“Should you sit upon a cloud you would not see the boundary line between one country and another, nor the boundary stone between a farm and a farm. It is a pity you cannot sit upon a cloud.” – Kahlil Gilbran
We flew from London into Toulouse and picked up Bart, our little black Peugeot. Murph navigated for me the next couple hours. French roads are in stellar shape and drivers very sane, making driving a real joy! First home – BergeracCharming B&B that was as inviting both day…and night!I loved their beautiful kitchen – where we ate our breakfast.Just walking through the old town was like strolling around an art gallery.Where to begin?I like their philosophy!Bergerac is a bit short on green spaces but I did manage to find some pretty gardens.This is a fine example of a modern alter in one very old church we toured.Next to the church is one of the Bergerac’s statues of Cyrano de Bergerac. Although much is made of the “Cyrano connection” the reality is that there is almost no connection at all between the town and the famous character.Eglise of Notre Dame Despite the historical inaccuracy this statue is also perhaps the most photographed monument of Bergerac. There is often a queue of people wanting their photo taken with Cyrano!Being situated on the Dordogne River made this town an attractive stop, since there is a bike path that runs along the water.We headed up and past the bridge – due East.Lovely views of the Dordogne while pedaling along a tree lined, paved path.Gorgeous morning – although warming up to the 90s later today.What’s not to love? ❤️ Riding along and “bon jouring” people as we passed by!Small signs of autumn in the foliage.We rode out about 14 miles to Lelinde to see the dam there. Impressive engineering in order to allow river cargo boats to bypass a treacherous stretch of the Dordogne.Pretty cool canal & locks, too.Opened in 1843, the canal belongs to an era where transport of goods relied on waterways and shipping. After that we rode back home and locked the bikes up. The bike hire company will pick up at their convenience – great service.Hot and hungry now we walked uphill into the city to a patisserie that we had spotted yesterday. I was very curious to find out what that vial sticking in the little cake contained. Murph loves napoleon pastries so that’s his in the background. In anticipation, I squeezed the little vial, fully expecting it to be honey – nope, it was not honey! Quite a strong liqueur flowed through my little treat – hmmm – not a fan, but now I know. Mystery solved! All in all, Bergerac was a great start to our time in the Dordogne region of France.
Agree! Your entry into France, so charming and picturesque. Absorb the heat. We are prepping for fall, high 70, rain, dampness and loving soup. LorettaSpread Love ❤️
Murphys on the Move 
I love that picture of the bridge!Casey Murphy(he/him)917.748.9579CaseyMMurphy@gmail.comCaseyMMurphy.comOn Sep 16, 2026,
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Perfect reflection, right?
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Looks like a most interesting area. I noticed you are back riding regular bikes!
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Not hilly along the river so really didn’t need e-bikes.
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Agree! Your entry into France, so charming and picturesque. Absorb the heat. We are prepping for fall, high 70, rain, dampness and loving soup. LorettaSpread Love ❤️
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