Back on the trail again

Saturday May 7th.

Up, breakfasted and off on our way by 9.00 feeling a little apprehensive about this steep climb from the bridge. It's described as the 'passage sportif' and you are strongly warned against it. We though, were not going to be put off and didn't remember it being that bad.

We walked through the town with purpose and remembered our route from the last time and then there was the bridge and a couple of walkers ahead. We wanted to have a photo taken to mark the event and were trying to decide who to ask when a couple of women stopped us and started to chat. One had done the Camino de Santiago from Le Puy a couple of times before and she said she would do it again. She was showing the bridge to her friend and no doubt telling stories of her trips. She was very interested to know about us, where we came from, where we'd started, how far we were going etc so it was so apt that she took our photo. She told us we'd made her day.

 Across the bridge and here were our signs, only 1km to the Crois de Magne... but all uphill.

Teresa steps out in style

 Wonderful views of the bridge as we look back as we climb up.

Steps and uneven ground but not that bad.

Our climb was nowhere near as bad as we imagined and soon we were up on flatter ground and speculating where this cross was and if it was the one we'd spotted the night before. Yes it was. We came off the track onto a minor road and turning left headed to the cross

What views!

Our hotel on the right of the photo.

It was fabulous to be up here and looking out over this wonderful scene spotting all the places we'd been and now it was time to throw on the rucksacks again and on to the next place.

We were on minor roads for a while now, firstly to get us up and under the N20 which wasn't our favourite places to walk.

I was delighted to capture Teresa in a stretch pose, she always illustrates what I need! Important though not to forget to stretch out those muscles especially after a stop - we'd to have that yet.

However, this wasn't too far away as soon we could see a path that took us off the road and then where we joined it again we came across a wonderful refuge at Domaine de Mattieux.

Lovely statue of Saint Jacques at the Domaine

Reassurance that we've come 350km, although a long way still to go!

This refuge looked as if it was relatively new and had a pool, a topographical chart which Teresa and a french guy are looking at. It looked at the route and the highs and lows in terms of climbs and descents but the scale was interesting causing us concern for the steepness of the ups!!

We wandered round to the front where we met the lady who ran it. She was delighted to get us some coffee and brought Easter eggs too, what a treat. She also took our photo for us.

Love this metal sculpture which is on the Camino. Will see it soon, I hope.

Refreshed and water bottles filled, our rote took us down by the path by this beautiful cross.

Half way down I managed the first fall of the trip. It was steep and stony and I set my foot on a loose stone which just went from underneath me. No damage done except for a scratch and a potential bruise so we got the first aid kit out and applied the arnica cream, well why carry this stuff if it's never used.

Saw a beautiful purply blue butterfly which was small but managed to flutter around continuously adding wonderful colour. I found out later that's called an Argus Blue and for me it became a really positive symbol of wonderful walking days ahead.

 At Labastide, we filled the water bottles up again at the fountain behind the church, this was the second or third time today. At the end of the village by the Mairie we found a little shop, cafe and toilets, all facilities needed by walkers.

We kept on walking and started to look out for a place to stop and have lunch and finally did so at Trigodina at a farm where a couple of picnic tables had been placed in a shady and sheltered spot. There was also a place to get drinks.

The wonderful food bought this morning was unwrapped and then fruit, nuts etc were added, as usual, a feast and we were then joined by this gorgeous labrador pub who , when he realised there was nothing for him to eat, settled down at our feet to demolish this plastic basket.


Although very warm, the sky was somewhat overcast and from time to time we'd feel the odd drop of rain and although cooling, it never really came to anything. After we left our lunch spot it became windier too, it was a bit of a strange day weatherwise!

At times during the walk our senses were overwhelmed with this wonderful scent and it took us a while to work out that it was the broom. As a child we had Broom in our garden but it never smelt like this.

Chapelle of Saint Jean le Froid

We stopped at the chapel and then marched on knowing that we still had about 8 km (5 miles) to go. Thankfully near here we were able to come off road and take a track that would walk us along the ridge.

The rain had started by now and we were enjoying being cooled but on the ridge, also exposed to the wind, the combination was rather cold so we gave in and put on light fleeces, waterproofs would have been just too sticky.

A little more road and then, back on a track, the longest and one of the steepest kms of my life but at last we came down into Montcuq where we'd say the night. It had been a long day of about 20 miles.

It was a pretty town and as many that we would visit this time, a hilltop town dominated by a 12th century keep. Quite soon we saw the sign for our hotel so we followed spotting potential locations but then t took us out the other side and we had just about taken our ruckcasks off at the Rocking Horse Bar for that beer when we realised that the next building was not the hotel and the sign pointed down the hill.

Two rather disillusioned bunnies continued and ended up what seemed like 2 kms on the other side of Montcuq and just before the town limit sign. We were exhausted and yes, you've guessed it, or rooms were on the 2nd floor and there was no lift. Also it was 7.00 and dinner was in 30 mins.

Thankfully when I got into the shower, I took the shower head down before running the water but it took about 10 minutes before I got any warm water, I had been about to give up. We were the only guests and dinner seemed as if most of it was out of a tin or packet which is so unusual in France, the vanilla creme brulee was to die for though, the best I've ever tasted.

Weary muscles which didn't get much of a stretch just about got me up to bed and I slept well even though it was chill and Teresa buried herself under spare blankets and additional covers. Tomorrow is another day.

The blip before the start.

Teresa is off in the Peak District doing a sponsored walk but is not well so is walking the shorter as opposed to longer route, I know she'll be disappointed.

I went over on my foot yesterday and am keeping my fingers crossed that the discomfort doesn't develop further. I have a 7/8 mile walk tomorrow to try it out on.

We're off on Thursday and I've just been familiarising myself with the section we're about to walk - Cahors to Lectoure, I got a little shock to realise that the first day is 19.4 miles, that will be an early start. It then continues with day two being 16, then a short day of just under 9 miles when we get to Moissac which is always lovely as we have time to explore. Then it's 12 and finally 20!!

Can honestly say that we've not done the training for this one so fingers crossed that we will cope. We can do it and the cameraderie and scenery will see us through as well as the stretching after!!

Will take loads of fantastic photos ad look forward to sharing our stories.

Look out Camino, here we come.

The next section is now booked, how exciting is that? Teresa and I head out (from Gatwick this time) to fly to Toulouse on May 5th to walk the next part of this fabulous trail.

Our trip sees us start with an overnight in Toulouse and much of the next day there too due to plane and train times but this gives us a chance to relax and explore a new city for both of us. No doubt wine, food and coffee will play it's part as we wander the streets of this Southern French city. Then in the late afternoon of the 6th we catch the train to Cahors.

This is one of Cahors iconic sights, the amazing Valentre Bridge spans the Lot River and was built in the 1300's. It is considered an exceptional example of medieval defense architecture.

As we walked down into Cahors at the end of the last walk we could see it clearly from some distance away and it was, in fact, the only thing I knew about Cahors at that time.

It is one of the most photographed sites in France and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.



The foundations of the Pont Valentre bridge were laid in 1308, but it was not completed until 1378 and legend has it that the bridge took so long to build that the architect got frustrated and sought the devil's help in completing it, promising his soul in return.

When the bridge was nearing completion the architect had second thoughts and bet the devil that he could not bring water for the last batch of mortar in a container of the architect’s choice. The devil accepted the challenge but the architect chose a sieve so the devil lost the bet. The devil was so annoyed that once the bridge was completed he broke off one of the stones from the central tower every night forcing the townspeople to constantly repair it. That's a way of getting your own back!!

When restoration work was carried out the architect (Paul Gout) heard of the legend and replaced the missing stone with a sculpture of the devil which is still visible today.

After checking into our hotel and having that cooling beer, we headed off to have a look at it and discovered that our walk in May will take us across the bridge and up a steep climb just after we come off it on the other side.

The sight to our right will be what we'll see as we look back from the other side of the bridge. A few worth savouring as we make sure we are composed for the climb up. Somehow on this walk, we always start off climbing out of a valley, guess it's because most settlements are down there. I'm sure regular stops on the climb up will be needed so we ensure we get a great view of this wonderful bridge at all stages..... Well, at least that's my excuse.


On the left, a beautiful scallop shell crafted into the stone to indicate the Via Podiensis which is the route travelled by pilgrims starting in or passing through Le Puy-en-Velay which is where we started in Sept 2008.

It's also the GR65, the first French route to be created, and is currently by far the most used.

Walking trails like this does give you a taste for doing even more of them. The GR20 has always appealed, that's the one
that traverses Corsica diagonally from north to south. It's 180km long with variation in height of about 10 000 metres and can be walked in 15 days.  It's known as the toughest long distance trail in Europe so perhaps some more intense training may be needed!!

Food for thought....

This blog has sporadic postings mainly because much as Teresa and I would love to be walking it continuously, life dictates that we do it in sections and at present that means once a year.  So as the next section beckons, I fund myself re-reading all the past postings and experiencing many emotions.

There was relief that 3 sections in we have never had to drown each other out with those ipods mentioned in blog number one. Joy and hilarity as just reading words and looking at photos reminded me of the great times and the funny things that had happened.  

Would you want to get on the wrong side of this lady on the right?

Respect for Mark and his experience of walking from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in one go but also gratitude that we have all of those wonderful sights and experiences ahead of us. Gratitude also for Ann at World Walks who books all our accommodation and arranges for our baggage to be taken from place to place so we can do it the easier way - we've roughed it enough in the past.  And of course excitement for what's ahead as we walk from Cahors to Lectoure.

The view as we walked down into Cahors on the final day of section 3

Bus, not sure, taxi???

At the moment all is organised except getting from Cahors at the end of the walk back to Rodez for the flight.

Now, I've been told that there's one bus at 3.00 so if we get that, the flight is long gone especially as it takes over 2 hours!! Teresa has been given so other information, although as I write, I'm not sure what. Fingers crossed.

I've been told that we need to go the night before but of course we can't and I suppose had we known this, we could have booked an extra day but too late now as RyanAir will charge us a fortune to change names and flight times - learning for the next time.

There's always a taxi, isn't there? Have the feeling that this one might prove even more expensive than the £120 we paid the last time but perhaps we can book in advance and at least it's between 3. Ever hopeful.

Will call Ann at World Walks and see if she can help.

I need some direction

Took some time out this morning to go into central London so that I could visit the Rail Europe Offices and talk to a real person about my options regarding travel in France, yes, this is a follow on from yesterdays post...or was it a rant?

Anyhow, found it no problem and there were no queues, yes, this was going my way. Ten minutes later and it was all over and I had little more info than when I'd looked on the net. You can't book tickets until 90 days before you travel but that also means that you can't see the timetables or get an idea of costs of some routes.

I needed to know about local buses as from Cahors to Rodez there are no trains but of course Rail Europe can't tell you anything about that. So, they helpfully said 'you need to go to the French Tourist office, they'll be able to tell you'.


Off I went, onto the tube again, off the tube again, along High Holborn (thank goodness I'd had the forethought to get the address for them before leaving home) and then into some anonymous building with no sign at all indicating this is what I wanted until I got in. Even then, the person at reception was rather abrupt. Up in the lift and then there were two doors, both of which you had to ring bells to get through. I wasn't feeling very welcomed or wanted and the fact that the gentleman met me just as I stepped over the threshold and had no intention of letting me go further, did not help.

I just about managed to tell him what I needed and he rather smugly responded that all information regarding local buses could only be got in France from the local tourist office!

Waste of time? Yes and no. I know I've tried as hard as I could and in an hour or so I'll sit down and compare what I have and chances are, we'll fly.

Frustration.

World Walks -  http://www.worldwalks.com/france.aspx have confirmed dates etc and deposit is paid but both Teresa and I are finding organising the travel a nightmare and it's amazing how quickly you forget as Teresa has just reminded me that this is exactly what happened last time.

The trip on Eurostar to Paris is fine but getting South to our destination takes both a long time and is very expensive and at the moment the timetables we want aren't up. The other option is flying to Rodez which is what we did last time and it's looking likely again, just need to see if we can get a train from Cahors to Rodez!!

Teresa and I have both spent hours online so now it's time for the human touch and I'm off To Rail Europe in town tomorrow to see if I can sort this - fingers crossed, please.