Cloud surfing

Woke up in a blanket of grey. We thought it was fog but after a few miles realised we were in cloud. It was sitting on top of the plateau above the gorges and frankly, my dear, we didn't see a damn...thing! So here is a picture from Sunny Mèze yesterday.
Every now and then there were glimpses of landscape but it wasn't much. We breakfasted in a bar on the outskirts of Décazeville - what an ugly name! All these towns we pass by and  through regularly but never have time to explore.
We did escape the gloom eventually and enjoyed the pretty Lot Valley before sandwiches in Ribérac, in the Dordogne already.







But now a tale from last night. The French, as we know, love a gadget, the wackier and more over designed the better. Our hotel room was all minimal and tasteful decor with a shower pod and washbasin in etched glass. Above the basin was a column holding a mirror. When we put the lights out this mirror started to pulse with an eerie green glow. There was a small outline double square of green led light that was constantly flashing on and off and reflecting in all the surfaces around it! Why? What for? Now I cannot sleep with even a chink of light and in addition to the pulsing there were green led switches above the bed and the red standby button on the telly. Nightmare! First we tried tying a pair of leggings round the column to cover the green squares but that only enraged the beast and made the whole column flash. So in the end we turned off all the power to the room. Peace. Note to self...bring masking tape next time.

It's still very warm but up here the autumn is more advanced and leaves are mostly fallen. We are in a real IBIS in Saintes but feeling disinclined to go into town. It will be dark soon and they do have a sort of restaurant here. Thin end of wedge. Here is the Barbèzieux chicken!