Montpazier, Monbazillac and Bergerac

Heading off from Pagel we were keen to get back in the van for the night. We had found a great little spot for free camping on a small family owned vinyard, so headed straight there after packing up and saying our goodbyes to everyone we’d met during the week. On route we happened upon a fabulous French village called Monpazier. This is a stunning medieval spot, well worth a visit, with most of the action taking place around the main square. We had a good look round and managed a spot of lunch before heading off to the campsite.

We arrived just in time to set up before the nightly wine tasing took place. The wife of the vinyard owner gave us an introduction to the sweet wines that they are famous for, including a sweet red (aquired taste!). She also took pity on us and gave us a key for their shower and toilet block, a luxury not available to the larger campervan owners, we felt special. The surroundings were picturesque and we had a very comfortable night’s stay. It was good to be back on the road.

In the morning we headed off into Monbazillac itself. It was a Sunday so the local market was on, including a stall by the vinyard owner who was selling a range of their Adventuier wines alongside fresh fruit and veg and baked goods. The church bells were ringing, and choir singing, and the whole town had a lovely feel. A little way out of town is the chateau. We walked around the grounds, and met an English woman and her little girl who had recently moved to the area so Abi got to have a little play while we appreciated the architecture.

After that we drove off to Bergerac for the afternoon. This another lovely old town set on a river, although with it being a Sunday it had a lazy feel to it. We parked on the river next to cars taking part in a vintage car rally, had lunch sitting outside the van looking out over the water. Very nice.

Unfortunately for me, I’d come down with a nasty case of prickly heat – incredibly itchy and quite uncomfortable. I was craving a cool shower, so we decided to book into a B and B for a couple of nights.