As we have meandered through the back lanes of France we have often criss-crossed the route of a rather less benign journey – la route de Richard, Coeur du Lion and all his caped Crusader chums.

As we sat sipping coffee in the sunshine in front of yet another glorious chateau, barely marked on the map in Jumilhac le Grand – we couldn’t help but wonder…. given the bloody and arduous task ahead of them, why more of them didn’t just drop to the back of the line and settle down in a nice little place in the Dordogne. How different things might have been now if only they have taken to the time to have a coffee and admire the view!