The weather here has been improving slowly, and some days we have had temperatures above 16 degrees. In fact according to the readings on our mini weather station, we should have opened the windows as it was warmer outside than inside the house. However when we do get bad weather it does come in large sizes. We had a thunderstorm the other night, and neither of us has ever heard thunder just keep on echoing around the hills for so long before.

Last week we went to a memorial ceremony for a number of resistance fighters shot by the Nazis in February 1944. 34 young men were captured and shot near an old mill some miles west of Pompadour. About a dozen were sent to concentration camps, seven of whom died, and three escaped. It was a very moving ceremony, attended by several hundred locals. The mill is now a small museum to commemorate the event.

The next day we decided to visit Brive, and ended up in the middle of a rather damp Carnival. It was in fact a Carnival week in Malemort-sur-Correze, a village that is now really a suburb of eastern Brive. The floats process from there to the centre of Brive where everyone apparently eats snacks and throws confetti. Despite the weather everyone seemed to be having a good time.

I should have my very own website soon, advertising my little business. I was doing some marketing with local agents, but have paused until the site is up and running.

We should know which airline(s) will fly into the new Brive-Souillac airport soon. The airport is planned to open at the end of June, and is forecast to bring in more visitors and raise the profile of the Correze as a whole. Just bought a new sofa-bed for those awkward extra guests! Looks pretty comfortable, and certainly big enough for two.

As the weather has been so nice we have taken the opportunity to drive around the area, our excuse being that we are scouting out sights to show visitors. One of my favourite views is the valley of the Vezere river, where it is overlooked by the Chateau of Comborn. This was once the home of one of the local counts and his family had control over a large area. Today it is mostly in ruins, and there is supposed to be a restaurant there. It was actually for sale a few years ago, and we went to have a look. We discovered that for a few euros the owner gave guided tours, so were able to look without making any offer!

Yesterday we went again to Uzerche, another lovely town high up overlooking the Vezere again. More wonderful views!