Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère

This is possibly my favourite village. I say possibly as there are so many other favourites in this area but for now this place is firmly numero une.

Listed as one of the Plus Beaux Villages des France, St Leon is midway from Les Eyzies on route to Montignac Lascaux, so roughly ten minutes drive from here.

It's an absolute gem. It is so utterly charming and so completely timeless that on a warm
Summer's day you feel that you've practically found paradise.



I stood looking, gawping at the ten feet tall giant Hogweed whilst listening to a choir singing in the church and watching people picnicking on the banks of the river and simply thought, 'this is it, this really is it, the true vie Francaise'



Picnic is a French obsession, and a jolly convivial one it is too. People picnic everywhere, all things stop for lunch. Out comes the wine, cheese, sausicon, bread and olives, all of this in 'pinch myself, I must be dreaming' surroundings . Incidentally, we take the word picnic from the French pique-nique.



I spent the afternoon lazily mooching down the impossibly quaint narrow streets, appreciating the self sown Hollyhocks, Evening Primrose and Touch- me- Nots (Impatiens balfourii).



Did I mention Hollyhocks?



Unfortunately I didn't manage to snap a pic of the beautiful Chateau de Chabans in the Village centre. Bluddie battery ran out on my trusty point and shoot. Another time....



Ah beautiful St Leon. It was just one of those days that will always stay with you.

'Summertime an' the livin' is easy'