Southern France: Millau

We rented a car and headed off into the mountains of southern France.  On our way to Millau we stopped in a charming small town for breakfast and then stopped again at La Couvertoirade Castle, a small working walled town.  We explored the castle, including it's reconstructed windmill, and walked around the artisan shops.  The aromas coming from the castle town's creperie drew us into a small restaurant where we ate four of the best crepes we have ever had in our lives.  

Once our bellies were full we headed off toward Millau which is known for it's hand-made leather gloves and outdoor activities.  We walked around the town and visited one of the glove-making factories.  We also stopped by the tourism office to ask for directions to the bed and breakfast where we would be spending the night.  We knew we were in for an adventure when the lady at the tourism office laughed, and then attempted (and failed) to highlight on a map the directions to our lodgings.  On the way out of town we discovered that our rental car went into reverse a little too easily, and after driving backwards down a sloped road, luckily with nobody directly behind us, we were off to find our hotel.

We drove up, and up, and up narrow roads that were barely wide enough for our car. We attempted to make switchbacks up the mountain slope.  We eventually stopped and asked a nice old lady for directions, and she asked how we got here and what was our GPS telling us?!?!?  Tom's only response was that we got there "by God."  We followed her directions and made it to our bed and breakfast on top of the world!  

We ate dinner at the b&b and when we were handed the menu we were told, "Here is the menu. You have no choice."  We knew it was going to delicious and fresh from their gardens! Here we had one of the best meals of the trip!

Breakfast: pastry and coffee in a small French town.

Lunch: Crepes (goat cheese with honey and walnuts, lemon and sugar, fois, ratitoullie), accompanied by some delicious cider.

Dinner: Rustic salad, Mutton Pie, Rabbit with lemon and zucchini, Cheese plate (serve yourself as much cheese as you want), rhubarb merange pie.  Five fabulous courses!

Breakfast: Petit dejeuner complete with homemade jams and jellies

Did you know that there are
churches in France?

A charming French river.

Dinner?

Outside Couvertoirade Castle.

Couvertoirade Castle. 

The windmill.

Millau in the distance.

More Millau.

One of the narrow mountain side roads
that we had to drive through to get to the b&b.

How are you supposed to make this switchback?

We finally made it to the b&b.
The views were worth the drive.

Our b&b.

Fresh zucchini for dinner.

More charming b&b...

and more b&b...

and a little more b&b.