© irene waters 2015
Perigueux is the capital city of the Dordogne region in France. It also has many traces of the past. The first we saw early in our visit as we parked the car out of the city centre and walked to it. The Cathedral of St Front loomed up in front of us, obviously undergoing some restoration work. It was built sometime between 112o and 1175. It was extensively restored in the 19th century.
© irene waters 2015
The old town probably dates from the 16th century.
© irene waters 2015
These remains however date from the 2nd century AD. This tower was once the sacred inner shrine of a circular temple dedicated to Tutela Vesunna, a Goddess of Gaulish origin who gave her name to the ancient city then called Vesunna.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
Other old structures in Perigeux. Not far from here though are cave paintings which are even older. We went to Castanets (we had been looking for the Lascaux caves which Roger had visited years before they were closed to the public) but instead went to Castanet where an archeolgical dig was in progress. Although on occasion I had to use my imagination when I looked at the rocks I presume they knew what they were telling us. The guide only spoke French (they didn’t get that many tourists) and I only spoke school girl French but had done geology at university so between what I made up and what I could understand Roger got a good story and we all laughed a lot and had a great individual tour.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
After we had left here we found some ancient buildings that truly fired my imagination, wondering at life and what it would have been like living in these buildings before they were traces of the past.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
In response to Paula’s Thursday’s Special.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
The Caves of Perigord by Martin Walker is an excellent novel about these ancient caves with their prehistoric art and the French resistance fighters during WWII. I’ve been fascinated by ancient cave art for decades. Walker’s story is rich in detail and captures the courage of the partisans. Your photos are excellent, as always.
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I’m going to keep an eye out for that. It sounds like a read I would really enjoy. Thanks.
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France is a fascinating place. We spent some weeks there and loved staying in the Languedoc area. A great series of lovely photos Irene. Thank you.
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You’re welcome Gerard. Yes France is a great country – particularly the south. (I only say that because I haven’t really been to the north)
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This is lovely Irene. A nice piece of history. One of The photos reminds me of apartments I stayed in while in Paris a few years ago.
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Thanks Norah. I’ve not been to Paris but glad to remind you of it.:)
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We were there !!!! I so easily recognise the Château l’Evèque – magnificent building.
In the city we found a shop that downloaded all the shots Chic had put onto memory box thinggy, and we could then see what we’d got. Pre digital camera, this was … 🙂
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I remember those days M-R. You were selective in what you took due to cost and then hated yourself for not having taken more when the one you took of something had someone pop their head in at just the wrong moment. I’m sure that didn’t happen to Chic though. Wonderful part of the world.
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Ah, the Périgord … and ah, everywhere else in France !!!!
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Dreams….
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Indeed … dreams and fancies.
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Fascinating, Irene. If it was a competition, you would win – your traces of the past are the oldest and so fascinating. Wonderful post. Thank you!
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Thank you Paula. It was wonderful getting an individual tour of such ancient traces. It gave us a real feeling for what it would have been like in those prehistoric times.
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Pingback: Thursday’s Special: Traces of the Past 01 | Lost in Translation
This is amazing. I especially love the third and last two photos. I’ve only been to Paris so have missed a lot in France. It always makes me laugh when we (Americans) say something is “old”. Meaning it’s from the 1800s. Unlike, say, a 2nd century temple dedicated to a Goddess.
Haha! 😀 “I only knew ‘school-girl’ French.”
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Yes it is the same in Australia. If something is old it maybe two hundred years old but more likely 100 years. Until you travel to Europe you really don’t have a concept.
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I’ve always wanted to visit this area of France, ever since I read Michael Crrichton’s Timeline! So much history!
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That is another book to put on the eventual reading list. It is growing very long.
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What an interesting selection of photos. The last one intrigued me. It looks like the castle is built into the earthern hillside behind. I had to look twice to work out what was going on.
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Certainly those holes would have been used as lookout holes by earlier man and possibly even more modern men. An amazing place.
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Wow, I would say you have shown the oldest structures and images in the world with this post.
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Although Australia is an old continent we don’t have a lot (apart from aboriginal rock painting and Mungo man) that is readily accessible and everything else that we call old is really quite young. This was an amazing area of France with so much history ranging from the very ancient to modern.
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Brought back many memories of our visit. Thank you Irene.
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Glad to bring back memories. 🙂
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You can be my tour guide, any day. I’d be so fascinated to see this place — the caves and stone structures. Thanks for the great shots!
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You’re welcome. I’d be your guide anytime just say when to pack the bags. XD
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Hi Irene,
Like you, I always wonder what it would have been like to live in a certain place and time. One of our favorite things to do when we visit a country is to go to the open air museums, where we can see recreations of life as it once was. You have a great blog, and I look forward to reading more of it!
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Yes I do that also. All our histories are so different – even to realise how much physically different we are these days when you see doorway heights and lengths of beds. Look forward to seeing more of you both here and at your place. Cheers Irene
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Cheers!
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