Abbaye de Cadouin

There are many plant and flower fairs held at this time of the year in this part of the Dordogne. As ever they're great social events and take place in simply beautiful towns and villages.

The final Marché Aux Fleurs of the season is held around the impressive Abbey at Cadouin. The Romanesque church was consecrated in 1154 and exudes a twelfth-century Cistercian spirituality. The cloisters, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, provide a magnificent example of flamboyant Gothic architecture.

The Abbey at Cadouin is registered on UNESCO’s World Inheritance list under the heading of Compostelle Paths in France.



Karen and I arrived early that morning as we've a a 1001 things to do at this time of year (our first guests arrive this week) yet we didn't want to miss out on this one.



There were stalls everywhere, under the covered market square, through narrow back streets, the fair just meandered through the ancient lanes.




I'm always taken with the French obsession with Perlagoniums. I'm not the biggest fan although occasionally I'll come across one which I really appreciate. That said, the fact is that this is the biggest selling 'bedding' plant here by a country mile.



The atmosphere was just so relaxed. The speaker system which was rigged up around town played Jazz the whole time. Seriously folks, I was looking at some beautiful Meilland roses whilst being serenaded by the lilting tones of Ellis Regina singing Triste.