Cro-Magnon and the Macabre

 DAY FIVE

From Cro-Magnon engravings to Waggons for the Dead

Le Bugue may be a small town but it does have a flea market on a Sunday - and it has cave engravings. We visited both before making our way south to Toulouse. Firstly we took in the flea market. Nicely situated just out of town and on the banks of a small river. Klein aber Fein as they say in German - small but nice. 
Then we drove to the cave at Bara Bahau. The small car park was empty. The ticket office was closed. The place deserted 4 minutes before the first visit of the day. Then a car pulled up, a young lady arrived and opened up. We were the only visitors! We had a personal guided tour in English! Although not large, and not as exciting as the caves with paintings, the cave was rich in engravings. Apparently humans had found a cave, previously inhabited by bears (long before). On top of the bear´s paw scratchings the humans had drawn some figures and engraved all manner of animals. No photography allowed - but the link takes you to an interesting page. Bara Bahau





It was not a long drive before we arrived at the first castle we actually visited. Milandes is an imposing and impressive castle on the Dordogne river. It´s only real claim to fame is that Josephine Baker once lived here. Her life story is especially interesting, generally known as the dancer in the banana skirt, she was also a war spy, and mother Teresa to a dozen children. Although she went bankrupt and only had the castle some 30 years, the present owners are fully exploiting this connection. A very nice garden - which I visited and a very nice "house" - which Rolf visited.





      

      


From there we followed the Dordogne River a short way and passed through two more of France´s beautiful villages. This area, which is basically the region in and around Perigord is beautiful and has a lot to offer. Both Beynac-et-Cazenac were worth a short stop.
Beynac-et-Cazenac


Domme


      




Then it was time to step on the gas somewhat to reach Toulouse by nightfall. However, we had one last call to make. Off the road to Toulouse and hidden behind the village of Cazes Mondenard, is a very unusual transport museum. 


      





Alongside an amazing collection of horse-drawn carriages, and various agricultural machinery such as farm trucks and an old fire pump, a toddler´s walking aid (c.1800) there is the largest collection of hearses you will ever see. These are all horse-drawn hearses from the 1800s and early 1900s. As local communities ceased providing funeral services, the waggons were offered to, or given to, the present owner´s father, Yvan Quercy. The son, Yvan, will proudly show you around the Hearse and Carriage Museum (cost €10 per person) and answer any questions (in French!).


      



Go to DAY ONE - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY TWO - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY THREE - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY FOUR - CLICK HERE.
 
Go to DAY SIX - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY SEVEN - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY EIGHT - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY NINE - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY TEN - CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY ELEVEN- CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY TWELVE- CLICK HERE.
Go to DAY THIRTEEN - CLICK HERE.

For a list of my other (mainly map) blogs - CLICK HERE.

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