Sigoules and Eymet

I spent most of the afternoon scanning and labelling another selection of colour slides from the recently rediscovered boxes. Apart from the two of Michael and Heidi, which I now think were taken twelve months later, these were all made in August 2008. During that summer I spent three weeks at various French bookings with my son and his family, saw them on their way to Spain, and stayed another week with my friends Maggie and Mike at Eymet in Aquitaine. As told in https://derrickjknight.com/2012/06/04/the-gite-from-hell/ this set of circumstances was instrumental in prompting me to buy

No 6 rue St Jacques, Sigoules. Mike is seen here opening the door for my viewing.

On this trip I took a few of the many walks around the town and its streets over the next few years. There were hardly any hillside slopes lacking prolific vineyards; vigorous sunflowers flourished in flatter fields; rustic stone buildings provided age-old charm,

My friends had moved from No 6 to be nearer the amenities of Eymet, a veritable English enclave.

Although I had to help Maggie with a pronunciation confusion when she was buying from a fruit seller, there seemed to be more English than French voices heard in Eymet’s popular market. In later years I found it easier to root out second-hand English books on the stalls than French ones.

This was also the occasion of the first of my ramblings around Eymet’s streets and lanes (rouelles). Most French towns and villages have splendid war memorials of which this is a fine example.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s perfect paprika pork; scrumptious savoury rice; and tender runner beans, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Shiraz.

76 comments

  3. Wonderful pictures – especially the crowd of happy, shouting sunflowers!
    It’s been too long since I’ve had a trip to france –
    Your photos are a lovely reminder of the fabulous markets, wonderful architecture and wide landscapes.
    Even a ‘Gite from Hell’ could be a welcome destination in such a setting 🙂

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          1. It’s an area of France that I know little about other than it being popular with Brits. I’ll eventually get around to visiting.

          2. Sigoules is occupied by French people – the locals had an accent I found difficult, but they were very patient. Those from Paris and the north I found easier to understand – the local bar was called Le Code Bar – its logo dancing figures in the form of a Bar Code. I’m sure you can imagine that discussing that with the proprietor was great fun.

  5. Lovely photos of French countryside and old town streets. I also remember times when prices in Europe were so low that buying a house was perfectly affordable. Thank you for the link, Derrick.

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  10. Well that is one post I should have avoided. How I would have loved to have bought a small place in the countryside and stayed there forever. So here I am – peaceful and content – and you wave this in front of me. I’ll never be content again.

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    1. Yes. Here is my translation.
      The stone inscription reads: To the children of the Eymet Canrton 1914-1918.
      The black plaque: 19th March 1962. Cease fire in Algeria. In memory of the 50,000 soldiers killed in the AFN (French Algerian war 1959-1962)
      Gold plaque: In memory of the unknown North African soldier buried 15th October 1977 in the Eymet Canton section of the Notre Dame de Lorette Ossuary.
      Thanks very much, Leslie

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  14. Such beautiful photos! Rick and I would love it there. I had to look up “gite”, and read your earlier story, too. That was indeed the gite from hell. 🙂

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  15. The light and shadows are spectacular…a dancing duo…I can feel their motion!
    OH! the field of sunflowers! They are so friendly and so happy!
    The memorial is beautiful and heart-touching.
    (((HUGS))) 🙂
    PS…we fixed homemade Kung Pao Chicken for dinner! 🙂

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