June every year since

June every year since 1944 there are flowersthere in tribute to the Young LieutenantChatelreynaud who ‘fell under Germanbullets’ at this spot. He was trying to monitorthe movements of a German battalionthat was ordered to hunt down the localResistance. The young Lieutenant got tooclose and was shot.A young boy of 15 who was with him escapedby running across the fields to a small chateaucalled La Vitrolle where the secret HQ of theResistance for the whole region was basedunder Colonel Berger, the wartime name ofthe famous writer André Malraux. Ordered toslow ‘at all costs’ the movement of a GermanSS Panzer division from southern France up toNormandy where it would attack the D-Daybeaches, the Resistance delayed the Panzersfor three crucial weeks.That young boy ran past a small but historicchurch as he went to warn Malraux and theother Resistance leaders that it was time toflee for safety across the Vézère river. TheChapel of St Martin was built in the 12thcentury to commemorate a murder - theassassination of Thomas a Becket, Archbishopof Canterbury, by his erstwhile friend, HenryII, king of England (and thanks to his wife,Eleanor, also Duke of Aquitaine.Supposed to bring the English church underroyal control, Becket instead backed theauthority of the Pope, and when a furiousPlaque dedicated to Saint Thomas a Becket 1194© Par MOSSOT — Travail personnel, wikimediaLimeuil © Luc Fauret, Dordogne-Perigord TourismKing Henry asked as a drunken dinner, ‘Whowill rid me of this turbulent priest?’, four of hisknights rode to Canterbury and slaughteredBecket in the altar of his own cathedral. ThePope ordered Henry to build two churches inEngland and one in France as penance.And here it is, still standing, with some of theoldest frescoes in France inside, including oneof two men with a bottle. Experts say they areOld Testament prophets. We locals believethey are Becket and his King, in happier times.In this one village almost the whole historyof France stands before you on this hill. AndI have not forgotten the prehistory, thattime when this Vézère valley was the heartof human civilisation with the glorious caveart of Lascaux and Font de Gaume, just upriver.Because a century ago archaeologistswere called in when builders enlarging thebasement of a local bakery in Limeuil foundsome two hundred flat stones, each about thesize of a largedinner-plate,along with stoneand bone tools.Each stoneportrayed almostidentical animals,about half ofthem deer andreindeer, anotherthird were horses,Limeuil © CP Dordogne-Perigord Tourismbut there werealso goats, bison, prehistoric cattle, two bearsand a single fox. Nothing at all like has everbeen found elsewhere, and the only explanationthe experts have was that this was the world’sfirst art school – some 12,000 years ago.MARTIN WALKER,after a long career ofworking in internationaljournalism and for thinktanks, now gardens,cooks, exploresvineyards, writes, andtravels. His series of novels featuringBruno, Chief of Police, are best sellersin Europe and have been translated intomore than fifteen languages. He divideshis time between Washington, DC, andthe Dordogne.His latest book A GRAVE IN THE WOODS (Knopf | 9/24/24), is the newestinstalment in the Bruno, Chief of Police series. Featuring an archaeologicaldig in the French countryside and a cast of characters from all over theworld, the book is full of culinary magic, mysterious characters, and buriedsecrets - perfect for armchair detectives and armchair travellers alike.WINE + PLUSU n i q u e W i n e & T r a v e lE x p e r i e n c e s i n F r a n c eTMCONTACT US TO START YOUR JOURNEYinfo@ospreybt.com www.ospreybt.com32 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 33