Auch

A visit to the city showing views of the cathedral, the musketeer and a shot of a starter we had. Chunks of courgette with the centre removed, filled with finely diced cooked pork, sat on a bed of spinach with a creamy tomatoe sauce (suspect it included pork stock) and home made crisps on top. It was delicious. John had duck and I chicken for the mains and a tasty thin slice of apricot tart to follow. Forgot to photo it.

We haven’t eaten out much on the travels and didn’t think the boy would be allowed inside a shop or restaurant, he was fine on our return but still felt bad about leaving him for four hours. I wanted to look for a couple of blouses with collars (I had a v v short haircut three weeks ago and would like more of a collar to cover the neck). However most shops had closed for lunch, how sensible, and annoying.

As usual the tourist information office proved to be helpful, in that they recommended the restaurant we had lunch in, helped with the pronunciation of Auch and Gers, the name of the region although annoyingly we have forgotten how to say Gers and suggested we go to the top of their building for a panoramic view of the city centre, and a closer look at the cathedral see bottom right in collage.

A pleasant time out, the surrounding countryside has rolling large fields with big, long views although most fields are ploughed waiting for the green to shine through.

And D’Artagnan? I coped with the steps, charging on past the musketeer trying to reach the top before the knees gave out and missed the fellow for a photo opportunity. John did stop, explained but I couldn’t face those steps down and again up just then.