Shared Illusions

This area is thick with them. Some appear to still be inhabited. Or the owners live nearby and use them periodically when the castle is closed for visitors.

Chateau de Puymartin is one such we simply happened upon while driving. Built in the 13th century. It’s owners did live there as recently as 1920, when a daughter’s wedding was held there. Obviously that’s way too much history to go into. So here are a few photos instead. There’s always the internet…

This castle had a fun interative game in which you had to rescue a comrad in arms.  Scenarious were placed before you. Each time you had to select the course of action. For example, to break through a door do you: a. Use a petard (explosive devise) b. an ax c. a battering ram. The game provided 3 lives. We played twice and succeeded in saving Francois the second time!

In Campagne, a tiny town with a lot of character – haven’t they all. Ed caught site of a castle, my eyes lit upon some roadside buildings.

Rocamadour

This is a popular variant on the Via Podiensis. Rocamadour owes its origin, according to tradition, to St. Amadour (or Amateur), who chose the spot as a hermitage. It became a place of pilgrimage in the early Middle Ages. More than 200 steps lead up the rock to the sanctuary. The churches in the sanctuary include the Romanesque basilica of Saint-Sauveur and the 12th-century crypt of St. Amadour. (From Wikipedia)

We drove there from Pêche Merle. BTW, Pêche is not French, but the language Occitan. I’d noticed signs in two languages. Here’s info from BBC website: Although many people have not heard of Occitan, also known as Langue d’Oc (language of the west), it’s one of several Romance languages that evolved from vernacular Latin, and is still spoken in six major dialects across southern France as well as parts of north-western Italy and northern Spain.

WOW.

Our own castle these past 6 days…