It's the third full day at Constant and I plan for an easier day, but my easy day doesn't correspond with that of my partner. I would much prefer an early start while it's cooler then get back for a late lunch and chill out in the sunshine for the rest of the day. As my partner thinks the opposite, here we go again. It's nearly 3.00 pm before we head out so not a great deal will be achieved today.
The aiming point today is south to Lalinde on the Dordogne River. We arrive in this cute little town finding in hard to park in the narrow streets but stay long enough to get some photos of the town and the picturesque river with its tree-lined banks. From here we intend to cross to the south bank and take in some of the pretty villages.
Taking a rather long route, we pass through Bayak and arriving at Couze-et-Saint-Front. This is another lovely town famous for it's paper mills. After we park up we soon discover one of the paper mills but it's not the main one.
Rouvre ses Portes is just one large building with production on the ground floor and a sales/samples area on the upper floor. This simple cottage industry, thrives on making high quality paper from cotton, a traditional method that doesn't use chemicals. Here a helpful lady is happy to explain what is happening here, a private guide if you like. She explains that this tradition goes back to the 14th Century before printing. The cotton-based paper comes in many patterns, colours and thicknesses and is predominantly used in artwork. It's a fascinating visit to a village that seems never to wake, it that quiet.
From Couze-et-Saint-Front we head to Lanais where there is an impressive chateau, but a distant view is all I get. If my French translation is correct, the chateau is closed for restoration. There's really no more time in the day so we head back to Lalinde where we take on fuel and collect more groceries. Choosing a different way back to Constant we head along the south bank of the river and through Tremolat.

I'm glad I recorded something today but it's still a pity that there are not more hours in the day. We should be making more of our stay at Constant if only to set out in view of the garden with a beer.

Rouvre ses Portes, Couze-et-Saint-Front. Couze used to be a paper-making village and a number of its old mills are still in existence, using the power of the Couze river to turn the water wheel. Rouvre ses Portes is one of these, using cotton instead of wood.
Lalinde is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It lies on the river Dordogne and was enclosed within fortified walls of which little remains today. Lalinde station and Couze station have rail connections to Bordeaux, Bergerac and Sarlat-la-Canéda. In its past, it was a strategically important military site being the first 'English bastide town'; it suffered various sieges during the Hundred Years' War and again in 1562 and 1572 during the Wars of Religion.

Source: Visit, Wikipedia