France: Gaillac and Lisle-sur-Tarn

We take it easy getting ready to leave Albi on Wednesday morning. I prepare separate bags for our one-night stop this evening and for the four nights in the tiny apartment in Toulouse and then we pack up and drive to Gaillac. Here we park in the ample but unrelentingly sunny car park at Le Rive restaurant just over the bridge from Gaillac's Abbey. The view, as so often, is lovely.

Unfortunately, the abbey is closed for restoration, so we have a look in the adjacent building where there's an exhibition of photos and paintings and a wine tasting area.

Then we continue through the medieval centre and the attractive Place du Griffoul, and the church of Saint-pierre which then takes us towards Place de la Liberation. Time is getting on, so we complete the loop to go back across the bridge to the restaurant.

The location on the banks of the Tarn, the decor inside and the food are all excellent. We have one menu formula express (a large kebab with sauce and salad and potatoes and a small side salad with meat as an entree with an added mini café gourmand) and one menu canard which consists in duck salad (kidney, cured meat etc on a salad base - a very generous portion) and then grilled duck breast with salad and homemade with the skins on chips followed by creme brulé. With a glass of wine for Andrea and an extra coffee on the house we spend 47 euros.

The idea was then to explore the rest of Gaillac but we aren't terribly motivated, and the car is parked in the beating sun. So instead, we drive to nearby Lisle Sur Tarn which is another lovely village by the Tarn with a splendid square of arches and ancient timber houses. 

After a stroll we succumb to digestion and the heat and nap in the car in the shade of the plane trees. After another stroll round, despite the heat, we drive to our destination for the night - Chateau de Mauriac.