Back on with the updates and Montcuq to Durfort Lacapelette

Slept well and it was a pleasure to throw open the french windows and look out onto the garden and welcome a new day. Thankfully, after the tiredness of last night and the lack of stretching my legs functioned well.

Breakfast was french bread and croissants served in the foyer area of the hotel, washed down with coffee, simple but delicious. The owner explained that there was an alternative route we could take to get us on the path but that meant missing out the town where we wanted to buy some provisions for lunch so after a photo stop to place the hotel in the conscious for ever, we headed off back to town.

It was market day so loads more people around than yesterday. There was a very buzzy atmosphere and we stopped to buy some local goats cheese and bread.

You  could buy anything from fruit and veg, all very colourful and piled high on the stalls, through numerous different types of cheese, meat products, lavender, flowers, soaps and beautiful coloured baskets.

It was a sunny day, blue skies and of course a climb up and out along the main road but soon the path took us off the road and up a narrow track among the trees. It was very green and shady and lead to a ridge offering great views over the surrounding countryside.

Here's Teresa looking a little puzzled as she tries to work out which way to go next. Lauzerte is definitely on the itinerary for today so we've got it right somewhere.

From this ridge the path entered the woods and passed by the gates of the Chateau de Charry and then to Rouillac where we had a wonderful stop at the church. Here the 12th century church was remodeled in the 15th C with some chapels and a bell tower added in the 19th C. The romanesque frescoes can be seen on the ceiling above the altar, they were worth stopping to see.

The views from this village were superb and we could see the path ahead from this vantage point. It took us down and then through a farm where a lady on horseback passed us as we walked.

Everywhere there were beautiful irises, not wild but clearly seeded by wind or birds. I saw such an array of colours but my favourites are still the deep blue that tend to be most popular back in the UK.

By this time, we realised that instead of the majority of towns being down in the valleys as in past sections, here the towns were in fortified positions on hilltops. Great views from them but of course you had to get up there first and in this hot weather that was a bit of a feat. At this point we were heading upwards towards Montlauzan with very steep ups and downs and here again I managed to fall. Again nothing serious, just dented pride and at the end of the day the path didn't actually take us to the town but pilled us away not far from the top - all the effort and no reward of another peak achieved.

We were now in the department of the Tarn and Garonne and foiled by the idea of a break in the shade near the church in Montlauzan, we found a sheltered spot to enjoy nuts, fruit and chocolate.

Next stop Lauzerte, which we could see in the distance for a long time before we got there. Thankfully, it got closer and although it was 1.00, the nuts had taken the edge of our hunger so we pressed on. Water was running low as we were drinking gallons due to the heat so it was great to find a pump just off the roundabout before the road climber up to the town. Teresa and I filled all the bottles as today was another long day in high temperatures.

Another beautiful medieval town dating from the 12th C which has had a substantial lot of money spent on its restoration. There were some lovely little shops in the square and we found a bench near the church under the trees which allowed us plenty of space to spread out and enjoy lunch.

We were starting to see others who we had seen on the trail this morning, our community for this section starting to form through nods and smiles.

Lunch was that great local goats cheese, oatcakes for me and bread for Teresa. Then we had a wander round the church of St Barthelmy with a modern statue of St James inside.

After a good break, we headed off about 3.30 but neither of us had the energy we'd have liked and as a result the rest of the day was a struggle. The heat and the continuous ups and downs didn't help. Also there were vey few signs so we a no clue as to the mileage we were covering.

One highlight though was to come across the dovecote below. Since I first got the book covering this walk, I often ended up opening at the page which had, on it, a photo of the half timbered dovecote in Quercy. How great to wander round it ans see it for real.

3 kms further from this much photographed sight, we came upon the church of Saint Sernin du Bosc, a small church situated in the valley bottom.

As you can see from this photo, a very plain church but inside there were, on display, a range of photos showing the restoration which was carried out from 1991 onwards.

The church built in the 11th C is of Romanesque origin.

As we left the church and took the path out of the valley and up towards a minor road you can see the beauty of this very green and fertile place where the church is situated. Also very calm and peaceful.

We were now very tired and really looking forward to getting to our destination and this was where we also had to endure over a kilometer of road walking. Now that may not seem like much but when you are tired, hot and lacking in energy it can feel like for ever!

Teresa had developed a headache and the only thing that brightened things was these beautiful cherries.

The Auberge seemed never to arrive and we had many 'false' sightings and of course it was all up hill when we got there. We were walking up this steep track, hoping that the building we could see was it. Our feet were sore and our heads pounding and yes, this was the right place.

The wonderful owner came out to greet us, she had begun to get concerned and  brought glasses of chilled water as we pulled off our boots. She and her husband also carried Teresa's bag up to our room which had the wonderful view below from the window.

Dinner was due to be served in 30 minutes but she assured us that it would be fine to take a little extra time to have showers and freshen up which we did.

Poor Teresa was not feeling well but did come down and tried to eat some of the vegetable soup starter but gave up and took herself off to bed. I read my book as I feasted on a salad of asparagus, ham and cheese followed by drug leg with vegetables and then the most fantastic fresh strawberries.

When I got up the the room, Teresa was fast asleep and the room was dusky which was great as it meant I didn't have to put on the light. I stretched for a while, wrote my journal and then slept.

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.