tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14647750462778499442024-03-14T06:09:28.752+01:00Une grande randonnée Our 500 km October walk along the French GRs (GR65 - GR 6 - GR46 - GR36) from Le Puy-en-Velay to Conques to Rocamadour to Cordes-sur-Ciel.Renehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16706179228664609350noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-39480950917611436392015-10-25T20:00:00.000+01:002016-01-08T01:55:48.437+01:00Oct 5, Day 0: Arrival in Le Puy-en-Velay<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IgIBeO7nz6L4m5ckTRmYTuwyMc14ufmHQfx7NNrSYyeRdpq36Bpuwhue_x5Y32D5hnCmPiO_AUphgkOeMkUf201jh6PsyIUBCHL3R7TJkAUo015ZSXtk3yIv3zhmdFMCTiJhecXl01eY/s1600/DSC00331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IgIBeO7nz6L4m5ckTRmYTuwyMc14ufmHQfx7NNrSYyeRdpq36Bpuwhue_x5Y32D5hnCmPiO_AUphgkOeMkUf201jh6PsyIUBCHL3R7TJkAUo015ZSXtk3yIv3zhmdFMCTiJhecXl01eY/s640/DSC00331.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René on the train.</td></tr>
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The trip involved two trains to get to Le Puy-en-Velay from Lyon. We ate a picnic lunch on the train: couscous salad, cheese, baguette and yogurt. René and I were anxious but excited about beginning the walk. We wondered if we were ready, if we had trained enough, if we had the correct equipment. I was quite concerned about the few articles of warm clothing I had in my backpack. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Puy-en-Velay</td></tr>
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We arrived in Le Puy and immediately checked into the <a href="http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2495-ibis-budget-le-puy-en-velay/index.shtml">Ibis Budget</a> right across the street from the train station. The room was extremely basic and utilitarian with a tiny window, but it was very clean and well located. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy</td></tr>
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We had been to Le Puy-en-Velay in 2010, and so we knew our way around the city. Our first visit was the reason for our return, but this time as a starting point for our pilgrimage walk from Le Puy-en-Velay to Conques to Rocamadour to Cordes-sur-Ciel. As we stood in the cathedral in 2010 and wondered why there were so many people with backpacks and what were they doing, we made a promise to one day return and do the walk ourselves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Saint Jacques</td></tr>
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In the afternoon, we walked to the tourist office and up to the <a href="http://www.cathedraledupuy.org/" target="_blank">Cathédral Notre-Dame du Puy</a>. We visited the statue of St Jacques. We knew we would be back very early next morning to attend the 7h00 mass and pilgrim benediction. We wandered slowly back to the hotel, checking out restaurants, and places for our picnic lunch supplies along the way.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-supper walk back to hotel, deserted streets.</td></tr>
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We chose <a href="http://www.restaurant-lecudor.fr/" target="_blank">L'Ecu d'Or</a>, for supper because it was Monday night, and I had seen it suggested on John and Robin`s website <a href="http://agoodwalkunspoiled.blogspot.ca/2014/04/au-revoir-le-puy.html" target="_blank">A Good Walk Unspoiled</a>. The portions were huge and the service excellent. We had lentille remoullade (with famous Le Puy lentils) with duck, beef with potatoes and a shared fondant au chocolate with ice cream.<br />
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Good night, tomorrow's the big day!<br />
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<b><a href="http://renesusan2015.blogspot.ca/2015/10/oct-6-day-1-le-puy-en-velay-to-st.html" target="_blank">Oct 6, Day 1: Le Puy-en-Velay to St Privat d'Allier (24.9km)</a></b><br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Le Puy, France45.042768 3.882935999999972444.952989 3.7215744999999725 45.132547 4.0442974999999723tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-15056213205906592312015-10-24T20:00:00.000+02:002016-06-11T21:59:53.115+02:00Oct 6, Day 1: Le Puy-en-Velay to St Privat d'Allier (24.9km)<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first selfie.</td></tr>
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We awoke very early to get ready for the mass at 7h00. We retraced our steps from yesterday through the quiet predawn city all the way to the cathedral. A beautiful view from the top of the steps. Yesterday, the steps were open straight up into the cathedral, but today the main doors were closed and we had to go around to the right. Inside there were only two other people. It was very quiet inside, beautifully quiet. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilgrim benediction</td></tr>
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The rest of the people began to arrive, and we tried to guess who would begin the pilgrimage with us today. A Catholic mass was followed by a benediction of the pilgrims. We stood in a big circle around the statue of Saint Jacques and called out where we were from. Most people were from various places in France.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'starting line' for Camino Le Puy</td></tr>
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A prayer was said. René and I each took a prayer to carry, a copy of the benediction and a little Saint Jacques medallion on a ring. We got our credential stamped and dated and we stood at the top of the stairs i.e. the 'starting line' and walked down.</div>
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Even though we had attended the early mass, we were far from being ready to go. We had lunch to buy, a trip to the bank, and last minute packing. We found baguette, croissant, yogurt, cheese, cookies for our picnic lunch, went to the bank, and then back to the room to pack up. The sky was dark and it looked like a thunderstorm was approaching, and sure enough, as we exited the hotel, the rain began. We stood under an awning, and then ducked into a bar for coffee and sat our the rain. With a last minute purchase of moisturising cream for my face, we began the walk out of town. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink plastic bag protecting our baguette from the rain.</td></tr>
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The walk out of Le Puy-en-Velay, as we knew, and as we had seen on the maps of elevation, was straight uphill. This would begin the pattern of the walks to get out of and into towns. Towns are generally located in valleys, so the trail steeply descends into town, and then the next morning steeply ascends out of town.</div>
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As we walked and shed layers, we realized that the training we had done was worthwhile. We also realized that we had left at 10h00.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan</td></tr>
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The walk was a lovely walk through farmers fields, forested paths, tractor roads. It didn't rain once the rest of the day.</div>
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We had a snack of yogurt at the small village of St Christophe where we saw a large group of hikers who would be with us til the end of the week. We ate a late lunch just before Montbonnet, on a bench outside of a small chapel - baguette, sausage, cheese, tomatoes. Many people passed us as we were eating. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mid-afternoon treat</td></tr>
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We walked up into Montbonnet and stopped at the bar for a hot chocolate, and cookies. We then caught up to a couple of sisters whom we had sat beside at the morning mass. They had big packs and we wondered how far they were going. They asked about Canada. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The welcome sign</td></tr>
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The rest of the walk was up and then quite a descent into St Privat d'Allier.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René is happy, Susan is tired.</td></tr>
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We arrived in the small town of St Privat d'Allier tired and ready for a rest. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mess from two backpacks!</td></tr>
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Checked into <a href="http://www.lacabourne.fr/" target="_blank">La Cabourne</a>, a basic but very clean and well run gite. Boots into the boot closet (with a fan!), then we showered, and I did the day`s wash. </div>
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Dinner was included and at 19h00 the table was set for 6. We had supper with the sisters we met that afternoon, and another retired couple who were not hiking. She had spent her school holidays in St Privat with her grandparents, they were back for a visit, and surprised how much the town had changed. Conversation: Canada, language, areas of France, food, hiking. Supper was lentil soup with bread, sausage, potatoes and yogurt sauce with garlic, cheese course and chocolate cake for dessert. We were hungry and glad for a warm delicious meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Profile of the day's walk</td></tr>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Saint-Privat-d'Allier, France44.9908519 3.6782279999999944.901029900000005 3.51686649999999 45.0806739 3.83958949999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-87728948441365627692015-10-23T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.467+01:00Oct 7, Day 2: St Privat to Saugues (20.1 km)<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René`s smiling face.</td></tr>
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We awoke ready to go. We figured out how to get everything we had taken out of the two backpacks back into the two backpacks. We had a quick breakfast with the guests from the previous evening, and took our shoes out of the shoe closet. The town seemed empty as we left in the morning, and we thought we were the last to leave.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan`s morning face.</td></tr>
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Overnight I had reflected on the pace of the first day`s walk. We had left late in the morning, and because we had 24 km, I had focused on walking and reaching the destination and not enjoying the day. I had not appreciated the surroundings and taken in the views as much as I should have been doing. I set out today with the intention of slowing down, pausing to look around and appreciating that were were finally here doing the walk we had planned for so long. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green valley</td></tr>
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We walked uphill out of St Privat d`Allier and quickly took off the light pants we had over our shorts. The valley was beautiful. René had promised some downhill this morning, but all it seemed like it was all downhill. The weather was overcast all day, but no precipitation. We walked through valleys, farmers fields, forested areas and green meadows. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny chapel</td></tr>
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The morning we also visited a tiny chapel on a hill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel`s Bridge</td></tr>
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There was more downhill, and this time it was knee crunching downhill. At the steepest part, a group of men with hiking sticks passed, quickly reaching and overtaking us. We walked all the way down the valley to a salmon river with class 3 kayaking. Eiffel had built the bridge spanning the river. The group of men were lunching by the river. We had a snack of some mixed nuts, not wanting to lunch until we had gone more than halfway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch picnic spot</td></tr>
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As to be expected, after a steep walk into a valley with a river, then comes pretty serious uphill to get out of the valley. René and I took it all quickly, because we have better climbing muscles than we have downhill knees. We got to a plateau overlooking the valley and found a spot for a lunch of sausage, cheese and some cookies. Our picnic spot was exposed to the wind, and soon we had packed up and walked on so as not to get too cold. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stretching cuddle</td></tr>
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There were many animals during the day, friendly farm dogs, chickens and roosters, cats, cows, sheep and horses. At a rest spot, I had a visit from the village cat while I was stretching. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René on the road which descends into Saugues</td></tr>
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As we would come to experience over the rest of the trip, the last few kilometers are usually the most difficult and seem like the longest of the day. This seemed to be true whether it was a 12 km day or a 31 km day. So on this day, the last 5 km seemed very long. Finally, we walked down a long steep paved road into Saugues. We found <a href="http://www.centrelamargeride.fr/" target="_blank">La Margeride</a>, which is basic gite style accommodation where we had a double room with a bathroom. We thought we might use the communal kitchen to cook supper, but we decided to find a restaurant. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accueil Pelerin chez Jeanine</td></tr>
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We walked into town to see what our options were for supper. As we approached the church at the center of town, an old lady stopped us, asked if we were pilgrims and told us to follow her. She ushered us into a room just off the church square. She began to explain to us that she`s the accueil pelerin, and she welcomes all of the pilgrims who come to town. She showed us all of the photographs, postcards and newspaper clippings which she had collected over the years. She pointed out the maps indicating the location of all of the people who had visited. She asked us to mark on the globe where we were from, and even though Montreal was already covered in black marker dots, we added another. She stamped our credential, and showed us her picture in recent guide books. She gave us a card with her name and address and we shook her hand. We didn't take a picture with her, but once outside, René took the picture of her little blue fronted room on the square. It was a joy to be welcomed and fussed over by <a href="http://www.leveil.fr/haute-loire/A-Saugues-Jeanine-c-est-la-maman-du-Chemin-106158" target="_blank">Jeanine Trémouillere</a> this wonderful lady who took so much pride in her work.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan is cold.</td></tr>
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We found the only restaurant open and had €14 set meal: salade compagnarde (lettuce, dressing, little cubes of cheese, sliced ham and a fried egg over the whole thing), then a pork chop and scalloped potatoes, then a cheese plate, and a blueberry tart. Delicious.<br />
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It was cold as we walked to and from the restaurant. I had on all of my warm clothes (warm leggings under pants, fleece and windbreaker), and I still felt cold. I was still worried about the lack of extra layers, particularly as the days were getting shorter, we would be climbing in altitude into the Aubrac plateau, and we would be getting later into October. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Saugues, France44.96027 3.546565999999984344.780469000000004 3.2238424999999844 45.140071 3.8692894999999843tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-86648750736171773182015-10-22T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.465+01:00Oct 8, Day 3: Saugues to Domaine du Sauvage (21.2 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René and Susan.</td></tr>
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Day three and we were beginning to get into a morning routine: wake up early, stuff everything we had spread out into the packs, brush teeth, and get dressed. We set off from La Margeride to find breakfast and lunch. We found a small bakery for coffee and a croissant, a small grocery for yogurt and apples, and a boulangerie for a pain complete.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical view</td></tr>
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We walked out of town and then walked uphill. We passed some people and behind us we saw the large group of French hikers from day 1. We caught up with the sisters. This was their last day of hiking. They were sad to be leaving, but they had decided that they definitely would be back to continue walking. They had made arrangements with a baggage service to be picked up and driven to the train station. They were walking with great determination to be able to make it to just past Sauvage for mid-afternoon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overcast all day.</td></tr>
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The walk was through forests and farmers fields and through little villages. It was overcast and quite chilly during the day. We were down to shorts and a t-shirt for most of the day, taking the fleece on and off. It was a tough day even though it was short.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch</td></tr>
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We had our mid-morning snack of nuts and raisins, and lunch was bread, yogurt and an apple. The lunch spot was a cute picnic area with three tables, some benches and a WC! The WC had toilet paper, a toilet seat, a sink and it was clean! I was so grateful. We ate lunch accompanied by a farm dog who had followed us. He looked at us as if he wanted to be fed, and it seemed like he had been fed by pilgrims at this spot before. We were worried that the dog would continue to follow us, but as we walked up the hill out of town, the dog stopped at some invisible border, and turned and walked back.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign for Auberge du Sauvage en Gevaudan at the edge of the property</td></tr>
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The walk into <a href="http://www.sauvage-en-gevaudan.fr/index.php" target="_blank">Domaine du Sauvage</a> was very tough uphill climb. We then we came to a clearing and saw a long winding path which seemed to lead to a group of buildings. We saw the sisters on the path and finally caught up to them as we got to the buildings and they were leaving. They had precious time to be able to make it to their pickup and couldn't stop and talk. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the buildings</td></tr>
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We had a private double room with toilet and shower across the hall. It was very clean, but very spare. We spent the late afternoon showering, washing clothes, and napping. <br />
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Dinner was back in the main hall. The large group of French hikers were present for supper. We sat with a group of 9 men who were testing hiking boots. They were walking 1000 kms. Supper was family style: vegetable soup, potatoes and beef, cheese and an apple tart, all homemade all with local products. At the end of the meal the server, who was an farmer, gave the history of the property and the farm. The local farmers had formed a cooperative, renovated the farm buildings as lodging for hikers and formed an outlet for their local products. The meat, milk, cheese, butter, jams and honey were used in the meals served and were for purchase at the little store. Their story of combining agriculture with tourism was one which we would hear again.<br />
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We walked outside back to our room. It was dark and humid and cold.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Chanaleilles, France44.861579 3.488462000000026844.771525499999996 3.3271005000000269 44.9516325 3.6498235000000268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-20516884685320918422015-10-21T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.428+01:00Oct 9, Day 4: Domaine du Sauvage to Aumont-Aubrac (30.8 km)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back in the large dining hall for breakfast</td></tr>
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We woke up extra early because we knew we had 28 km to do and we knew, at this point in the trip, that 28 kms usually meant 2 to 4 km more. We ate breakfast back in the main area at 7 am. The large group of hikers were already eating bread and butter, local plain yogurt with homemade blueberry conserves, juice and coffee.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René in the fog</td></tr>
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The morning weather was foggy and there was a damp chill in the air. We left just past 8h00, a bit of a record for us as we usually took a lot longer to get ready. I was dressed for the chill and the fog with shorts and light pants over the shorts, my merino wool t-shirt, fleece and windbreaker. I was cold, but looking forward to the walk as I knew that the brisk exercise would soon keep me warm. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fogged in trail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cow send-off.</td></tr>
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We walked out of the Domaine du Sauvage valley and through the forest. The fog took a while to lift and the mist settled on our hair and our packs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the WC, but the church</td></tr>
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We came to a mid-morning pit-stop with a small church and a dry WC. The large group of hikers were there also making a stop. There was a line-up for the toilet, but it was worth it as there was toilet paper! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day</td></tr>
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We walked along with them for a some time. One man told us of his travels with his wife to Santiago. The skies were clearing, and we were down to shorts as the day warmed up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall colours.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue sky!</td></tr>
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The day was through farms, forests, plateaus, roads, gravel trails, sandy trails, forest paths, uphill, downhill, flat, and through towns.<br />
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We stopped St Alban de Limagnole at the small grocery to buy lunch supplies, tinned mackerel and carrot salad. We had our mid-morning snack of nuts and decided to apply sunscreen as the sun was coming out. The electronic billboard in town said it was 15 degrees Celsius. We were down to t-shirts. <br />
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On the way through the forest, we caught up with a couple from Belgium, Beaudoin and Vicki. They told us they were walking because their daughter convinced them. She had walked in September and had wonderful memories to share. They were walking to Conques. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic lunch spot</td></tr>
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We had lunch of canned mackerel, leftover bread, and an apple at a picnic table on the property of a gite.<br />
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The walk in the afternoon was particularly difficult for me, not René. Everything seemed to hurt, back, toes, hips, Achilles tendon. I was in good spirits, but I just wanted to stop walking. I was thankful though for many things: for the sun, a good lunch, no blisters, a place to stay in the evening, no major pain, and my wonderful husband. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aubrac-Rando sign.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home for the night</td></tr>
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Eventually we walked into town, and found the hiking store called <a href="http://aubrac-randonnee.fr/hebergement-3/" target="_blank">Aubrac-Rando</a>, where we had an apartment booked for the night. We went back to the small grocery to buy supper supplies. We were quite comfortable in the cute two room apartment. The kitchen was fully equipped and so we made pasta with vegetables for supper, and had enough leftover for lunch (yay, Ziplocs). We had a bottle of wine with the pasta and hot chocolate with two treats from the neighbouring boulangerie for dessert.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Aumont-Aubrac, France44.7228459 3.284149999999954244.632579400000004 3.1227884999999542 44.8131124 3.4455114999999541tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-61952978958135100642015-10-20T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.455+01:00Oct 10, Day 5: Aumont-Aubrac to Nasbinals (26.2 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast at Aubrac-Rando</td></tr>
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Not only did we spend a comfortable evening in the apartment at Aubrac-Rando, but breakfast was included! The owner of the apartment, and the hiking store downstairs, brought us breakfast at 7h30 as promised with baguette, 2 croissants, jam, honey, butter, juice and coffee. He described the pilgrims who stop in at the hiking store to buy new shoes. Since Aumont-Aubrac is located 5 to 6 days walk from Le Puy, it is the point at which people realize that the shoes they had purchased initially are too small or not appropriate. His store does very good business.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A foggy start to the day</td></tr>
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Morning was foggy and cool and the mist soon settled on our hair and packs again. We spent the morning walking up into the Aubrac plateau, through forests and along farms. We met up with Beaudoin and Vicki again, met friends from Paris, Claire and Juliet, and another couple, Fabien and Anne. These people, as well as the group of men testing the hiking boots would be our infrequent travelling companions as we made our way to Conques.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our own shadow picture!</td></tr>
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The scenery was again stunning and the day tuned out to be sunny and cloud free.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan in shorts and t-shirt on October 10.</td></tr>
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At lunch we had the leftover pasta from the previous evening, cheese, and an apple. The afternoon was again particularly relentless, because of the long asphalted road we walked along in the sun. We were thankful to be walking in October and not during the summer heat. The road was tough on the hips, feet, Achilles tendon, knees and back. The afternoon seemed long. During the long afternoon I was trying to decide whether I was supposed to have meditative or spiritual thoughts, to overcome the physical discomforts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aubrac plateau</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aubrac plateau</td></tr>
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The Aubrac plateau was beautiful in an austere way with expansive plains, rocks, cows, gravel trails, barbed wire fences, with a big blue sky. We often were thankful about the perfect weather. We knew that the plateau would not be as appreciated had it been cold, windy, rainy or even snowy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wonderful place to rest.</td></tr>
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The town of Nasbinals finally came into view and we checked into a very nice room at the <a href="http://www.lodici-aubrac.com/" target="_blank">Lo d'ici</a>. I was glad to be stationary, even for just a moment, to lie down on the bed and not move. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supper with aligot.</td></tr>
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We went out to supper at the main restaurant which was packed since it was Saturday night. We ordered aligot, a crepe with salad and charcuterie. Aligot is a local specialty, made with cheese, garlic, and potatoes. It is the type of dish to either love or hate; we really enjoyed it. We struck up a conversation with a French couple sitting beside us, who had spent some time eyeing the aligot and all of the charcuterie. They were on a spa weekend, and had each had a salad, while we were happily eating as many calories as we could. They were very talkative, and we heard many French cliches about the government, fat Americans, the cold in Canada, and the apathy towards work in France.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Nasbinals, France44.662788 3.046409000000039744.482034999999996 2.7236855000000397 44.843541 3.3691325000000396tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-5988790803774669292015-10-19T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.453+01:00Oct 11, Day 6: Nasbinals to St Chely d'Aubrac (17 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan carrying breakfast</td></tr>
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We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning. I was ready to go, as usual after a good night's sleep, but I was looking forward to a short day. The previous evening we had found a boulangerie and a bar for coffee and we headed there on our way out of town. We bought 2 croissants and a pain aux raisins, then had 2 coffees at the bar. We began the walk up out of town and stopped to eat the viennoisseries. We checked in with people as they passed or as we passed them: Juliet, Claire, Fabien and Anne. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm fence with reminder to hikers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aubrac plateau</td></tr>
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The day's walk was up and into the Aubrac plateau. The walk was lovely and the scenery was stunning. The weather was beautiful, sunny, cloudless, cool in the morning and not too hot in the afternoon. We walked through grazing pastures with cows, passed through fences and through other fields.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chez Germaine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two delicious pies at Chez Germaine</td></tr>
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We had read about Chez Germaine,a restaurant in Aubrac famous with pilgrims for pie and its stamp. Late in the morning we walked down into the village of Aubrac taking a detour off the main trail. Inside was a large room divided into the more formal left restaurant, and the bar/cafe on the right. It had a vintage feel, frozen in time, but somehow modern. There were only three customers present and the server. We ordered two pies, one mixed berry, and the other pear chocolate, a coffee and a small hot chocolate. The three customers seemed to be shocked that we would order pies mid-morning, but we knew we could use up the calories. Each slice of pie was huge, but wonderfully balanced and not too sweet. As we sat, we saw some of the other pilgrims and convinced them to stop and have a snack. Chez Germaine is also know for its unique raised stamp and Rene and I each got one for our credential.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rocky trail</td></tr>
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The walk after the town of Aubrac began to descend. We had seen the profiles of the area and I was a little worried about the steepness of the trail and its toll on my knees. The walk was down through forested areas, by streams, and on rocky trails. The steepness was never too bad. Interesting how the mixed deciduous forest looks and feels the same here as in Quebec; we could have been at Mont St Hilaire.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our stop for the night.</td></tr>
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We walked down into the little village of St Chely d'Aubrac and were shown to our cute deluxe room at <a href="http://www.lescoudercous.fr/" target="_blank">Les Coudercous</a> hotel. We had arrived early, 14h30, and so we took advantage of the extra time to nap, watch some television and wash extra clothing. At 19h00 we made our way to the brasserie in town and had two omelettes, fries and aligot with 2 beers and a cheese course. The food was unfortunately very greasy, but would turn out to be the only greasy meal of the trip.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mostly down!</td></tr>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac, France44.590311 2.9214460000000644.409387 2.59872250000006 44.771235 3.24416950000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-57959070808291306222015-10-18T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.449+01:00Oct 12, Day 7: St Chely d'Aubrac to Espalion (24.7 km)<div dir="ltr">
So day seven was tough. The body is now thoroughly tired and needs a year off walking. Days one to four were new and wonderful, day five was really difficult, day six was perfect (16 km and pie!), and then day seven was really difficult all over again.<br />
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The profile for day seven looked reasonable compared to other days. A big downhill in the afternoon but nothing we had not experienced before. The weather today was perfect-overcast, not hot, no rain-we had food to eat, a reservation for the night, and enough water. But the walking is hard. People, this is hard work. Why does the difficulty of this not come through other people's blogs? Where are the people who will admit that this is difficult? Hiking all day, up and down hills, over big rocks, gravelly rocks, tree roots, and along asphalt roads and fields is tough takes a toll on the body.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiling on the morning of day 7</td></tr>
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Now let me tell you about the day. We awoke in our very cute room in St Chely d'Aubrac and had the breakfast buffet: café au lait, baguette, croissant, jam, butter, yoghurt, pain au raisin, then a shared hot chocolate. Everything in town was closed so our lunch would be nut and raisin mix and cookies.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very red poncho</td></tr>
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The walk was straight uphill in the morning. We had come down from the Aubrac plateau and into forests and farms at lower elevation. It rained a little bit in the morning, so we put on the red ponchos. Fortunately, we did not have to wear them for too long as the rain stopped and we got hot walking uphill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest selfie.</td></tr>
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We met Beaudoin and Vicky on the trail and took some pictures and a selfie.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdm7MNm22mYed-R8orf1WOJbYG75m1fbHAS2EPz_mc7JDexKMC537gs6OxI2URDmrQm_RAA3ETPW5Heo5rncpQA9r0uABvh4Ds1olKRZZsiUkfMyXmLcQDjjf9lsGn4B274QDQosUTPMK/s1600/DSC00657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdm7MNm22mYed-R8orf1WOJbYG75m1fbHAS2EPz_mc7JDexKMC537gs6OxI2URDmrQm_RAA3ETPW5Heo5rncpQA9r0uABvh4Ds1olKRZZsiUkfMyXmLcQDjjf9lsGn4B274QDQosUTPMK/s640/DSC00657.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan contemplating the valley</td></tr>
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The views were beautiful and very different from the views we had had on the Aubrac plateau. The views were enough to divert my attention from my small right Achilles tendon issue, and the blister on the small toe of my left foot. I had never walked so far with a blister before.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herding cattle</td></tr>
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We came across two men herding cattle along a road. We stood to the side of the road and watched them pass. The cows seemed skittish and the men were calming them. We knew that we were the source of the skittishness. <br />
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We came to a little hamlet with a little refuge inside a wooden lean-to. A husband and wife team set up the coffee and snacks every morning and welcomed the pilgrims. They were very friendly and we spoke to them for a while. They explained that they felt no need to travel since pilgrims from all over the world passed through their neighbourhood. They were sweet and genuinely happy to see us and we were grateful. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnuts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prickly outside covering of the chestnuts</td></tr>
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Walking again we began to notice the chestnuts and their prickly outer layer covering the ground. They were also falling from the trees. Thank goodness for our hats as they kept the prickles off our heads. Another pilgrim was not so lucky. We came across a German woman, Sophia, sitting on the side of the path trying to remove prickles from her hand with tweezers. She was trying to protect her head from the falling chestnuts and had gotten prickles stuck in her hand.<br />
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We walked on then decided to stop for our small nut and raisin snack. While there Sophia caught up to us. She had removed most of the prickly thorns from her hand. She was excited and happy to see us because she could speak English with us. She had met few people who she could communicate with, as she did not speak much French, and she was dying to talk. She told us about her pilgrimage and about the year she had spent in India. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L'eglise de Perse</td></tr>
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The afternoon was tough, we had nothing for lunch and I wanted to stop walking. We walked along a road for a while. At the end of the road a man counselled us to walk to <a href="http://www.art-roman.net/perse/perse.htm" target="_blank">L'eglise de Perse</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René is happy to be sitting</td></tr>
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We walked into Espalion along the parkway. We found the <a href="http://www.hoteldefrance12.fr/" target="_blank">Hotel de France</a> and then went for supper at one of only two places open on a Monday. At the brasserie we had a good, large salad, sausage with ratatouille, wine, bread and a shared dessert. We spoke to two American women sitting beside us who were doing short sections of the hike and did not appear to be as exhausted as we felt. I was envious of their decision to walk so little, but very proud that we had walked as many kilometres as we had so far. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Espalion, France44.520564 2.761316999999962744.429990000000004 2.5999554999999628 44.611138 2.9226784999999627tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-11413515255745649572015-10-17T20:00:00.000+02:002016-10-13T04:23:02.709+02:00Oct 13, Day 8: Espalion to Massip (25.9 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast with a view (Espalion)</td></tr>
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We awoke and packed. It was dark both because the sun rose at about 8h00 and because it was overcast. We found coffee at the bar next door to the hotel, lunch supplies and breakfast yogurt at a little grocery and I stayed with the packs as René went off in the light rain to find croissants. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan struggling through blister pain.</td></tr>
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Today was a bit of a blur, because it was so tough. I thought that the worst had been days five and seven, but today was far worse. It was all climbs up and down. I was still struggling with a blister on my little toe, and I was tired from a week of walking 8 hours a day</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? Susan is smiling?</td></tr>
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Mid-morning we came across a church and wandered inside. We discovered that there was a staircase to the top of the church so we climbed the tower, without backpacks, and got a good view. Outside the church we met Tilman, a German pilgrim, who was trying to reserve accommodation for the night. We happily shared the name of our reservation for the night and asked if he needed some help with French. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backpacks discarded for walk up to church.</td></tr>
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A little later we walked up to another tiny church, and had a short visit. Soon after I had a tumble down a rocky path and I scraped both shins. There was more blood than what the scrapes really signified and we spent some time using tissues and water to get the dirt and blood off my legs. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Estaing from across the river at our lunch spot.</td></tr>
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The plan had been to cross to Estaing and visit the village, but after the fall, and with the pain from my blister and the exhaustion, all I wanted to do was stop walking. We decided to have lunch across from Estaing. Lunch was cheese, bread and cookies. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hanging spot for our packs while we took a break.</td></tr>
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The afternoon was more of a blur. It was really tough mentally and physically. René was trying to stay optimistic for me, yet he was worried about my ability to walk the whole way. There were many challenging hills in the afternoon. At a point we came across a sign describing the crosses marking the path, and counted seven until our destination. Each cross had a description, date and distance statistics and a literary text, either a poem or a piece of philosophical prose. We decided to take a break at each cross.<br />
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This was the day that I truly understood what all of the blogs had described about making the first step. I was so physically sore and tired and I just wanted to stop walking. We would stop at each cross, and I would be grateful for just standing still. I would pause for a long while, longer than René would have stopped. We would eventually have to move on, and it took all of my mental strength to get to the point of just taking one step. I knew I could do it because I knew that the second step was a tiny bit easier, and the third even easier and then I would be walking again through the pain. The physical body would take over from the mind. But the first step was all mental exertion.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spare but exceptionally clean room.</td></tr>
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We arrived <a href="http://www.loreeduchemin.fr/" target="_blank">l'Orée du Chemin</a> in the tiny hamlet of Le Massip. There was a chalkboard welcome and instructions for room assignments and supper (for the two of us and Tilman)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert of fromage blanc with jam and apple tart.</td></tr>
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In the communal dining room we met the owner Stephan and his mother Françoise. We were served a wonderfully delicious and filling supper. Served family style we ate vegetable soup with croutons and cheese, then pasta with a stew of pork and chestnuts, then fromage blanc with jam, and an apple tart and wine. The hosts were friendly and welcoming and told us a few stories about the farm and the lodging which we translated for Tilman.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long communal table at l'Orée du Chemin </td></tr>
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After supper, Tilman, René and I sat and contemplated the walk the next day. We realized that we would be passing the 200 km point during the day, and Tilman promised that he would mark the spot in some way. I also came across a copy of "Marcher pour apprendre à aimer" by Gérard Trèves on the coffee table. In it he suggests to walk the Le Puy-en-Velay to Conques route in 10 to 15 days. We were going to be walking into Conques tomorrow, day 9, and I was surprised to know that we would be walking in fewer days than the recommendation. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Golinhac, France44.605428 2.583646000000044344.514975500000006 2.4222845000000444 44.6958805 2.7450075000000442tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-3581342578795074452015-10-16T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.435+01:00Oct 14, Day 9: Le Massip to Conques (22.4 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan and René in the morning light.</td></tr>
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Breakfast of toast, coffee, butter and homemade jam. We ate with Tilman again, and the owner's mother Françoise was there again to prepare coffee and send us off. I was sore but excited to be walking to Conques today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the small grocery store in Golinihac.</td></tr>
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The walk was much easier today. It was sunny all day but cold and windy. We followed the 20 remaining crosses all the way to Golinhac where we bought apples and baguette at a tiny grocery. We were walking by green pastures with cows, along roads and gravel paths.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect day for a picnic.</td></tr>
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After a quick stop to visit Espeyrac, we stopped for lunch in Sénergues, where we had a lunch of cheese from yesterday, plus the apple and baguette. And cookies. We ate in a little pilgrim park in a town. The park was perfectly set up for pilgrims, with a number of picnic tables, garbage cans, and a WC on the other side of the church. I imagined that it would have been packed during the high season.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">200 km done, 300 km left to do!</td></tr>
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During the afternoon we came across a handmade marker on the side of the road. It was written in chestnuts. We knew that Tilman had left it for us to mark the 200 km point, as he had promised yesterday. It lifted my spirits. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC80HIWiETIfIBBQpyTFerlF24X6PfrfuYq5-O7LOftSNBYOpu3KwAYn5xkQoK9cck4_3G_2fx-eTwYS-CdqVrssIh3be9FGOJO_bDNDgnjjYuhDCeFanvAjBMGfectcMqCceBds1S6xx7/s1600/DSC00770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC80HIWiETIfIBBQpyTFerlF24X6PfrfuYq5-O7LOftSNBYOpu3KwAYn5xkQoK9cck4_3G_2fx-eTwYS-CdqVrssIh3be9FGOJO_bDNDgnjjYuhDCeFanvAjBMGfectcMqCceBds1S6xx7/s640/DSC00770.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It did not rain.</td></tr>
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The afternoon was a little cloudy and we were worried about the rain. We saw no other pilgrims all day although we knew there were some ahead of us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMliJlrXtykzyvxdqcJRcZEwEo2-teSfC6VaMM6wyBBhPJC5hropyMb2HqzBj8b9EOmAJTj1VDAirE7mN3bZbaUMlEAa54wLBzEqJeASpq4oHMwLcjSmWysvnaEIrQvQcnKiEymD7YMCpG/s1600/DSC00772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMliJlrXtykzyvxdqcJRcZEwEo2-teSfC6VaMM6wyBBhPJC5hropyMb2HqzBj8b9EOmAJTj1VDAirE7mN3bZbaUMlEAa54wLBzEqJeASpq4oHMwLcjSmWysvnaEIrQvQcnKiEymD7YMCpG/s640/DSC00772.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The toughest type of trail: rocky and uphill!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyNQTZnUfCKp5e3ioelHwjCqs_y8Uv49AQ7U7WzStI1jNPNrdl4QpUIdNa5gAbLJ4r9GctaFcHq88TE4hfyN3LxLWmM2YZkAtkqJMapZNAxB1iPszuURkInsaxuZ0D_x2_JLdpdol6dRQ/s1600/DSC00775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyNQTZnUfCKp5e3ioelHwjCqs_y8Uv49AQ7U7WzStI1jNPNrdl4QpUIdNa5gAbLJ4r9GctaFcHq88TE4hfyN3LxLWmM2YZkAtkqJMapZNAxB1iPszuURkInsaxuZ0D_x2_JLdpdol6dRQ/s640/DSC00775.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conques conquered!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAM4PoqCZsqgxyC0jdLbwGvewoojFm-fqvNk1gym7marVmrLciQWqDTO7bZFfU38Ym_AVWYYsduxYupM3hIwawq_Rz4aV27_FTak5S0fQKvL5PEHnVdgunE3IvAXsB4xSnUHe4yaZ5O4Ib/s1600/DSC00779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAM4PoqCZsqgxyC0jdLbwGvewoojFm-fqvNk1gym7marVmrLciQWqDTO7bZFfU38Ym_AVWYYsduxYupM3hIwawq_Rz4aV27_FTak5S0fQKvL5PEHnVdgunE3IvAXsB4xSnUHe4yaZ5O4Ib/s640/DSC00779.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We walked to Conques!</td></tr>
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We walked down into Conques, which was quite a steep descent. Conques is beautiful, dominated by a cathedral in the center of town. We met some of the other hikers and pilgrims who we had met previously. We also saw Tilman and thanked him for making the 200 km sign.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFfbD1WGcIcl5oT1iSUWwXjVURJrh1GeByQr4LyvSE7cJbLuEN9aQ8Q2vML9Rqvku8afSmPNsu2pJYPU7TOxoASSw0sBthVDXPdexTh-98mLhdhTxoKySqQNg0N5aZ7yQ-iKbx0JsBKEH/s1600/DSC00801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFfbD1WGcIcl5oT1iSUWwXjVURJrh1GeByQr4LyvSE7cJbLuEN9aQ8Q2vML9Rqvku8afSmPNsu2pJYPU7TOxoASSw0sBthVDXPdexTh-98mLhdhTxoKySqQNg0N5aZ7yQ-iKbx0JsBKEH/s640/DSC00801.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking shoes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGiMtwgq7XxxvQPqEfi4bZGoZEHisQNeFBREwylkPbSTiuxhgvNqoNqkTtsnnHoUut7LGTPXvPZVH6o2Jv1_jRLXweLwe8FNhJu-QQ5FlSWo7eU8Z1B_f6q52H-tpUkBmT7EfqeoF_6J7/s1600/DSC00788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGiMtwgq7XxxvQPqEfi4bZGoZEHisQNeFBREwylkPbSTiuxhgvNqoNqkTtsnnHoUut7LGTPXvPZVH6o2Jv1_jRLXweLwe8FNhJu-QQ5FlSWo7eU8Z1B_f6q52H-tpUkBmT7EfqeoF_6J7/s400/DSC00788.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our room.</td></tr>
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We checked into the <a href="http://www.mondaye.com/les-prieures/sainte-foy-de-conques/lhotellerie-des-pelerins" target="_blank">L'hotellerie de l'abbaye</a> and got our very spartan room. We had to leave our hiking shoes in the foyer, and place our backpacks into a large plastic bags which had been sprayed with citronella. René and I were the least likely to bring bedbugs into the hostel, as we had never stayed in a communal gîte.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHmCAQFEqQjahn5fKsrrGEpSUkV8_9nJBElsYoSNqwydZJAH1Qy4haCHBE1bGx4cNhSAY6m9X8rqAK878ulJ1fJNm4YfYDxg7uD-8HsgWUzLECGQPUNpjhzVPkjptbK7gGxZxV6lNzaiQ/s1600/DSC00795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHmCAQFEqQjahn5fKsrrGEpSUkV8_9nJBElsYoSNqwydZJAH1Qy4haCHBE1bGx4cNhSAY6m9X8rqAK878ulJ1fJNm4YfYDxg7uD-8HsgWUzLECGQPUNpjhzVPkjptbK7gGxZxV6lNzaiQ/s640/DSC00795.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We did a quick tour around town. There were a number of tourists, clean and spiffy in their city clothes and shoes. It was the first time since Le Puy that we had seen so many non-hikers in one place. We got a hot chocolate at a café. Sitting in the warmth of the café we talked about how much farther I would be able to walk and if we needed to make plans to skip a section and take a train or a bus to farther along the route. René checked train schedules and we noted the information and decided to see how I was doing in the morning. We ran back to the room for a quick shower, then off to vespers at the cathedral.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvQZgvK5dWnodRBxtGwU0CMawtis-EMHZOlgR0EaA1XuNZ4h7xQ5fX5nNahjK1StqVBUCeQWko8HPKLeVnv7BbrJ6fJL4C_opAP8l15OYloxxI4D-CXljYGZ3FHY6XWJ-TJ3c84tAplr2/s1600/DSC00799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvQZgvK5dWnodRBxtGwU0CMawtis-EMHZOlgR0EaA1XuNZ4h7xQ5fX5nNahjK1StqVBUCeQWko8HPKLeVnv7BbrJ6fJL4C_opAP8l15OYloxxI4D-CXljYGZ3FHY6XWJ-TJ3c84tAplr2/s400/DSC00799.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La cuvée des pélerins!</td></tr>
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We sat with Tilman and Sophia for supper and we had some good laughs. We had mixed frozen vegetable mayo salad as starter, partially burned lasagna, the a great cheese course, then coconut tart. And red wine! The food is made and served by volunteers. They were pleasant and helpful. The food was not great, but the company was perfect. Luckily we were sitting at a table set for eight, but since we were four, we got left-overs. I think the hikers at the other full tables must have left hungry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcKGIMUN1IEDpJ83cBeD7zsxLKHElWWFcdosQgk7DUgfgdCXKoWpb5dCMKrctphii0R6jRiFcaJVxPWc0-rNkkDjArDlPHjrD4gF0X_wWZ9HoUaotllftDf64eJKjkQSb-oiRdsvUg1NY/s1600/Oct+14+Profile.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcKGIMUN1IEDpJ83cBeD7zsxLKHElWWFcdosQgk7DUgfgdCXKoWpb5dCMKrctphii0R6jRiFcaJVxPWc0-rNkkDjArDlPHjrD4gF0X_wWZ9HoUaotllftDf64eJKjkQSb-oiRdsvUg1NY/s640/Oct+14+Profile.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Profile from Espeyrac only...</td></tr>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com012320 Conques, France44.599402 2.396036999999978444.508942 2.2346754999999785 44.689862 2.5573984999999784tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-90658270938989427072015-10-15T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:56:08.129+01:00Oct 15, Day 10: Conques to Livinhac-le-Haut (26.4 km)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq1v57C7rXcm4a7Wf5Jsn9SkEd55d2uuWqLjLebTv33ic2pD558_OAdjCjeLsPkcbJ-tqGsVGkKIf4kynwvpwFR-L1sbxwpobMnIeOs5R7_z-xNKwjxt2snxM56ghY62YtYgayeA6kthx/s1600/DSC00811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq1v57C7rXcm4a7Wf5Jsn9SkEd55d2uuWqLjLebTv33ic2pD558_OAdjCjeLsPkcbJ-tqGsVGkKIf4kynwvpwFR-L1sbxwpobMnIeOs5R7_z-xNKwjxt2snxM56ghY62YtYgayeA6kthx/s640/DSC00811.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for day 10.</td></tr>
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Breakfast was served back in the dining room of the abbey. It was simple: bread, fromage blanc (similar to yogurt), butter, and coffee with milk. We sat next to a couple of Americans who had been pilgrims in Spain along the Camino Frances, but who were travelling by bus and train through this section of France. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René over the Dordou River</td></tr>
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We walked straight downhill to the Rivière Dordou, over a historical bridge, and then straight uphill out of Conques. On the way up the hill we met a couple from Mexico and Tilman passed us. As we got to the top of the hill it began raining and so we put on windbreakers and ponchos. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot chocolate to warm us.</td></tr>
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We had decided in the morning to take the route which went by Noailhac (GR65 alternate) . Boy were we glad we did as it allowed us to stop in the village for a hot drink at the bar. We got out of the wind and shook off the rain, and enjoyed a break inside. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan's happy to be out of the wind and rain.</td></tr>
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By mid-day it had stopped raining, but it was still windy and cold. About halfway we found a little pilgrim shelter with picnic tables, some with shelter. It was so good to sit at a table out of the rain and eat a meal. We had ordered lunch from the abbey, as there were no lunch supplies in Conques. We ate bread, cheese, paté, apple, cookies, canned tuna salad, and a granola bar. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Livinhac-le-Haut a few minutes before a downpour</td></tr>
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We knew that we still had quite a distance to go in the afternoon as we had planned on walking into Decazeville, then up to Livinhac-le-Haut. There was quite a steep hike down to Decazeville. Just off the hiking trail was a supermarket where we purchased supper food: pasta, lardons, a can of tomatoes, a jar spinach, an onion, olives with anchovies, red wine and soup. We then had a bracing climb out of the city and then back down and up into Livinhac-le-Haut. We checked into the little gîte which was upstairs from a boucherie. It had five rooms and a communal kitchen and dining room. <br />
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We showered, changed, washed some items and began supper preparations. There was a restaurant open in town, but we had decided to make use of the kitchen. As were were preparing the couple from Mexico we met in the morning arrived. They looked exhausted and in pain. They were trying to book a luggage service to carry their bags to their next destination, but they were unable to find anything as it was so late in the season. We assumed that it was their first time walking, but we found out later that they had walked the Camino Frances in Spain and were finding the walk through France much more difficult.<br />
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We were glad to be eating in and resting for the evening. The bottle of wine helped!<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Livinhac-le-Haut, France44.5912099 2.231078900000056844.5459854 2.1503979000000566 44.636434400000006 2.311759900000057tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-57995655527883152015-10-14T20:00:00.002+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.451+01:00Oct 16, Day 11: Livinhac-le-Haut to Figeac (25.4 km)<div dir="ltr">
We ate breakfast in the communal dining/kitchen with the couple from Mexico. She described her pilgrimage in Spain, how she had walked the route twice, once alone, and once with her adult children. They were finding the Le Puy camino much more difficult because of the hills and lack of services compared to the Camino Frances. <br />
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Breakfast was coffee and milk, with packaged dried toasts (boulangerie closed), fouace (brioche type sweet bread), butter and Nutella. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzf060Cpdbs0o3kvBSr896EwCYrs1gjtEwN_zrM0QpUAbIifkHYscp76cglS598593rnF1KKwmtrIp9TjmSf3aqP1yKkCjVtXIHJcgP3nyWOY2FhjWTDL07qiXQco955Tm-92oqGRRQ5s/s1600/DSC00838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzf060Cpdbs0o3kvBSr896EwCYrs1gjtEwN_zrM0QpUAbIifkHYscp76cglS598593rnF1KKwmtrIp9TjmSf3aqP1yKkCjVtXIHJcgP3nyWOY2FhjWTDL07qiXQco955Tm-92oqGRRQ5s/s640/DSC00838.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This type of trail is not too bad on the feet.</td></tr>
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We walked uphill to get out of town, as usual. I was sore and stiff and I realized that yesterday, to keep warm in the cold rain, I had walked too quickly. I did keep warm but today I was suffering with tired and sore muscles and ligaments in my legs. Today we walked at a slower and more steady pace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaren82PmIqJOLAuHJCjs46qFtonC5jEtmi7GnVG7dYzNg3p4Jz3bcJ3xZUvkBiVaj0LGzX_cowExQ6XkpJzezghagj5wzcU-PbjAmixD8mf_iEgNvDoST0tX5EqsM9IWAg5T02BlaZFdx/s1600/DSC00839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaren82PmIqJOLAuHJCjs46qFtonC5jEtmi7GnVG7dYzNg3p4Jz3bcJ3xZUvkBiVaj0LGzX_cowExQ6XkpJzezghagj5wzcU-PbjAmixD8mf_iEgNvDoST0tX5EqsM9IWAg5T02BlaZFdx/s640/DSC00839.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fog.</td></tr>
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It was foggy and cold most of the morning and we did not see much. We were grateful that it had been warm and sunny for the days we were walking through the Aubrac plateau, because had it been similar to this type of weather it would have been miserable.<br />
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At lunch time we managed to find a bench and ate the left-over pasta, some cheese and chocolate cookies. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVG8EX47wBXyLM0uDJBHtLtOf3OMXFqtpG-wlvVgJJUXTREdqgb8_oSxSwV6aCSOGEWOFp5s4N2MA8Rci4cGqdIPCBYU-mnA3fY_fU42FYE8Ib070Z_nQ-WxjxOaqf_vrilAnSbHL0TJR/s1600/DSC00843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVG8EX47wBXyLM0uDJBHtLtOf3OMXFqtpG-wlvVgJJUXTREdqgb8_oSxSwV6aCSOGEWOFp5s4N2MA8Rci4cGqdIPCBYU-mnA3fY_fU42FYE8Ib070Z_nQ-WxjxOaqf_vrilAnSbHL0TJR/s640/DSC00843.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign-post for Figeac.</td></tr>
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The afternoon seemed long but it was not the worst day. We walked along roads for much of the day with only a few sections of the trail passing through farm fields and trails. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7ytvmzARiSAvkBrNNYCbdX71sX3ky4By1S7c5mqgUFOc38PmBGKG4H12gthjJnp7_lBb1lLo8u2GOHn9_O9QIbrGRltg2aC-Ph36bNOScujjmJojsuXuKZ4v-8uAo2Gxd90D55q0garu/s1600/DSC00857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7ytvmzARiSAvkBrNNYCbdX71sX3ky4By1S7c5mqgUFOc38PmBGKG4H12gthjJnp7_lBb1lLo8u2GOHn9_O9QIbrGRltg2aC-Ph36bNOScujjmJojsuXuKZ4v-8uAo2Gxd90D55q0garu/s640/DSC00857.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Narrow path along a road.</td></tr>
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We walked into Figeac. We were excited to arrive because tomorrow was our first rest day. René had booked the rest days to coincide with the larger towns along our route, Figeac and Cahors. Also he arranged to arrive in town to be able to visit the weekly Saturday market. <br />
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René had booked two nights at the <a href="http://www.le-quatorze.fr/" target="_blank">Hôtel Le Quatorze</a>. It was a lovely, large room with lots of windows and a large bathroom.<br />
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We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the city and looking for a restaurant. We ended up at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LEnk-Figeac-1452044188415483" target="_blank">L'en 'K'</a>, a hamburger place. The burger had local cheese, onion confit and fries. It was delicious. A warning to North Americans ordering hamburgers in France: burgers are served rare.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com046100 Figeac, France44.608287999999988 2.03287144.517849999999989 1.8715095000000002 44.698725999999986 2.1942325tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-26993468693966695992015-10-13T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:55:48.430+01:00Oct 17 : Rest day in Figeac<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our first rest day since leaving 11 days ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our rest day included:</span><br />
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<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sleeping in to 8:30!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coffee and croissants at the </span>market bar.</li>
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<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visiting the Saturday Figeac market and the cuteness of the </span>medieval<span style="font-family: inherit;"> town.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Doing a full laundry (a</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">fter cleaning/rinsing clothes in sinks):</span></span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsEVgtS238-Orri_zVnsb6Wt-ZOM8GhibtVJNi-lrWIwwsTqo_MZ820mg7zxcSzfvubWFDNmrsn4AgkfrDpKOxnIFET1NoXEgeDMjW4PrFRn65sFU4rj_gpq5dc8nM31mhV9I9GXd7KWN/s1600/DSC00875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsEVgtS238-Orri_zVnsb6Wt-ZOM8GhibtVJNi-lrWIwwsTqo_MZ820mg7zxcSzfvubWFDNmrsn4AgkfrDpKOxnIFET1NoXEgeDMjW4PrFRn65sFU4rj_gpq5dc8nM31mhV9I9GXd7KWN/s320/DSC00875.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A clean break from the hike</td></tr>
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<li>More resting!</li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visiting the </span><a href="http://www.musee-champollion.fr/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Musée Champollion</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.12px;">decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.12px;"> was born here):</span></span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoG7hRe0akvoVK9wbLoJ82z6mDGDoIHEuLW0-LIU4IDfOqbC-rrhXNHF6n4Kp3mFqCvkWWmFLCWD7UBzYkCkgA_RQyItV9dbjhyphenhyphenCdWgxhsvSCT-4lTNgLoQbbLR8Qr0bkqpq5LSIlV2SH/s1600/DSC00904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoG7hRe0akvoVK9wbLoJ82z6mDGDoIHEuLW0-LIU4IDfOqbC-rrhXNHF6n4Kp3mFqCvkWWmFLCWD7UBzYkCkgA_RQyItV9dbjhyphenhyphenCdWgxhsvSCT-4lTNgLoQbbLR8Qr0bkqpq5LSIlV2SH/s640/DSC00904.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rising over the Rosetta</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.12px;">And more food:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiprusixcCcu9jITOY0I0PHdmONy_OaF2KU1oTIPRFPzuFTODeYQfBn6Nf2Mr-YEPeUUi_EaCA0g9N_-GsE5zlGL8m33mdSaY-FDXqIUOskaZRzRYplDXOheaHtFHskSix6ULG3Z0pN8oM/s1600/DSC00914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiprusixcCcu9jITOY0I0PHdmONy_OaF2KU1oTIPRFPzuFTODeYQfBn6Nf2Mr-YEPeUUi_EaCA0g9N_-GsE5zlGL8m33mdSaY-FDXqIUOskaZRzRYplDXOheaHtFHskSix6ULG3Z0pN8oM/s640/DSC00914.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Farçous and choux farçis with sunflower salad for supper.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.12px;"><br /></span>Renehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16706179228664609350noreply@blogger.com046100 Figeac, France44.608287999999988 2.03287144.517849999999989 1.8715095000000002 44.698725999999986 2.1942325tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-20198337554732867112015-10-12T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.172+01:00Oct 18, Day 12: Figeac to Lacapelle-Marival (25.4 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvCrOrQd23B8KiQQUmoXOtOmstlls-IJBFgdE24hexApy7Wecdt-JPmYqgkqMO5gafIz8IecpMcY7nDbICKRWGKKmtFPevoDoHBp2lDqNHDj8RmAzOg_QuPkX-W5htQcoMlgMWxzeNESj/s1600/DSC00918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvCrOrQd23B8KiQQUmoXOtOmstlls-IJBFgdE24hexApy7Wecdt-JPmYqgkqMO5gafIz8IecpMcY7nDbICKRWGKKmtFPevoDoHBp2lDqNHDj8RmAzOg_QuPkX-W5htQcoMlgMWxzeNESj/s640/DSC00918.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan carrying breakfast croissants.</td></tr>
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We were very well rested after our day off in Figeac. We took advantage of our room for two nights and we slept in and napped and relaxed. I enjoyed walking around town without a pack on my back. This morning we were ready to begin walking again. We decided against breakfast at the hotel and so we had a quick coffee, and bought croissants and a baguette on the way out of town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhz2CBgkmk-HIQqWXKJPPPdAJRsTDOvEPreY3ri2xbRjUwnr65KtLW3ixICHr-EkmumH478yIj1pF2Tpr9ydWS5MZXcxzDRrDZL0FXu5LvksNaVPOzuCEb1AhFdezWZqm-Tqmb4ymK7ZF/s1600/DSC00919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhz2CBgkmk-HIQqWXKJPPPdAJRsTDOvEPreY3ri2xbRjUwnr65KtLW3ixICHr-EkmumH478yIj1pF2Tpr9ydWS5MZXcxzDRrDZL0FXu5LvksNaVPOzuCEb1AhFdezWZqm-Tqmb4ymK7ZF/s640/DSC00919.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the red poncho!</td></tr>
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It was overcast and rainy in the morning. We put on the red ponchos. I had complained about the ponchos when we first bought them, but I was grateful for them now. Not only did the the ponchos keep the rain off us and the packs, but they also provided an extra layer of warmth against the cold wind.<br />
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There are three hiking routes out of Figeac and we were walking towards Rocamadour along the GR6. Most people continue along the GR65 and so that is where most of the hikers can be found. Sure enough, on our way out of town towards the GR6, someone thought we were on the wrong path and directed us towards the GR65. <br />
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We walked along country paths and roads and given that it was Sunday there were people out jogging and walking dogs. We were glad that the profile had flattened out a little bit because my left hamstring and butt muscles were really sore and René had a sore ligament in his foot. On the other hand our packs were heavier because we were carrying supper picnic food as it was Sunday and nothing would be open in the town where we were going to end up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7BtIUFls6lFLfajVKctU0-xDbZV_fAJPwOu-l2G9FxQBe1hCGPDbmgTqRzyPn1-64ibl3X6ujd1amoe4u83DgVaV5fzTkDLZan7wNp482okSA_LV9ZfoCFk_LJcBmimf3dbs6ftNc5Xk/s1600/DSC00922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7BtIUFls6lFLfajVKctU0-xDbZV_fAJPwOu-l2G9FxQBe1hCGPDbmgTqRzyPn1-64ibl3X6ujd1amoe4u83DgVaV5fzTkDLZan7wNp482okSA_LV9ZfoCFk_LJcBmimf3dbs6ftNc5Xk/s640/DSC00922.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious hot pizza.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our lunch goal was Cardaillac because we knew that there was a weekly market and a small restaurant. We arrived late morning and had a quick tour through the medieval garden, then past the pizza truck, the small restaurant and through the medieval part of town. Cardaillac had been voted one of "Les plus beaux villages de France". <br />
<br />
We realized that pizza would be our best bet even though it was still drizzling. We ordered the Payasanne with lardons, an egg, cheese and onions. While it was cooking the pizza guy gave us a bit of history of the hamlet and introduced us to the locals who were placing orders. We learned that the market had dwindled and now he was one of only two trucks who installed weekly. We found a bench with a little shelter from the rain. The pizza was delicious and hot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ddrduBxXSRH6LR0obQbN3s20veORFCSaZKkpBp0SQvcTZxeQrBnyzmJhU-ISDhxTLFRtk3lOgCle0UiNhQpKo91HZf-_XELTKmsIUI__XxKRdb7Pc3soCM_7F7yJzA2feEpy12r4h4Rm/s1600/DSC00931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ddrduBxXSRH6LR0obQbN3s20veORFCSaZKkpBp0SQvcTZxeQrBnyzmJhU-ISDhxTLFRtk3lOgCle0UiNhQpKo91HZf-_XELTKmsIUI__XxKRdb7Pc3soCM_7F7yJzA2feEpy12r4h4Rm/s640/DSC00931.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René walking ahead.</td></tr>
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It drizzled a little in the afternoon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1NGX2U12ntwjhb8eC4p_pGbJwufxeD3xhyDMD3vV6w0ePZam4op23KQ9QV2zbckfXt1hISCZEJxpRbFe9jnC-CVNSSlu6swEGtCBXFA-TZwy4GJb9FDhsZqwAdbbMonJg7A7Ww9mYbgo/s1600/DSC00926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1NGX2U12ntwjhb8eC4p_pGbJwufxeD3xhyDMD3vV6w0ePZam4op23KQ9QV2zbckfXt1hISCZEJxpRbFe9jnC-CVNSSlu6swEGtCBXFA-TZwy4GJb9FDhsZqwAdbbMonJg7A7Ww9mYbgo/s640/DSC00926.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan's quick cat nap.</td></tr>
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Along the way on our journey we made a point of stopping in at each of the churches and chapels. We found most doors open, and all empty. I had not intended to be improper in a church, but I think I slept a little as I laid back on the chairs. I was tired, and maybe it was the pizza...<br />
<br />
The afternoon we had some dog encounters, mostly with farm dogs, and nothing serious but stressful for us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTFJ3vKv73bUJ7Ti2kL_XAu2RjLAxdiOwTaxAK520sg3YYbdpcNlbeiq5m6aCNrPWj07MlxYVmDApBY-WimosDPkkeivivKpWF3ltLJMEWcDhMSPQprk9tkaxVX2Rgm2TGRYHPH_IwVZs/s1600/DSC00933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTFJ3vKv73bUJ7Ti2kL_XAu2RjLAxdiOwTaxAK520sg3YYbdpcNlbeiq5m6aCNrPWj07MlxYVmDApBY-WimosDPkkeivivKpWF3ltLJMEWcDhMSPQprk9tkaxVX2Rgm2TGRYHPH_IwVZs/s640/DSC00933.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lacapelle-Marival</td></tr>
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Arrival in Lacapelle-Marival and checked into the <a href="http://www.hotel-restaurant-la-terrasse.fr/" target="_blank">Hostellerie La Terrasse</a>. We found out that we were the only ones staying at the hotel and all restaurants were closed. We wandered around town to check out the options for breakfast in the morning and found the boulangerie, the small grocery, and the bar. We went back to the room to relax. </div>
Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com146120 Lacapelle-Marival, France44.72784 1.9255049999999344.682715 1.84482399999993 44.772965 2.0061859999999303tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-1076969860078838572015-10-11T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.167+01:00Oct 19, Day 13: Lacapelle Marival to Gramat (26.1 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6wspNZr71AbYPAZgCoTtITH0MrV02s1Sct37xpJfZK91TLajEXsMFUlll5Hj-bxzc9hO75uSI89Cq6ZtE5REI1KtYLmfwPwCRtydLbbuS5ph-MpJMSdoetuYVQVASuKnnaXM4_DXARL5/s1600/DSC00936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6wspNZr71AbYPAZgCoTtITH0MrV02s1Sct37xpJfZK91TLajEXsMFUlll5Hj-bxzc9hO75uSI89Cq6ZtE5REI1KtYLmfwPwCRtydLbbuS5ph-MpJMSdoetuYVQVASuKnnaXM4_DXARL5/s640/DSC00936.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful morning.</td></tr>
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We awoke to a beautifully warm and sunny day. We walked from the hotel to the centre of town to buy lunch supplies at the grocery, plus two croissants and a pain au raisin at the boulangerie that we ate along with two espressos at a bar at the edge of town. The walk was supposed to be 22 km, which would have been manageable, but it would turn out to be much longer. Also, since we were now off the main GR65 and on the GR6, there were even fewer pilgrims, and today we saw no one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYZ4Qc4K_GQvwFAusqZ623LKc96qxjyEPQk7HoqmBlkguVib6hUIy6uFk_JppOiwuv1Mf0cfm93VsAQJVTJyyClfR2_fFcB73Cu-yHnh59hDIbOLHlXHz_jNqMBJLyd6LVA1rr7At5JTM/s1600/DSC00938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYZ4Qc4K_GQvwFAusqZ623LKc96qxjyEPQk7HoqmBlkguVib6hUIy6uFk_JppOiwuv1Mf0cfm93VsAQJVTJyyClfR2_fFcB73Cu-yHnh59hDIbOLHlXHz_jNqMBJLyd6LVA1rr7At5JTM/s640/DSC00938.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sweaty faces.</td></tr>
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It quickly warmed up in the morning and we were down to shorts and t-shirts. We walked along country roads and along farmers paths.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OSSYl39O6SeoQGUCMEB8b9k5u7s5kqm9opeP2hH280WszClfDyV0wFwSzFb8rdbyX6gstFgNzgDSg_ha4Hflr6WMmF3OFMF-7idQ_vuPbKTvGsVlrVzXcghjXWzzIWopUh_raFcTUsc_/s1600/DSC00944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OSSYl39O6SeoQGUCMEB8b9k5u7s5kqm9opeP2hH280WszClfDyV0wFwSzFb8rdbyX6gstFgNzgDSg_ha4Hflr6WMmF3OFMF-7idQ_vuPbKTvGsVlrVzXcghjXWzzIWopUh_raFcTUsc_/s640/DSC00944.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan re-positioning socks and re-tying shoes, both daily occurrences <i>(in Thémines)</i></td></tr>
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We had a nut break mid-morning. We sat in the sun and marveled that it was the middle of October and the weather was much like what it would be in September. I also tried to stretch my left hamstring which was very tight. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YXu-iVMoof5vMpj6ZIcY-4sNtkRLSTrPXX-7A1Q26xgReGuBo4cIUCxOE0XtWGEst04t6TOb8CgF9qNMlxJIlL3NP7qqm906ojQ6QnVi5tUw3Y702N81Me8C3Hge35HD1hcTgK2snjua/s1600/DSC00946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YXu-iVMoof5vMpj6ZIcY-4sNtkRLSTrPXX-7A1Q26xgReGuBo4cIUCxOE0XtWGEst04t6TOb8CgF9qNMlxJIlL3NP7qqm906ojQ6QnVi5tUw3Y702N81Me8C3Hge35HD1hcTgK2snjua/s400/DSC00946.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch: bread, cheese, apple.</td></tr>
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Lunch was baguette and cheese, an apple and part of a chocolate bar at a bench in a little park. We did not seem to tire of this lunch which we ate most days. Baguette and cheese are both very high quality and delicious in France. Most days we had Cantal cheese, similar to cheddar.<br />
<br />
We got to the little hamlet of Gary and saw a sign which showed a change to the GR6 route. A local with a cute black dog described that the change allowed hikers to walk along more paths and fewer roads. The new route was beautiful, but it turned a 22 km day into a 26 km day.<br />
<br />
We arrived in Gramat and I was exhausted. We came to a church in town and I could barely make it up the stairs. I sent René ahead to look. We wandered through town and found the tourist office. Gramat has a number of wine merchants and a number of fancier restaurants, but not for us as we were headed to spend the night in a Mongolian yurt at <a href="http://www.leschambresdelacroze.com/" target="_blank">Le Domaine de la Croze</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie54fxzWyW2Vqmq7fIkL4Vp-mKBr0lqcEBUHDJ55pfSxKtQw9QAf_1Ee5jGym7HmvQokoLNMbzZ6sATqnOzFHb5DgFCaJgT1BC9fYRUyyeC8yEHvNTJ6UIpnCfpcmSzHVADEL-Kf_xcIQc/s1600/DSC00969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie54fxzWyW2Vqmq7fIkL4Vp-mKBr0lqcEBUHDJ55pfSxKtQw9QAf_1Ee5jGym7HmvQokoLNMbzZ6sATqnOzFHb5DgFCaJgT1BC9fYRUyyeC8yEHvNTJ6UIpnCfpcmSzHVADEL-Kf_xcIQc/s640/DSC00969.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mongolian yurt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHcfYHkrLItTteO490VqYfD0UoKQysCEBmEQ1wi4xdGa6DkmKCBcgg8pxnCdg8QidyP8I6RAVPATCl29zh3fqy5gLpai28-9YzuAq8iYaNeX6Qyz64eV6DqMv79EBqUaGfe_yOca8GxJ0/s1600/DSC00967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHcfYHkrLItTteO490VqYfD0UoKQysCEBmEQ1wi4xdGa6DkmKCBcgg8pxnCdg8QidyP8I6RAVPATCl29zh3fqy5gLpai28-9YzuAq8iYaNeX6Qyz64eV6DqMv79EBqUaGfe_yOca8GxJ0/s640/DSC00967.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view inside.</td></tr>
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The couple who owns the property run a bed and breakfast, and also have a gîte and two yurts on the land behind the house. They also have a goat to mow the lawn. When René booked the accommodation we did not realize how cold it would be and, for the same price, we should have stayed in the house. Oh well, it was an adventure!<br />
<br />
A Mongolian yurt is a tent-like temporary structure. The yurt can be assembled and dis-assembled quickly and everything can be transported to the next location. The structure is in wood, with felted yak wool for the insulation and canvas outer walls and ceiling. In a traditional yurt there is a wood burning stove, used for cooking and heating. The stove is placed in the centre, with the stove chimney set to exhaust out of the hole in the centre of the ceiling. Our yurt had an electric heater and a microwave. <br />
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Our hosts left some information about the yurts and we learned the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>entrance should be made with the right foot, and the bottom of the door frame should not be stepped on.</li>
<li>one should not pass through the two central posts, between which the stove should be, but instead go around </li>
<li>once inside one should not stand, but immediately find a seat</li>
<li>men are required to drink three bowls of fermented yak milk (too bad we did not have any!) </li>
</ul>
We had bought a very basic microwaveable supper with a bottle of wine, salad, hot chocolate and cookies. The night would turn out to be very cold and almost uncomfortable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com046500 Gramat, France44.779271 1.723469000000022844.5988865 1.4007455000000228 44.959655500000004 2.0461925000000227tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-45393271189602060782015-10-10T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.179+01:00Oct 20, Day 14: Gramat to Rocamadour (12.4 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René and Susan, smiling but cold.</td></tr>
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The morning was cold. René turned on the heater in the yurt and the bathroom, and only when it had warmed up a bit did I force myself to get out of the warm bed. We had a little breakfast of yogurt and tea. We took our time as we knew that we did not have far to walk today to get to Rocamadour.<br />
<br />
Surprisingly, the owners were waiting for us at the main house with a set table for breakfast. We did not know that breakfast was included. We had great big bowls of coffee with milk, croissants, toasted baguette and butter. The owners gave us lots of good information about Cahors, where we were headed in three days, and about our hike today. They told us we would be walking through the <a href="http://www.francethisway.com/tourism/causses-du-quercy.php" target="_blank">Causses du Quercy Regional National Park</a> and by an old mill bridge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The river valley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem0KA6svRpO5oOsy-FKHJ9h3W6Amu5qfVJOsJK_WH1dSlq8kk6izRD-GyN8WUcsMYuRSz764igOO7I8x9WjWiNngFAZl5c_CKcEcOfH2iZTiKFWj3gRzcvtZgjKP4c1VK45Ev8TH-OHLm/s1600/DSC00988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem0KA6svRpO5oOsy-FKHJ9h3W6Amu5qfVJOsJK_WH1dSlq8kk6izRD-GyN8WUcsMYuRSz764igOO7I8x9WjWiNngFAZl5c_CKcEcOfH2iZTiKFWj3gRzcvtZgjKP4c1VK45Ev8TH-OHLm/s640/DSC00988.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old moulin (mill).</td></tr>
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There were two paths to take, one down on the valley floor, by the old mill bridge, and the other at a much higher in elevation along the ridge of the valley. We choose to walk along the valley floor. The river had been quite robust, but now it was a small creek. The walk was easy and the valley was beautiful. Again we saw no other hikers or pilgrims.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short day: Gramat to Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocamadour on the hill.</td></tr>
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We saw the small town of Rocamadour up on the hill. We were approaching the town from down below in the valley and we knew that we would have a good walk straight up hill. There were a number of cars parked down below and tourists who were struggling to make it up the hill. We realized quickly that this would be another tourist filled town.<br />
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In town we sat and had a lunch of couscous salad and apples. We talked to other pilgrims Catherine, Sylvain and Cristelle, who were walking the Rocamadour route. They were walking the Le Puy camino route in sections and they were out for about a week. They had walked the other valley route, and said that it had been beautiful to see the valley and warm in the sun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge53aeGA84bIMduPvUmDOYzOvedNqOCgTF1rSGJYqYNzWGXR4LK12NXP54o0L1TpaPtKROcebzprJfQI1cRHSmabHKU2t4xCf8ZTNrDi_l8Eex2Mhyphenhyphen-xyYZXaoyMru-TBH8JE-OaU9uP58/s1600/DSC01003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge53aeGA84bIMduPvUmDOYzOvedNqOCgTF1rSGJYqYNzWGXR4LK12NXP54o0L1TpaPtKROcebzprJfQI1cRHSmabHKU2t4xCf8ZTNrDi_l8Eex2Mhyphenhyphen-xyYZXaoyMru-TBH8JE-OaU9uP58/s640/DSC01003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel room, breathtaking!</td></tr>
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René had booked a night at the <a href="http://www.bestwestern-beausite.com/accueil.php" target="_blank">Best Western Beau Site</a>. He had booked a standard room, but the hotel receptionist gave us an upgrade to a room with a view of the valley and a bathtub!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL8Arpy2PZ1bvQ_0WqmGFNVaO9gJqsS_au49IRgCvMDI3hipYgue3donEq1bOTprT8RKgODFu7s9RGSOfme3vMqbF1qQHLZVWPZiOm7FRTjE3R0guI-nVjZVbQ_AsQzLWpURt_KIs8v6s/s1600/DSC01012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL8Arpy2PZ1bvQ_0WqmGFNVaO9gJqsS_au49IRgCvMDI3hipYgue3donEq1bOTprT8RKgODFu7s9RGSOfme3vMqbF1qQHLZVWPZiOm7FRTjE3R0guI-nVjZVbQ_AsQzLWpURt_KIs8v6s/s640/DSC01012.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourists visiting the church of Notre Dame.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Rocamadour from the other side of the valley.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourist shops and tourists in Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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We spent the afternoon walking through Rocamadour, then walking up to the church and the top of the valley, past the animal park and to the lookout from the other side of the valley. There were many people visiting and struggling with the hills and stairs, but René and I flew up, feeling light as air without our backpacks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deserted Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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I was glad to soak in the bathtub for a while. The hot water felt good on my sore legs, and I was able to stretch my left hamstring. We ended up at a valley view restaurant for supper and ate a goat cheese salad, and omelette with cepes mushrooms, sausage with polenta and apple crumble for dessert. Catherine, Phillippe and Christelle were also at the restaurant, and we ended up commiserating about sore feet and hips, the endless hills and heavy backpacks.<br />
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Profile:</div>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Rocamadour, France44.799383000000013 1.617900999999960744.709277500000013 1.4565394999999608 44.889488500000013 1.7792624999999607tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-27150840555602006792015-10-09T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:59.037+01:00Oct 21, Day 15: Rocamadour to Labastide-Murat (28 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning in Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René on the empty streets of Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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We decided to treat ourselves to the breakfast buffet at the Best Western. We knew that the Best Western breakfast buffets in Europe were good. The scrambled eggs were wonderful, we ate ham and cheese, croissants, bread, butter, fig jam, juice, café au lait and hot chocolate. We were not embarrassed by the large quantity of food as we were walking 29 km and we had few lunch supplies. We were full but we had a long day ahead. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back at Rocamadour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking over to another valley.</td></tr>
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We walked straight up out of Rocamadour. It was not as strenuous as the walk out of Conques and we had beautiful views of the valley. We were now on the GR46. Using the profile of the walk I had counted seven hills to climb and I was trying to count them as we walked. Mid-morning we passed Catherine, Phillippe and Christelle taking a break and we stopped to talk.<br />
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As we were walking I was thinking about how much I had enjoyed walking into and out of Conques and Rocamadour. Both towns are very touristy and many people drive in for the day or are using a tour bus service. The view that one gets driving into a town is very different than the experience of walking into the town. On foot the town slowly reveals itself, through the trees and in the distance. The exertion required to walk makes getting to the town very satisfying. I think a hiker or a pilgrim has a different appreciation of the food and accommodation services available in a touristy town than someone who drove there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful sunny day.</td></tr>
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We saw no other pilgrims the rest of the day. We also saw very few other people, cyclists, farmers or cars. We walked along small roads and some farm paths. We walked 29 km, which was pretty long, but the differences in elevation were not as pronounced as the section before Conques.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over highway.</td></tr>
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We had a small lunch of an apple and some peanuts while sitting on the side of the path.<br />
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We were staying at a chambre d'hôtes (bed and breakfast) just a little way outside of Labastide-Murat. We had supper and breakfast included, but we stopped at the large Carrefour grocery store on the way to the gîte to purchase tomorrow's lunch: apple, Cantal cheese, and baguette.<br />
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The owners of the gîte were from the Netherlands. Over supper of salad, stew and dessert, they told us of the region and how they ended up in France. We were dining with another French couple, and the conversation turned again to how cold it is in Canada, and how much better the economic situation is, and how much more generous the pension plan is. We were glad to dissuade them of some of the misconceptions of Canada. We talked late into the evening and we were glad to get to bed.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com046240 Labastide-Murat, France44.647446 1.567914999999970944.557069500000004 1.4065534999999709 44.7378225 1.7292764999999708tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-61987290781012601342015-10-07T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:59.040+01:00Oct 22, Day 16: Labastide-Murat to Vers (27.5 km)<div dir="ltr">
Tough! Seven hours of walking almost non-stop. Who said that this was a good idea? Why do people subject themselves to this torture? All day I dream of not walking. Sitting, lying down, standing still, just no walking. <br />
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A day of 26 km is too much, walking 28 km is way too much, and suffering through 30 km is torture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog and cat trying to help us get out.</td></tr>
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We had a very silly start to the day. We could not open the main door to the building we were sleeping in. We tried banging on the door and yelling out the window. Finally René climbed out of the window. We learned that the door is sticky and we had needed to push on it really hard. The owners' dog and cat were trying to help us but could not reach the door handle...<br />
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We ate breakfast back in the dining room with the two hosts and the two guests from last night. Coffee, croissants, slices of baguette, butter and homemade jam; all delicious, but we ate quickly because we knew we had a long day ahead of us, and we were already late. <br />
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The rain was spitting a little bit as we began but not enough to put on the ponchos. We walked past farmers fields until we reached the only little town along the way, then all along the valley. Some of the time were were walking on the river bed which was now dried up and grown over. There were even some very recent houses being built on the grassy river bed.<br />
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It was past noon and we needed to stop and eat. One of the customs which I hold sacred, even while walking in the rain in the middle of nowhere, is to sit while eating. I like to take off the pack, get out the food, sit somewhere, take a break, enjoy the food and be thankful for it, and then continue. There was not a bench nor a table nor shelter from the rain. The GR6 and the GR46, which we were now on, are very different from the GR65, the main pilgrim route, and we were making comparisons along the way. There are many more conveniences along the GR65: towns, stores, gîtes, benches, WCs, and shelters.<br />
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Finally at 13h00 I was getting cranky and frustrated and we decided we would settle for anything. On the side of the path there were a couple of old fallen tree trunks still wet from the rain. I had a plastic shopping bag which I cut in half and spread over the wet, we took off the packs and placed them on the gravel path and ate lunch. Cheese, baguette, and four squares of chocolate to help the spirits. <br />
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The afternoon was exhausting and never ending. The route took us over many pebbly paths with pebbles just the right size to make me have very sore feet. We finally arrived in Vers (pronounce the "s") at <a href="http://www.latruitedoree.fr/" target="_blank">La Truite Dorée</a>, where we had supper and breakfast included.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soupe de poissons maison et sa garniture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan is so tired, but the food is so good.</td></tr>
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Hours and hours of walking forces a person to think. I had been analyzing the daily patterns of difficult and joyful events. I noticed that a day's difficult event was accompanied by a joyful event. I was also noticing that the extent of the difficult event was matched by a joyful event of similar but opposite strength. Today the walk was long and exhausting. Supper was delicious joyfulness. <br />
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We got to order from the €27 menu. We had fish soup with croutons, rouille and grated cheese, then a steak with scalloped potatoes and ratatouille. For dessert, I had the tart with ice cream, and René had profiteroles. It was so good and we were stuffed. <br />
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The restaurant was very full for a Thursday night. We figured that most of the people must have driven from Cahors for the evening. We would not be in Cahors before another whole day of walking. <br />
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Also at dinner we received a nice surprise in the form of a note from Catherine, Christelle, and Phillippe. They were wishing us well and they signed the note "les rescapés" (the survivors).<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Vers, France44.486067 1.553376000000071144.395452 1.3920145000000712 44.576682 1.7147375000000711tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-9066090271736044252015-10-06T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:59.043+01:00Oct 23, Day 17: Vers to Cahors (18.2 km)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vpDJu4bOsN_b1VyMa8JOK4ydVCq_85T1fQonApLwdhIFeWeeK7E2nhxnuLkcNigJd-RANsDWK6v6upTrQ7RrkrrWqWY-UjX7FhQ4JpFJtyZrALIj79UtOsqVrU1AWAwn1wlGXD_KOH0J/s1600/DSC01094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vpDJu4bOsN_b1VyMa8JOK4ydVCq_85T1fQonApLwdhIFeWeeK7E2nhxnuLkcNigJd-RANsDWK6v6upTrQ7RrkrrWqWY-UjX7FhQ4JpFJtyZrALIj79UtOsqVrU1AWAwn1wlGXD_KOH0J/s640/DSC01094.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare non-selfie pic.</td></tr>
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The day began with an excellent buffet breakfast at La Truite Dorée. We had coffee with milk, excellent croissants and baguette, butter, apricot jam, ham, cheese, and apple compote. While we were checking out we noticed two pilgrims (or hikers) who seemed to be starting out as they were asking the receptionist for directions. They kindly offered to take our picture. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The morning fog on the river.</td></tr>
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We walked up and out of Vers, the usual routine to get out of town. I was still quite sore from the previous two long days, but I was optimistically looking forward to a shorter day and a day off in Cahors. My left hamstring was still very tight and the tightness extended down my leg to the knee. The rejuvenation I had felt from the hot bath taken in Rocamadour was long gone.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The descent into Cahors.</td></tr>
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We climbed over a double set of hills and began our descent into the suburbs of Cahors. As we were walking the last stretch, Catherine, Christelle and Philippe came down behind us. We showed them that there were two ways to get into Cahors, one along the river Lot, and the other up a hill to get the view of the city and then down into Cahors. We all chose the flat route.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lock in the Lot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu7jks4Gbrmz9i_t3qb3vCqnsahJevzo3cw3O4GbUbjxZmEp60u_4Ip_7miiEorcPJWJI94pkQxAdJojazYHcoGTSz4q9xvLAuyHMj6Z9tszuYFnzhLOhuk7VR939ftUW5bc-DMpbeEf5/s1600/DSC01107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu7jks4Gbrmz9i_t3qb3vCqnsahJevzo3cw3O4GbUbjxZmEp60u_4Ip_7miiEorcPJWJI94pkQxAdJojazYHcoGTSz4q9xvLAuyHMj6Z9tszuYFnzhLOhuk7VR939ftUW5bc-DMpbeEf5/s640/DSC01107.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forested area between farm and river.</td></tr>
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The walk along the River Lot was flat and very enjoyable. The river was on our right, and there were farmers fields along the left. There were people out walking dogs and cycling. We decided to break for lunch at a cement dock used by the boats passing through the lock. We ate a basic lunch of an apple, peanuts and squares of chocolate. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Cahors.</td></tr>
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We approached Cahors and crossed a bridge into the city. We found the tourist office and René inquired about a bus to shorten one of the sections we still had to do.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhausted.</td></tr>
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We checked into to the <a href="http://en.inter-hotel.com/hotel/midi-pyrenees/cahors/le-valentre" target="_blank">Inter-Hotel Le Valentré</a> and I immediately fell asleep even though we had walked only 19 km. My body can only take so much and then it shuts down.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pont Valentré.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm7R6VdyztcjMN7qK49V1ahQOqluKWU0pjN2ImshAEHKXJ_uOpAQU9Hoy0-ux27Vrgj1NSOz_-LZ-cbx2ikhAxL3SkwjUz8AlYs125HvPyeMba-DUVk7FhlywSLMswx9AlEJQTHECraEF/s1600/DSC01125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm7R6VdyztcjMN7qK49V1ahQOqluKWU0pjN2ImshAEHKXJ_uOpAQU9Hoy0-ux27Vrgj1NSOz_-LZ-cbx2ikhAxL3SkwjUz8AlYs125HvPyeMba-DUVk7FhlywSLMswx9AlEJQTHECraEF/s640/DSC01125.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René on the Pont Valentré.</td></tr>
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I felt much better after a rest so and we went back out with the goal of visiting the Pont Valentré. The weather was spectacular: warm with a perfectly blue sky. On the other side of the bridge we met Catherine, Christelle and Phillippe. They had reached the end of their current section and they would be leaving the next day. They had crossed the bridge to visit the beginning of the next stage of their pilgrimage. They would return in the summer and continue walking and were planning to eventually walk to Santiago. </div>
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We had a great spread of apéritif with beer, crackers and olives while relaxing in our room. We then went out and found a little crêperie and had one crêpe with ham and cheese, another with spinach, and treated ourselves to a dessert crepe with chocolate. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Cahors, France44.4475229 1.44198900000003544.2661804 1.1192655000000351 44.6288654 1.764712500000035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-20346412450661255562015-10-05T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.174+01:00Oct 24: Rest day in Cahors<div dir="ltr">
Our second rest day began with a sleep in!<br />
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Saturday means market and we walked to find a good sized market with the usual vegetable and fruit stands, boucher and fromagerie trucks, displays of breads, flowers, dried spices and fruit. This market was a little bigger so it also had a section for household items, mattresses, purses and clothes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5cYIxV0-Xpzcrg9GBQHCcg6RVC_yRWjBWeQ7SVgV1j9lNRyZYhoC5baX93lybDp0X3Cm_UQA91SFbGzFR5_6bY7yJKAkPgMlJZKIS6_fv6JglLBdSNkXqrpH-V1JTOtv5gekWOtse4WH/s1600/DSC01142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5cYIxV0-Xpzcrg9GBQHCcg6RVC_yRWjBWeQ7SVgV1j9lNRyZYhoC5baX93lybDp0X3Cm_UQA91SFbGzFR5_6bY7yJKAkPgMlJZKIS6_fv6JglLBdSNkXqrpH-V1JTOtv5gekWOtse4WH/s640/DSC01142.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To market, to market, to buy...</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaktBM4es649O3atdRvmpBsmiUH7_fy3Kf6PwcinpNJlpUd6PlOb4arjjEC-UfBR1jA0N8aKZ3kflIB6wgkzb-0HgZ4nSstEibu15TV7kpRkyRFolXjKXi3WbE2wNnQW761yAQZUPg4W3/s1600/DSC01143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaktBM4es649O3atdRvmpBsmiUH7_fy3Kf6PwcinpNJlpUd6PlOb4arjjEC-UfBR1jA0N8aKZ3kflIB6wgkzb-0HgZ4nSstEibu15TV7kpRkyRFolXjKXi3WbE2wNnQW761yAQZUPg4W3/s640/DSC01143.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We found the bar which served all of the market goers and market sellers and ordered two croissants and two cafés. It was full of locals, and every few moments one of the market sellers would come in and use the WC. We left soon after the two doors to the bar were opened to accommodate a woman with a walker. We seemed to be at her spot and we gladly relinquished it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Croissants at market bars are often the best.</td></tr>
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We made up our food plan for the following two days (food is often on our minds): picnic lunch, supper out, breakfast bar coffee, backpacking lunch and supper in the following night's gariotte (to carry in). We walked back to the bread market lady and were deciding on bread when we saw the three rescapés. We talked about where they had stayed, when each was taking the train home as yesterday had been their last day. Also about their anticipation and excitement about doing another étape in the summer, from Conques to St Jean Pied de Port.<br />
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We bought nut bread and a Jésuite (see pic below!) and off to the grocery to get the remaining items.<br />
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I was cold at this point and I wanted to go back to the hotel room and rest which we did. Carrot and couscous salad with an apple and cookies for lunch.<br />
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In the afternoon we went to the train station and the bank. Along the way we found a fun fair and spent a few moments watching the excited kids faces riding traditional rides.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TAr8_Clfr34Ks-0B4wILLc6ojgIWop10uWWji481ETYNsUHAHhKCqco4CLv4NHI_H2xFPTz918u8V16w6cATf3IANk0D9ZYDkYoWrMf-hk9qh30bpkhhJ4mTSosx3n_Hwc6psVMFPVRT/s1600/DSC01153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TAr8_Clfr34Ks-0B4wILLc6ojgIWop10uWWji481ETYNsUHAHhKCqco4CLv4NHI_H2xFPTz918u8V16w6cATf3IANk0D9ZYDkYoWrMf-hk9qh30bpkhhJ4mTSosx3n_Hwc6psVMFPVRT/s320/DSC01153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You spin me right round..."</td></tr>
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We walked back into the old town. We went looking for one of the restaurant possibilities. On the way we got a glimpse of the look-out over Cahors, Mont St Cyr. I decided that my leg was ok and suggested that we climb it (what else does one do on a break from walking ?). We made it to the top but it was really straight up and straight down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3-SGDFNA34quAHiWGThnmgRIkb2MOoeVs_MOe9RBp2nsAo5clHM-WYyl8fgZt3J-q04Cfm2RA0S_1045krSfImpUAdnaVSs2nfIxHK_hltLG40VHu5KohMr4uE75GZtSJgD0XwtNJaYC/s1600/DSC01178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3-SGDFNA34quAHiWGThnmgRIkb2MOoeVs_MOe9RBp2nsAo5clHM-WYyl8fgZt3J-q04Cfm2RA0S_1045krSfImpUAdnaVSs2nfIxHK_hltLG40VHu5KohMr4uE75GZtSJgD0XwtNJaYC/s640/DSC01178.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cahors surrounded by the Lot</td></tr>
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Walk back to the room for apéro: wine, crackers and olives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1waJr4bIetVJ5czBWGzoMhO6v8SffNO3VIcTn6j4RvBc_zQShOuwymz9ovFhFNDB4FdY8825MB8LBPDftrkZFSkI0w_m_NMa49Xsl4EoYIW2doCGqz5wtEXAlMD79k2fBpb3AdrLXrXd/s1600/DSC01185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1waJr4bIetVJ5czBWGzoMhO6v8SffNO3VIcTn6j4RvBc_zQShOuwymz9ovFhFNDB4FdY8825MB8LBPDftrkZFSkI0w_m_NMa49Xsl4EoYIW2doCGqz5wtEXAlMD79k2fBpb3AdrLXrXd/s400/DSC01185.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cahors wine...what else ?</td></tr>
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Supper was two pizzas at Le Lampero which was full of atmosphere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZTT0EwiQ7suE93lWSVpsFvjtPqwmPzCieiBJtf2H9odyL183i5v8e7rSp4H3gGYYPWebJ1kVXjMKm7I_xyC0UG7C2aRuWq9g3JM2MGGg_43ES87K2gyzTuMS_EWaVRmcwf7XHADSxEZE/s1600/DSC01188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZTT0EwiQ7suE93lWSVpsFvjtPqwmPzCieiBJtf2H9odyL183i5v8e7rSp4H3gGYYPWebJ1kVXjMKm7I_xyC0UG7C2aRuWq9g3JM2MGGg_43ES87K2gyzTuMS_EWaVRmcwf7XHADSxEZE/s400/DSC01188.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dinner <i>sans</i> wine..actually!</td></tr>
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Back to the room to finish the wine, eat the Jésuite, watch TV, blog and read magazines.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM2nd2FqKrxMxCCvF0VAn2SohdCJTQRk3JlwNTdc4kINEv9tratSexQWOgW1eBAFFZcCSYqUgZa7ucPduE5isd4hQYueUterqc3AMxxRsR9nVv0zYMEUmzCEogKyI6QZfR2TDcjES6Apf/s1600/DSC01190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM2nd2FqKrxMxCCvF0VAn2SohdCJTQRk3JlwNTdc4kINEv9tratSexQWOgW1eBAFFZcCSYqUgZa7ucPduE5isd4hQYueUterqc3AMxxRsR9nVv0zYMEUmzCEogKyI6QZfR2TDcjES6Apf/s400/DSC01190.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jésuite</td></tr>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Cahors, France44.4475229 1.44198900000003544.2661804 1.1192655000000351 44.6288654 1.764712500000035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-83913186105545848952015-10-04T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.187+01:00Oct 25, Day 18: Cahors to Lalbenque (18.2 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First part of breakfast.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69WtUn8EeV1vZXJki5NPlNus8jI4UmcvEe-MP5K6eZH32iuIym3z-DXNxKSkWCye08x1duZ3O7ISepe-6YJC030nhjU6sqK4c9OY2ferJiVPaB6PRukMrlxxmyh56hyphenhyphend0YQfBnkUU8PkV/s1600/DSC01192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69WtUn8EeV1vZXJki5NPlNus8jI4UmcvEe-MP5K6eZH32iuIym3z-DXNxKSkWCye08x1duZ3O7ISepe-6YJC030nhjU6sqK4c9OY2ferJiVPaB6PRukMrlxxmyh56hyphenhyphend0YQfBnkUU8PkV/s640/DSC01192.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the bridge.</td></tr>
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We were rested and ready to begin the last section of our walk. We had talked about shortening or skipping some of the last days because of the pain I still had in my left leg. We had decided to take one day at a time, but to be open and prepared to use a bus or train. We bought croissants and pain au raisins at a boulangerie and sat outside and had coffee at a bar. We also bought vanilla yogurt which we ate at a bench on the bridge on the way out of Cahors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcsr8yT7XN3Ux_YZY8mK5fNhBvrlnWD-8neSMF1TP2kh7x_zyKfvnScxqw2_8ETgZLVTScMvWRWdzQ_8jAMhVe86hsEydU7c2BrDEIeWNEtEnekAv4vg_t_TXpaLK0A4JwM_VGUaAXp7V/s1600/DSC01194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcsr8yT7XN3Ux_YZY8mK5fNhBvrlnWD-8neSMF1TP2kh7x_zyKfvnScxqw2_8ETgZLVTScMvWRWdzQ_8jAMhVe86hsEydU7c2BrDEIeWNEtEnekAv4vg_t_TXpaLK0A4JwM_VGUaAXp7V/s640/DSC01194.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the sweat stain on René's hat.</td></tr>
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The walk out of town was straight uphill as usual, with very similar views to yesterday's. The morning was warm and we were soon down to t-shirts and shorts. My leg was stiff and sore on the steep uphill part of the walk but we walked slowly and carefully. We were surprised to see a pilgrim walking towards us and we remembered that we were walking the "wrong" way on the GR65 out of Cahors. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xiHqB32uDWgAJW6iiKrbsVHs8KzMItuFzZpk378qbVxGUuvRnkxbkLTF7ZQZdzcU3KF-C3-aZImbfJ3xP66SuE6YveLJslxD61FTruEFtMD2PwKdUOwM6iTZ1xadNkFZM6omrXLC-2_O/s1600/DSC01207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xiHqB32uDWgAJW6iiKrbsVHs8KzMItuFzZpk378qbVxGUuvRnkxbkLTF7ZQZdzcU3KF-C3-aZImbfJ3xP66SuE6YveLJslxD61FTruEFtMD2PwKdUOwM6iTZ1xadNkFZM6omrXLC-2_O/s640/DSC01207.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hunters in the distance, worry on Susan's face.</td></tr>
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Soon we saw a second pilgrim walking towards us almost at the same moment we heard a loud commotion of dogs barking. We asked if he thought we should be worried about the dogs and the hunters. He said that they were hunting wild boar. We talked for a while about his pilgrimage, the delay he had while waiting for new glasses to be sent to replace a broken pair, the comfortable slow pace he was walking, and his hope to make it to Santiago. <br />
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We walked on and came to members of the hunting party who reassured us that it was safe for us to walk on the trail. The dogs ended up being very far from us, or locked up in the back of trucks, and we had no interaction with them. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh_FR6Q8apWt2GalaiBWroWtnXlMjY3XldiK1mNeWKemX-jq7Zj1yWdzhU0EZod4isSgJ94lYAqmiDyYFGAyD3pwCo4vk52crLdqu42ttG7GYDSHhI17qNeL2UgHAZrMVpYDvl5QVQiqi/s1600/DSC01209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh_FR6Q8apWt2GalaiBWroWtnXlMjY3XldiK1mNeWKemX-jq7Zj1yWdzhU0EZod4isSgJ94lYAqmiDyYFGAyD3pwCo4vk52crLdqu42ttG7GYDSHhI17qNeL2UgHAZrMVpYDvl5QVQiqi/s640/DSC01209.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back on the Chemin de Saint Jacques.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76jZZxBsJmfhqpsYBhaQwMNQhTDycsfo7FR5cglgw8REFQcWUcikT3nZJwoyEpVsf8JH9GlgkAuRhRhiohudbpEjpnK-7pAuEw65qpgj_ItiF12GT1606z9LPSpbhyphenhyphen5vOORxRAFiGKv19/s1600/DSC01211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76jZZxBsJmfhqpsYBhaQwMNQhTDycsfo7FR5cglgw8REFQcWUcikT3nZJwoyEpVsf8JH9GlgkAuRhRhiohudbpEjpnK-7pAuEw65qpgj_ItiF12GT1606z9LPSpbhyphenhyphen5vOORxRAFiGKv19/s640/DSC01211.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic tables!</td></tr>
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We ended up seeing six more pilgrims for a total of eight. We saw them only because we were walking against the usual flow of traffic on the GR65. We were also no longer on the Rocamadour variant and we were now back on the more popular Chemin de Saint Jacques route. As we had come to realize there were more services of every kind on this route, including picnic tables and a sign left for pilgrims directing them to the potable water. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gariotte.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the gariotte.</td></tr>
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We had directions to cut off the GR65 to get to our accommodation for the night. After a few phone calls to the absent owner, he drove up and explained that he was trying to solve the mystery of a vandalized gariotte. A gariotte is a stone structure, used for storage or shelter, with rounded walls and a cone shaped roof. He is the president of the local gariotte association and their mission is to restore and maintain these primitive structures. This man loves gariottes so much that he built three on his property, and we would be staying in one for the night.<br />
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His had been built in the late 1980's. The outside looked very classically like a gariotte but the inside felt very dated. Once we got settled and turned on the heat we prepared a simple supper of soup, baguette, tinned fish, hot chocolate and cookies. We spent the evening reading magazines and books on the tablets and we slept early.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Lalbenque, France44.337945 1.546262000000069744.247085999999996 1.3849005000000698 44.428804 1.7076235000000697tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-78534917890185855752015-10-03T20:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T01:56:40.185+01:00Oct 26, Day 19: Lalbenque to Bach (15.6 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan's favourite selfie.</td></tr>
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We spent a leisurely morning resting and packing. We knew that we did not have far to walk today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to Lalbenque.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many croissants did we eat on this trip?</td></tr>
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We said good-bye to the gariotte and walked into Lalbenque. The town is the black truffle capital of France and there was an upscale feel to the place. We stopped at the Carrefour grocery store just outside of town to get some lunch supplies, and then coffee, croissants and pain au chocolate in town. We were surprised to find the tourist office open, but it was probably due to the truffle market beginning in December. At the tourist office we checked our instructions for the path back to the GR65 as we had taken a detour to spend the night in the gariotte.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan and her purple backpack.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René and his blue backpack.</td></tr>
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The walk was very pleasant and flat with farmers fields and lovely pastoral views. We crossed three pilgrims because we were still walking opposite to the customary direction for the GR65.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuNkH6I6Hpxgn1tpkDpxVS1hHAf51E3gmQ8K9OGto3lXeetKLF_3Xn8MLNjY7V0fyrrmJr4D99NUQujR6_YAeZLZxOxaOeIYJDyiH28W9dK10Nm3t5WKI05ErtQXpG5mxyNyQfhwe74X0/s1600/DSC01244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuNkH6I6Hpxgn1tpkDpxVS1hHAf51E3gmQ8K9OGto3lXeetKLF_3Xn8MLNjY7V0fyrrmJr4D99NUQujR6_YAeZLZxOxaOeIYJDyiH28W9dK10Nm3t5WKI05ErtQXpG5mxyNyQfhwe74X0/s640/DSC01244.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic lunch spot.</td></tr>
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Lunch was an excellent baguette from the boulangerie in Lalbenque, Cantal cheese and an apple. We took advantage of a picnic spot on an ancient farm wall and enjoyed the break and the delicious food. We had only about 16 km today, but my leg was still bothering me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René with a signpost of pilgrimage distances.</td></tr>
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We ended up in Bach at a very cute chambres d'hôtes, <a href="http://gitecompostellebach.weebly.com/" target="_blank">La Grange Saint Jacques</a>. The owner, Mike, is English, and he had walked the whole way from Le Puy to Santiago a few years ago. He married a French woman and now they run a gîte and bed and breakfast for passing pilgrims.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who do we look so tanned?</td></tr>
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We spent a pleasant afternoon resting, washing and reading. We also walked into the tiny town of Bach and visited the local church. <br />
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Supper was at 19h00 and we were expecting another pilgrim who had called ahead for a last minute reservation. Andrew, also English, arrived just as it was getting dark. He described the forest he had just walked through as spooky and he was happy to have arrived safely. Supper was vegetable soup, roast chicken, stuffing, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and an apple crumble, all made by madame. The conversation was in English. We heard about Mike`s experience walking the Compostelle in one shot from Le Puy to Santiago, and Andrew`s experience, which was walking in sections when his job would allow. We talked about backpack weight, supplies, and reasons for walking. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Bach44.337945 1.546262000000069744.247085999999996 1.3849005000000698 44.428804 1.7076235000000697tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-47045325078417603782015-10-02T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:57:08.434+01:00Oct 27, Day 20: Bach to Limogne-en-Quercy (14.7 km) km and bus to Villefranche-de-Rouergue<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">René did not bring a beard trimmer.</td></tr>
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We had a leisurely breakfast again today as we did not have much to walk. We had decided to cut the day short due to my sore leg and we were going to take a bus part of the way today. Breakfast was coffee, spice cake, baguette, butter, homemade jam, juice and yogurt. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The spooky forest.</td></tr>
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We set out to pass through the forest which Andrew had walked yesterday. We noticed that the bare branches, leaf covered trail, and darkly shadowed forest did lend a spooky feeling to the forest. Or maybe it was because we were a few days from Halloween. Either way we were glad not to be walking at twilight...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_etF-N80o76hAIAHiJ1SN7RCiKT0bIeUzuB0JCH-Hg3o3-5fnp_drfFCltDC2rKSN0e5co8RSpOAQ9RHVHnSubgEiRF9vrjVwF7lP5xS_yj_eMt5FkfCwo2H4I9dxZBzOaRCEL6BZx5d/s1600/DSC01261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_etF-N80o76hAIAHiJ1SN7RCiKT0bIeUzuB0JCH-Hg3o3-5fnp_drfFCltDC2rKSN0e5co8RSpOAQ9RHVHnSubgEiRF9vrjVwF7lP5xS_yj_eMt5FkfCwo2H4I9dxZBzOaRCEL6BZx5d/s640/DSC01261.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already resting?</td></tr>
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We walked by fields of cereal crops and pastures for cows. The elevation was mostly flat. We walked into the tiny hamlet of Varaire and had a second breakfast of viennoiseries. We also bought a baguette for lunch. We saw another pilgrim buying some lunch supplies and we were still surprised to see her after having seen so few people walking on the Rocamadour variant route.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIOHoq-NnrZzSZEcvo-QfaZ4Zu_dyAX2DNJ6kkBONv4pu9IWeH_LO43-tXF9mpuRdwJ-hrXECn13Nw9282hU4ytlLT8v_bH6ZMFyj2oPr2dSYLgFzeYP7yyQqGEEZSdng7YfVWSy0hO-e/s1600/DSC01267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIOHoq-NnrZzSZEcvo-QfaZ4Zu_dyAX2DNJ6kkBONv4pu9IWeH_LO43-tXF9mpuRdwJ-hrXECn13Nw9282hU4ytlLT8v_bH6ZMFyj2oPr2dSYLgFzeYP7yyQqGEEZSdng7YfVWSy0hO-e/s640/DSC01267.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road into Limogne-en-Quercy</td></tr>
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We walked into Limogne-en-Quercy just after 13h00. There was a local bus passing through town at 18h55 and we planned on taking it to Villefranche-de-Rouergue where we had accommodation for the night. The original plan was to walk many more kilometers today and the next day, to eventually walk to Villefranche, but we were playing it safe, and hopefully smart, by not walking and resting my leg. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4cBPG-XoUeLStI5SN9iVI19hIFa6Ft_FfFvleCdmyxHXRNR7pSapJU6FeofWoKEDwGkLa8ERybXFF_iEMO5TzNm-bWdBolrXKZj6hPK5KRzyM6BcoDdspDrfijtQ37YuS-Pa3XjwmhE1/s1600/DSC01268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4cBPG-XoUeLStI5SN9iVI19hIFa6Ft_FfFvleCdmyxHXRNR7pSapJU6FeofWoKEDwGkLa8ERybXFF_iEMO5TzNm-bWdBolrXKZj6hPK5KRzyM6BcoDdspDrfijtQ37YuS-Pa3XjwmhE1/s640/DSC01268.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the bench. For six hours.</td></tr>
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So we had about six hours to wait in a tiny town. We were going to spend some time at the little local museum located above the tourist office, but exceptionally it was closed for the day. We did a tour of the town and walked up the church and used the WC near the community centre. We stopped just outside the tourist office at a bench and had our lunch of baguette, the rest of the Cantal cheese and an apple. And then we waited. We did not do much more than read, talk, and visit the few small shops open after lunch, but the time passed quickly, and my leg was better for not having walked, and before we knew it, we had to stand up and wave down the bus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be on the bus.</td></tr>
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We were worried about not being able to see the bus in the dark, but we had no trouble recognizing the unique headlights. To signal your intent to board a bus in France you wave at the driver, and given that we had waited six hours for this bus, we waved wildly. The bus had an eerie blue night-light and after sitting on a bench for six hours, boarding a blue lit bus was like a dream.<br />
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Thirty minutes later we arrived at the bus station in Villefranche-de-Rouergue and found our lovely bed and breakfast <a href="http://www.maisonpago.fr/" target="_blank">Les Terrasses de la Maison Pago</a>. Pierre welcomed us, gave us a quick tour and some restaurant suggestions. The house had been a cannery for dehydrated local mushrooms and sold to many countries including the USA. Now the upper floors were the owner's residence and the lower rooms were for the bed and breakfast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLXf47Xt3gzacQU3GtLUQS6AqwsTbP1toFgzW_AkSgG5AU5cyVf1LojOXMSrIu93dxSfJEBb6v6D6l5dzIw-0veToFCxA_Q5IN6Tv1T_O62U4kpQy0ZLSeNIN2zK90GqkHO2gm2SAfRyZ/s1600/DSC01273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLXf47Xt3gzacQU3GtLUQS6AqwsTbP1toFgzW_AkSgG5AU5cyVf1LojOXMSrIu93dxSfJEBb6v6D6l5dzIw-0veToFCxA_Q5IN6Tv1T_O62U4kpQy0ZLSeNIN2zK90GqkHO2gm2SAfRyZ/s640/DSC01273.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So delicious!</td></tr>
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We choose the recommended pizzeria and had pizza, lasagne, a carafe of wine and chocolate, vanilla, praliné, and caramel ice cream. It was so good that we decided to come back the next night. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu5sdU4LduQb8VgqfkHrECp4ySORZ47YdbMSuUwSV2V40z3WQ_z8_75U8pAl4ZPGXcWotjItkqsBqGtC5n-nWchatMFkO96VrSw2mIR-B_VmeWBLtlGWZmOy4Ou9TIeAgMqCC7lrvgTT5/s1600/DSC01279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu5sdU4LduQb8VgqfkHrECp4ySORZ47YdbMSuUwSV2V40z3WQ_z8_75U8pAl4ZPGXcWotjItkqsBqGtC5n-nWchatMFkO96VrSw2mIR-B_VmeWBLtlGWZmOy4Ou9TIeAgMqCC7lrvgTT5/s640/DSC01279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated clock in main square.</td></tr>
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The main square was empty and we wandered around. The square would be the location of the Thursday market, one of the oldest in France. It also had an illuminated clock built into the stones with a series of white and yellow lights which indicated hours and minutes.<br />
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I took advantage of the bath in our room when we returned. The hot water relaxed my left hamstring and butt and I was able to stretch.<br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France44.349746 2.035381000000029444.258905000000006 1.8740195000000295 44.440587 2.1967425000000294tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-85879428381387632082015-10-02T16:00:00.000+02:002016-01-08T04:31:55.294+01:00Oct 28 : Rest day in Villefranche<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our third and final rest day, though this rest followed a few days with fewer kilometres trampled underfoot.<br />
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We took advantage of our leisurely morning with breakfast in the cute common area at Les Terrasses du Maison Pago: baguette, cake, butter, jam, coffee, juice and fruit salad accompanied by stories from our affable host Pierre.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A healthy start to the day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">We like city views; we walked up the Côte du Calvaire for a great view of the city.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX4vGER4VI7b203JFiKWbs1r2iVEAc8pPLv28mIY3rZGFfkqRa1T8eVv_9GqBusRhpB81lStSrLFDzT1bnxglD0P6-RuLCSBK7WjSjXl1D_JBbJi2bmh0zt6gu2TjafyODEBZjNoPNUbk/s1600/DSC01303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX4vGER4VI7b203JFiKWbs1r2iVEAc8pPLv28mIY3rZGFfkqRa1T8eVv_9GqBusRhpB81lStSrLFDzT1bnxglD0P6-RuLCSBK7WjSjXl1D_JBbJi2bmh0zt6gu2TjafyODEBZjNoPNUbk/s640/DSC01303.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Villefranche-de-Rouergue, bastide town founded in 1252</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back in town on the Averyron</td></tr>
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The afternoon was spent napping, reading, and resting.We went back La Gabelle for supper: pizza, lasagna, green salad, wine, and 4 more scoops of ice cream.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete with kitschy umbrellas</td></tr>
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We finished off the evening with a walk around the quiet but cute town.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The massive Collègiale and its clock-fountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening on l'Averyron</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet Villefranche</td></tr>
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1464775046277849944.post-57206383643192322442015-10-01T20:00:00.001+02:002016-01-08T01:57:15.690+01:00Oct 29, Day 21: Villefranche-de-Rouergue to Najac (25.2 km)<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the market in Villefranche-de-Rouergue.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2E3EarY4AflYkhzFHDSs7iNg1OD6TuvYiMPHLDxbu0qb5MoDIrokLEzdMSwKpMD6iqZoGUSBCQ4UgYvoJOy40ixTIjvqSlLx58D6Q7JV03EELDzoAw6e8R0MNfC9KkW5pIpyiwZ6YPKh/s1600/DSC01346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2E3EarY4AflYkhzFHDSs7iNg1OD6TuvYiMPHLDxbu0qb5MoDIrokLEzdMSwKpMD6iqZoGUSBCQ4UgYvoJOy40ixTIjvqSlLx58D6Q7JV03EELDzoAw6e8R0MNfC9KkW5pIpyiwZ6YPKh/s640/DSC01346.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main market square.</td></tr>
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We knew today would be our last long walking day. Tomorrow we would be shortening the day again, this time by train. We went out to the market early hoping to purchase some lunch supplies. The Thursday morning market in Villefranche is well known with locals and tourists and during the summer it is packed. Late October, at 7h30, the vendors were still setting up and so we took our time visiting and taking some pictures. The temperature was chilly and I was cold even with long underwear under my pants.<br />
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We bought a baguette and some Cantal cheese and walked back to the Maison Pago. We had a delicious breakfast and a warm good-bye from Pierre. We were sad to leave the lovely house, but excited to be starting our last long day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFMVIwiTmskf2r94rJ9PQ32fCC1tWjRIluBD9whNNIQFx1en66xLPtS4vpLCwBR8lM8JGkrDduD1BT98ZVylG-yR5qxKoNCALiiSKOjb7VCqMvXuhuVWBtkQNKmUHEf80Tk2ZjEP_qIAz/s1600/DSC01347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFMVIwiTmskf2r94rJ9PQ32fCC1tWjRIluBD9whNNIQFx1en66xLPtS4vpLCwBR8lM8JGkrDduD1BT98ZVylG-yR5qxKoNCALiiSKOjb7VCqMvXuhuVWBtkQNKmUHEf80Tk2ZjEP_qIAz/s640/DSC01347.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for the GR36 out of Villefranche.</td></tr>
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It took us a while to find the GR36 and our way out of the city. Our goal for the morning was the little town of Monteuils where we would stop for lunch. The trail out of Villefranche was quite steep, followed by more steepness to get to our lunch stop. The day was warm and sunny even though the morning was cold, and because of the hills we were soon down to our shorts and t-shirts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiaKlwAHkCWlX1o9Pcm1XnzAqAu63tg7NrRbVvgoXvBzhh8Ik2HGHzzkEoexokN3LywmcBW8BBCacJByXdXnsdDTnvVGCKn8wyOJA_qdtUp4J4AROVGt7mRpCqPzAEtTIwf_YaLhE7JgF/s1600/DSC01356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiaKlwAHkCWlX1o9Pcm1XnzAqAu63tg7NrRbVvgoXvBzhh8Ik2HGHzzkEoexokN3LywmcBW8BBCacJByXdXnsdDTnvVGCKn8wyOJA_qdtUp4J4AROVGt7mRpCqPzAEtTIwf_YaLhE7JgF/s640/DSC01356.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best kind of picnic: at a table!</td></tr>
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We had a lunch break at a picnic table in Monteils. Baguette, cheese, some pastries, grape tomatoes and cookies made a filling and delicious lunch. <br />
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To get out of Monteils we walked for about a kilometre straight up. We were glad to have eaten as we needed the energy to manage the hill. Towards the top of the hill we got a scare when we heard a loud snort from the bushes. We jumped and quickly retraced our steps. Both of us are spooked by wild things in the forest even though we both rationally know that the wild thing is much more scared of us. We finally made it past the spot and once at a safe distance we wondered what kind of animal it could have been. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well described surrounding views.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The valley's stream.</td></tr>
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We now had great views of the surrounding valleys. We were soon walking into another valley down to the stream, then up over the railway tracks and back down to the stream.<br />
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Finally we had a view of Najac and we could see that we still had a while to go.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvMQHz0ZUYopG_ECzj9wqYI-gzY0bWWXPxdh_Lmjo9Vz7n2Gslsjhzg4UHs44oj5qQKSr1K0vedws0HVChS2h3p4DssgYCdhKoR2p-VeV47LGfUZcuSrWtOuA5JHih13Nl5LtDF3Y4Wa5/s1600/DSC01377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvMQHz0ZUYopG_ECzj9wqYI-gzY0bWWXPxdh_Lmjo9Vz7n2Gslsjhzg4UHs44oj5qQKSr1K0vedws0HVChS2h3p4DssgYCdhKoR2p-VeV47LGfUZcuSrWtOuA5JHih13Nl5LtDF3Y4Wa5/s640/DSC01377.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Struggling up the last hill.</td></tr>
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We crossed the stream again and walked by the adjacent camp ground. I was discouraged by the steepness of the last hill up to Najac, but I knew we had almost reached our destination. The joy of the day after the exhaustion of the hike was to see the pretty town of Najac. The houses and buildings seem to be balanced on the ridge of the valley with the castle of Najac set at the end of the ridge.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdM78iwad2RGkz2rW7qyYhzkokKTW-koCb1UAeIvkVd0rZdWcBPAYtd8cgoWH2U6XJ06eNkLZvg7e_ZGfY29IaLwf61NGUnrRLnUFfKlBTPVJqYWs92bywY5aI0amvRr8McaIIdhU7gfnA/s1600/DSC01382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdM78iwad2RGkz2rW7qyYhzkokKTW-koCb1UAeIvkVd0rZdWcBPAYtd8cgoWH2U6XJ06eNkLZvg7e_ZGfY29IaLwf61NGUnrRLnUFfKlBTPVJqYWs92bywY5aI0amvRr8McaIIdhU7gfnA/s640/DSC01382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the castle from our balcony.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt70pV2gLVH-5W6mHOH29N9AEiE5in3coWmvx4y63oZRe1dfcKVWLx-EpfYzKLywzrjXRPN1n4WwuuLJ6tuc5PPFGOC9aEPvL0m5HSOzHiOT8j8eMQnbZrsuavYAGhuAx4jVatELl1yhv/s1600/DSC01383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt70pV2gLVH-5W6mHOH29N9AEiE5in3coWmvx4y63oZRe1dfcKVWLx-EpfYzKLywzrjXRPN1n4WwuuLJ6tuc5PPFGOC9aEPvL0m5HSOzHiOT8j8eMQnbZrsuavYAGhuAx4jVatELl1yhv/s640/DSC01383.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from our balcony.</td></tr>
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Our room at the <a href="http://www.oustaldelbarry.com/en/" target="_blank">L'Oustal del Barry</a> was a treat because it had a bathtub for my sore leg and a balcony with sweeping views of the castle and the surrounding valleys. <br />
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We decided against the fancy hotel restaurant given our hiking clothes and walked to the local pizzeria. Two pizzas and green salad with wine gave me enough energy to crawl back to the room, take a bath and go to bed early. <br />
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Midpoint Perspectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930633377296893865noreply@blogger.com0Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France44.349746 2.035381000000029444.258905000000006 1.8740195000000295 44.440587 2.1967425000000294