easier one. Aubeterre and Brantôme are both river towns on the Dronne, and we’ll more or less follow the river the whole way. As you’d expect, we go back and forth between short stretches biking right beside the water and longer ones that cut across hills on either side. It’s the riparian three step: climb, coast, glide; climb, coast, glide.

It’s a quiet ride, but very pleasant one. Besides the usual scenic highlights we expect to see but nevertheless are excited by when we come upon them - churches, interesting livestock, mills, dovecotes - the day has the added drama of uncertain weather. It wasn’t predicted, but there are periods where it looks like we could get wet, followed from time to time by ones where we actually do get wet. It’s nothing serious though, little more than a light misting for the most part.

We arrive a little past three and check in at Villa Medici, our home for the next two nights. We’re greeted first by a middle-aged golden retriever who growls assertively for a minute or two until the owner comes out and introduces us.

Just ahead of us only a few hundred yards away and visible at the end of our street is Brantôme’s historic center, backwalled by the enormous abbey the town is renowned for. There’s still time in the day for exploration, but there’s no rush - tomorrow looks like a rainout so we’ll see the town then. For now we’re content to hang out until dinner and then head down to La Table d’Emilie where we’ll enjoy one of the best meals in recent memory.