We're talking about OLD

In Florida we have the pride of claiming for ourselves the oldest city in the United States. St. Augustine dates back to the mid sixteenth century. Here in France, after driving through ville after ville of charming, rose-covered houses, we asked our host, Mégane, how old the buildings were.

"Oh, these are not that old," she replied in her lilting accent. "Only from the seventeenth century."

Cathedral by the river in Périgord (not gonna lie, I love this shot)

Here in Europe, you are practically tripping over ancient ruins. You drive on old Roman chariot roads and rest beside neoclassical columns from the Renaissance. At the park, Mégane nonchalantly informed us that the public restroom was originally a Medieval prison, built in the eleventh century. That's old.

Castles here are commonplace. Every town has one. Some are the gaudy, glistening Renaissance châteaux, casting a Disneyland aura to the cobblestone streets and rose-trellis cafés. Some are the blocky ruins of Medieval fortresses, gnawed at by the passing centuries until only the grim contours remain.

Amboise, location of my favorite movie, Ever After (if you haven't watched it, you should)

Snapped this while driving (actually I was in the passenger seat). Beautiful châteaux are everywhere!

Donjon de Bourdeilles

I love walking along the outside of the châteaux. True, it's neat touring the inside and standing in places where kings and queens stood, but the exterior is always beautiful. Châteaux are usually set on the highest point in town, overlooking the river. We've picnicked along the Loire, painting watercolors of the way the sunlight drenches the walls of castles like Amboise or Chinon. It's perfect.

Drawing sesh outside of Chinon, where Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) confronted Charles VII

"Pique-nique" along the Loire River

This weekend, however, we visited a place that makes Medieval castles look young and fresh. Montignac, France. Home to the Lascaux Caves, a stunning gallery of prehistoric art. Sadly, the caves are completely sealed off in order to protect the art from erosion––or something like that––but you can visit a near-exact replica, "Lascaux II," if you want to see cave paintings younger than your parents.

The cliffs at Les Eyvies (any help on the pronunciation would be welcome)

I didn't. I was in awe of just the cliffs themselves. They hurtled towards us from the darkness at one in the morning as we drove into the ville of Les Eyvies, a town dwarfed by the the massive cliffs that stand guard around it. At some points the rock juts out completely over the road, ready to make a sandwich of drivers. We spent that night in the car, sleeping under these cliffs which once sheltered prehistoric humans, and in the morning, they were the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes.

I still can't get over these cliffs

The houses are built into the rock face

I had such an amazing time in Southern France. The ruins were stunning and we visited one of my favorite castles yet! If I find some wifi, I'll be posting later. Au revoir!