Marqueyssac (by Phone)

It's been a long time, too long, since we visited the gardens at Chateau Marqueyssac. Last Friday however, we made a long overdue return visit to 'Les Jardins Suspendu' - the Hanging Gardens with panoramic views of the Dordogne valley.

Sadly, camera forgotten and with just one bar of charge left on the mobile phone I managed just a few shots before the power finished. For the full picture go here

 The box is clipped beautifully and the 'parc', with over six kilometres of footpaths and walks has a labyrinthine feel to it, not to mention containing pretty much all of the native flora and fauna found in the Perigord Noir - The Black Perigord - named such due to the vast swathes of dark Holm oak found growing in this region.

But for me, it's the beautiful views,  true vistas over the Dordogne valley that make this a special place. There are bucolic scenes all around the park and the gardens, at 200 metres above the river act as a natural belvedere.  This was a view over to the fortified chateau of Castelnaud. Unfortunately the 'phone's camera seemed hell bent on fixing focus to the trees in the fore and then running out of power. All the same, it's a fairytale view - one of many. If you ever get to go there, take the camera!