DAY 127 MONDAYJULY 30 ANOTHER COG TRAIN

Marg and Rob left us at 6.15 on their way back to W.A.. Pam Lyn and Malcolm walked to a little village called Baffour before breakfast.

TYPICAL BAFFOUR HOUSE

 Ken drove us to Saint-Germain-L`Herm where we had morning tea in a bar.

 We found our way to Puys de Dome which is a volcano in an area where there are 80 volcanoes close together.  We paid 8€ each for a ride to the top and back on a nice new electric train which used  the cogwheel system to spiral its way around the mountain.

 As it is school holidays there were crowds but that did not spoil our day. There was a 360 view as we walked around the summit.

 Paragliders were taking people for tandem rides and we watched them land and take off for a while.

Each time we climb a mountain in this region we find beautiful wild flowers above the tree line.

 We drove home a different way and passed through many little towns with their old stone houses and narrow main streets just like La Chaise Dieu. We feel we have gone back in a time warp. But they do not have the Abbey.

 That is the pride of our town. Our house is 50 metres down the hill from the front of the Abbey. We had a nice dinner and drink at the Fouraubois Hotel for only 10€ each. A big adventure today at a small cost. It is so quiet and friendly here that we think we have found another Fuschl.  The locals often have little English so Malcolm's French is getting a workout.