The idea has worked exceptionally well and the turn of the weather from bloody hot to annoyingly repeated showers over the last 4 or 5 days has added to the plan of execution.
But this is how it is. These villages are still dead as a doornail. And we are looking forward to see if things change next week as the autoroutes begin to fill up with M Hulot 1953 era families escaping from the bigger cities to return to their village roots and/or other holiday places. Events seem to have a pattern of 'Vide grenier' (dispose accumulated junk or at least exchange junk with others) sometime over May/June when just about every weekend is a long weekend, festivals of music around summer solstice 21/22 June, finish school and off for holiday somewhere in France. And then these days there is 'Le Tour' and another chance to celebrate community. Villages like this one will have Government backed artists occupy some of the many almost always empty shops in the village centre to try and flog their wares to the throngs that visit.
Additionally some places have music based events and of course there is plenty of food and wine to move these events along. So we will see soon what, if anything, happens around here.
In the meantime, and at least at our age, we needed a few days to regain energy. When language, culture, custom, driving, navigation, shopping and events are in French it takes some additional effort to get through our days. We like it that way and it keeps the mind ticking along we believe. So we are sleeping more this week and then dealing with the other part of the day during remaining time available.
So we have returned to eat duck on the terrace at Loubressac. We have managed a good local walk in the hills in our area. We revisited the cool, wet but still interesting towns of Salers as well as Martel and St Cere. The markets are still providing us with plenty of fresh seasonal food and we are consuming too much good cheese.
On the other hand nothing much has changed over the almost 20 years we have been coming here. How can France become a 21st century country if they continue to shut up shop and go home for a long lunch before returning to work at 3 pm? Museums close every Tuesday. Boulangeries where they have several in a town share time so they have a day off. Post offices and many supermarkets close for lunch. And service continues to be very indifferent. Carennac and other villages are losing businesses and services. The remaining businesses find it difficult to lift their offerings to the next level.
As with the rest of the world, younger people with energy end up in cities and country people might look to have the good relaxing life but they are not competitive when it comes down to it.
It always comes back to the same points for us. This is a fantastic place to visit and to absorb slices of history whilst eating, drinking and sleeping our way around. But does anyone ever open up the shutters on the many homes just sitting there? Does anyone around here ever do a full days work?
Meanwhile the rain should be ending tomorrow and we might get some more sunny days next week.
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