We originally planned to visit Rocamadour on Monday. It's considered a "must see" but it was over an hour and a half away, and we were itching to have a nature day. The night before we looked for some hikes, and after a stop at the tourist office, decided to do the 4.1 mile Saint-Crépin-Et-Carlucet loop hike, about a 15 minute drive northeast of Sarlat, and featuring Château de Lacypierre, an attraction and hotel owned by Isabelle Lebon, oddly enough the former owner of La Couleuvrine, and mother of the current owners. The Château was bought in 1968 by Isabelle's parents and restored.

Walnut trees everywhere for walnuts, walnut breads and sweets, walnut oil, walnut liqueur (vin de noix).

"Gîtes" are huge here – holiday rental homes and cottages. This area is very popular with the Brits, who own as well as rent, though Americans have now discovered the area. Part way through the hike, I was brave enough to ask to use the facilities, and although I asked in French, the person there was from Yorkshire and we chatted at bit.

Hiking and walking are huge in France, with Grand Routes (GR) all the way to simple village to village trails, but all are signed well.

The orchids. The pyramid orchid, the purple one, turned out to be about as common as dandelions. The other two are likely plantanthera bifolia (lesser butterfly orchid) and himantoglossum hircinum (lizard orchid).

Our hike.

After the hike, we drove to nearby Saint-Geniè, which we had also looked at for a hike. Considered one of the most beautiful villages, in the area, the houses are constructed of ochre stones with traditional lauze (flat stone slabs) roofs.