The thirteenth century Château Cadrieu has many tales to tell, as does the Chatette. I've been told that parts of the Chatette are as old as the Château. History and romance are woven into a colorful past, based in both fact and legend. It has been said that the Chatette was a factory where the bottles were made for wine before they were shipped on the Lot River to Bordeaux and that it had been the former entrée to the Cadrieu Château. During medieval times, when there was no road in front or train tracks behind us; people arrived on horse-back or from the river and entered directly through the tunnel which was open in the back and led to the barn and the Château. I believe it had also been a Brocante. Through windows and doors opened or closed: the birds sing in surround sound; the river and the lavoir play water symphonies in stereo; and your time is kept by church bells. Our night skies are a cross between Van Gogh and Disney-we're surrounded by French National Park and in a triangle of the clearest skies in France!
Charmingly placed directly below the Château, we nestle on a pie-shaped piece of land 
surrounded by a sheer cliff; train tracks; barn and a medieval lavoir on one side, then the road; the river and the causse on the other. There is: a garden; terraces; and room to park three cars. 3km (1.86 miles) from Cajarc, (the former summer home of Georges Pompidou) which is accessible by rural bus, on foot, by boat, or bike path-In Cajarc you have a choice of grocery stores, restaurants, bistros, patisseries, banks, a post office, public swimming pool, hang-gliding opportunities and bike rentals at your fingertips. 
Markets in Cahors and Figeac along with a variety of sites/destinations in the Lot, are accessible by country bus, train, and of course, car.
I've included an aerial photo of Cadrieu taken from the Belgian Cross with the Chatette just below the Château as you round the bend on the road, a shot of Cajarc taken from the other side of the Lot River in Salvignac-Cajarc, and a favorite honey vendor at the Sunday market in Limogne. Tomorrow-our last Mélange-ing Magic installment, with greater detail about the layout of the Chatette and the comforts and lifestyle...ah-la vie en France!
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