Le Weekend de Patrimoine

Every year on this 3rd weekend of September France (and Europe) put on a lot of events, open-doors and exhibitions on their history and culture.
This year the weather was very unsettled, cool and rainy, but people still brave the elements and yesterday we went to a chateau in a nearby village.

Historic houses that are listed and which receive financial aid from the government have to open to the public, even if for only this weekend. 

The guided tours at the Chateau de Vaillac were well supported and we realised that the knowledgeable guide was the owner of the property.

I, Sue, just have to add that this little man was a perfect French gentlemen. He spoke French so smoothly and at a speed that was impossible not to understand. He was exactly a French squire which is totally different to an English one.

We were impressed at the way 'ordinary' French people are proud of their history and make the effort to visit even an insignificant footnote of it.

Still having some of the afternoon left we travelled toward Cahors to the small village of Boissière.
Here we had seen that there was a stone mason working and examples of his restauration work were in the church.

We were struck by the way that a small village like this had been prepared to spend money to convert the ruins of the adjacent chateau into a 'chic' meeting place (Salle de Fete).  The French have a very strong pride in who they are and where they come from.

Today it was raining again and so we looked for somewhere indoors to go.  Having been in enough village churches thank you, we went to Figeac to the Musée Champollion which is dedicated to the man who deciphered Egyptian hierogyphics but now also explores the development of writing world-wide.

It is in the house where Champollion was born and is a very smart place ... again, no expence spared.

We enjoyed the visit but realised that we need to go again (when there aren't so many people there) as you need time to read all of the explanatory notices and take it all in (plus translate it all from French!)