Even with the wipers swishing on a dreary day like today, we needed a good imagination to picture Saint-Benôit-du-Sault as one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.” The medieval village lies just about halfway between Saint-Gervais-la-Forêt and Bordeaux, the perfect lunch stop. The pouring rain had died to a drizzle by the time we finished lunch and we set off along the cobbled streets, following signs for the church.
At first glance Saint-Benôit-du-Sault bore little resemblance to Rochefort-en-Terre. Only a few of the 700 residents were about and the skies looked ready to burst. But with each corner we turned, the town looked better. Medieval portals led to half-timbered houses, obscure alleyways opened upon fantastic overlooks and we discovered the last rose of the season. One sign proclaimed the “Donkey Path,” where donkeys pulled loaded carts along a narrow, cobbled alley with a groove in the center. The center groove was to carry away the straining animals’ donkey-doo.
Of course the rain began before we made it to the car but it was easy to believe that, in season, Saint-Benôit-du-Sault would indeed be one of the most beautiful villages in France.