We could easily have travelled to this next house sit from Clermont-Ferrand, but Mick’s distaste for large motorways meant we stayed in Montluçon for three nights. The population is just under 40,000 and the traffic is much lighter, so the drive from the car hire company in Montluçon to the relatively remote location of our home for the next six weeks was not difficult at all.

Montluçon is another gem we have discovered in France because we were heading to a house sit. This image is very typical of a French village skyline – crazy crooked shapes moving in every direction.

This large walkway leads from the Gare to the Centre Ville Historique. We have noticed many trees in French towns pruned like this, and we are looking forward to enjoying the shade they provide later in the year. Not necessarily here of course!

Like Clermont-Ferrand, Montluçon has a tyre manufacturing industry –  Dunlop. It was this very fact that brought death and destruction to the city during World War II. Montluçon was bombed by the Allies in 1943 because the Germans had based themselves at the Dunlop factory to learn how to make rubber.

This castle dominates the centre ville – in the 14th Century it was part of the Duke of Bourbon’s territory. The smaller picture shows what it looks like once you are up the top. It is now used as a museum.

Very nearby to the Château are some wonderfully preserved medieval buildings, each with interesting histories. Mick and I enjoyed walking around the circular streets that encompass the Château.

Then there are some fine examples of 19th Century buildings.

Very elegant.

We enjoyed our time here and we will be back in just over 6 weeks for a night so we can return the hire car and start making our way to our fourth house sit.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself.