We went to the south of France to the Midi-Pyrenees region when Master H was 7 months old. This was our holiday within a holiday from visiting family in Scotland. After the intense heat of Dubai and then the cold “summer” in Scotland with temperatures averaging around 13 degrees, France was a comfortable 25-27 degrees and was positively wonderful.
We stayed in the Lot, Midi-Pyrenees region in a beautiful little cottage which had stunning views looking over rolling green fields. It was perfect for us with Master H as we had everything we needed and could stay and relax in the accommodation if needed, he could roll around on the grass while we enjoyed the beautiful views and we could go for walks in the surrounding countryside.
The scenery around that part of France is stunning. If you visit in summer the rolling fields full of sunflowers with their beautiful yellow, black and and green contrasting against the bright blue sky makes every day look bright and beautiful. Sunflowers are one of my favourite flowers, they are so cheery to look at, with their sunny faces blowing gently in the breeze.
We hired a car so were able to travel around freely as needed and work in with Master H’s sleeps which was very convenient. Most days there was a local market on at any of the small towns near by, so we got to visit each town and see it at its best with a lively atmosphere, great food, and fantastic people watching.
We all know France is known for its culinary delights, and at every cafe we ate at the food was spectacular, so fresh and full of flavour. The fresh produce, meats and cheeses that could be found at the markets every day were a foodies heaven. Needless to to say we gorged ourselves! Fresh organic fruit and vegetables, cured meats, stunning cheeses, great wines, and items which are rather pricey in NZ such as olives and artichokes all for a reasonable price. I do love the idea of just nipping down daily to buy what you need from your local market instead of doing a big shop once a week and wasting food, something that is so common in our society today. Master H was enthralled by the hustle and bustle of all the markets and loved watching all the people.
We visited the lovely little village of Montcuq and timed our visit with its market that is held every Sunday. Montcuq is in the Lot department of southern France, between Lauzerte and Cahors and in the region known locally as Quercy Blanc. The view as you approach Montcuq is dominated by two towers: one of the church and the other the tower that is all that remains of an ancient castle. These are surrounded by lots of small roads some of which have retained their medieval houses. The market there was bustling with not only food but clothes and hats, and arts and crafts. I loved seeing the elderly men sitting at the nearby cafes sipping their champagne on a Sunday morning, catching up on a bit of local gossip no doubt – only in France!
We spent a day visiting the lively town of Cahors and timed our visit with the very busy and impressive Wednesday market. Cahors dates back to the 13th century and has a historic centre where you will find the cathedral with its roman style entrance, frescoes and a very attractive cloister. The main attraction in Cahors that is the famous bridge across the Lot river, the Pont Valentré. The bridge, built in the 14th century, is stunning. It has three towers each with large arched gateways due to its historical role as a defensive bridge. The river is beautiful to walk along and we bought some tasty treats at the market and sat on the grass and had a picnic.
If you are wanting a relaxing easy holiday with your little ones with good weather, stunning views, lots of countryside, excellent food and wine, then the Midi-Pyrenees region in the south of France is the perfect place to go.
Note: This trip was done in 2015
