Saugues to St Alban

October 5th 2008

The first thing I remember about this morning was looking out the window and seeing frost on the cars, it was still dark and I was sure I was imagining it but as we started off Teresa was borrowing my gloves and we were looking at ice in the puddles and frost on the grass.

Breakfast was fabulous though, what a great hotel for food and I slept so well too. This one definitely gets the thumbs up!!

We set off at a fast pace to warm us up as we negotiated our way out of the town and found the way markings. At the roundabout we found this wonderful catapult, now how old is that?

Our way was also marked by this wonderful gentleman, how could you miss your turn off here. He looked so warm and friendly in the morning sunlight.

No-one else about. They were either way ahead of us or still wrapped up in bed, time would tell.

Along the way we came across an interesting phenomenon as there were a number of trees losing leaves like there was no tomorrow. The leaves were all still green, no autumn hues here and if you stood underneath it was like being rained on. Teresa wondered if it was something to do with the day warming up fairly quickly after such a cold night? You can see the road covered just underneath the trees.

On we walked grateful to have the incline which helped generate heat. At this point there were numerous layers being worn but that's what makes that kind of dressing so good, you pile on and take off as needbe.

This was a day of photographs and below is a range of some of what I took, it gives you a flavour of things. Some are of the many crosses that you come across as you walk the camino, some are old, some more modern but they all add to and report the history. Some are of Teresa and I and some of nature.

 A bridge brought an opportunity to rest up for a few minutes, have a drink and pose!!

As in the hamlet of Rochegude and with the kind monk who showed us the way, carved sculptures are  clearly a facet of this area. No where in my guide book is there any attention drawn to them but we've seen quite a number. This one of the deer and her young is beautiful.

We also have been wildlife spotting and both this thistle type plant and the bug attracted me. It's rather like the plant bugs we get in the UK

Love old doors and the fact that this one is dated and has all the equipment outside, made me want to capture it.

Just as we were feeling that we'd walked far enough and could do with a rest we came across this friendly sign and one of the Gites d'etap. We headed round the corner to find the entrance and coming out having had a rest was our German friend Gregor who we'd not seen since St Privat.

It was lovely to catch up with him and also to know how he was coping with the cold nights - Gregor was doing this trip the hardy way, camping.



This place was great, with picnic tables set out in the garden, a tap to refill bottles, friendly people and wonderful hot chocolate.

We sat in the sun and enjoyed and soon it became apparent that this was the stopping place for that time as the German couple and the two women all arrived too so we sat and chatted as best we could.

This was a blissful stop and seemed a wonderful place to stay too, when I wandered off to find the loo, I was directed into one of the gites which was really homely and comfortable. Great if you were away with a party of friends.

Loved the flowers in the garden, especially the  Hollyhocks in the garden always make me think of home as the seem quintessentially British or even English.

Also loved the gate we spotted as we left, again a lovely friendly and humorous touch.

After this idyllic stop, we walked on through forest and this time lots of beech wood, in contrast with yesterday's oak woods. The leaves underneath were turning bring some indication of the colours to expect although the canopy above was still very green.

Clearly some of this land was private but access was allowed as there were gates to open and close in a few places, it did seem rather strange after roaming everywhere for days but of course we did as we should.

Lunch today was taken on logs by the side of the path where we spread ourselves out and feasted. Having bought bread etc at the boulangerie in Saugues we are always happy to stop for lunch and food always tastes so good when you are eating it outside.

The German couple passed us and then we caught up with them later, just depends when and where you stop.

Today there were many beautiful roofs, this time of slate as opposed to the terracotta tiles.

A day of changing scenery and after lunch we were into forestry land and long straight paths which I find quite boring. They start off OK but then offer no excitement or mystery, something that Teresa and I also agree on, in fact I think all the East End Girls would agree here.

We'd had hailstones the day before and frost over night so I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised to find snow! At first I wondered what it was this white stuff, not thick and only in places but soon it became clear and it was in a really cool and shaded area where the sun didn't seem to have reached at all.

In the same place we also found lots of fungi as the photos show.

After this long path through forest and moorland we wanted something different so we weren't too pleased to find a road though thankfully that didn't last for long.


We stopped at the Fountaine Saint Roch which is around where you pass from the Haute Loire into Lozere. A little further along the road is the chapelle Saint Roch which is also known as the Chapelle de l'Hospitalet du Sauvage which was for pilgrims and travellers. It was originally dedicated to St James and then rededicated to Saint Roch after the Wars of Religion (1562 - 1598). After that it fell into ruin and a new one was built at the end of the 19th century and destroyed by a cyclone in 1897. The present one, seen in the photo, was built in 1901.

On the road very close to this there is one of the refuges where pilgrims can stay and get a meal. Teresa and I are doing our trip in a more luxurious way but many do still walk this way as pilgrims.

Soon after we were able to leave the road and take a grassy path down into Faux where we were staying the night. It seemed like all those we'd met were staying too and we all arrived at the same time.

 The sun was still shining when we'd followed the path off the main track so we dumped our stuff in our sunny room, changed into sandals and enjoyed one of those great beers in the sun. Then after showers we had a delicious dinner and a great night's sleep.

Day 2 of our first section - St Privat to Saugues

October 4th 2008

Instead of the 14 miles we expected yesterday, we covered about 20, all those false turns and mistakes. I didn't ache though showing that the exercise routine and gets against the walk works although it is quite funny to see especially when two of us are doing it together.

I didn't sleep well last night and remember struggling to find the bathroom in the middle of the night in the pitch black. I was trying so hard not to wake Teresa and I kept ending up in the shower room, glad I wasn't on camera for that.

The sun was shining when we drew back the curtains and the view from whence we'd come yesterday was clear, interesting to see where we'd walked trying to find our sleeping spot. It was cold though so layers were applied.

There were only two of us for breakfast, think the others must have been sleeping it off. We feasted on freshly baked bread and jam and then were given a lift to St Privat to start this second section.


Now a green dragon is not what you expect when you arrive in a small rural French village but there was one none the less just across the road from a little shop selling all we needed for lunch, fresh bread, cheese, ham and some fruit. Nearly makes you want to have lunch already.

It seemed to be all ups for the first part of the journey but it was steady and I had plenty of opportunity to take photos in this wonderful morning light. The sky was an amazing blue and there were plenty of colours against giving great contrast. The church in amongst the trees looked mysterious as we looked back on it.

Here are some of the coloured plants and berries we passed.

3 kms into the walk we came to the hamlet of Rochegude and from the photo you can see the bells of the chapel to the left and the tower on the rocky outcrop. This tower is all that remains from the chateaux.

Both chapel and tower are built on or into the rock. The Chapel is dedicated to St James and inside was beautiful with sunlight streaming in the window.




Being so high the views are amazing and later in the day we were in a position of being able to look back across the valley at this place.

In the hamlet itself, everywhere you turned there were carved of sculptures of different types of mushrooms and owls and other birds. The mushrooms reminded me of the wonderful ones we'd eaten the night before.

A short break like this is always good and on the way down over very stony ground it was really important to concentrate. Here Teresa leads the way.

Lots of oak trees here, many extremely old but everywhere you looked there were new saplings rising up. The colours were lovely.

Although autumn this whole area seemed so alive
and there was a scent of mushrooms too, perhaps just like those we'd had for dinner.


Here I am too, having a rest in the heather, very appropriate.

I feel very privileged  to be walking in this wonderful scenery and weather and for the ability and support of my family to be able to take this time out and go and do what I love.  This opportunity to recharge my batteries and be out in nature really does bring great benefits.

I'm also grateful to have Teresa as my walking partner. The wrong person would change the dynamic completely and Teresa and I seem to be falling into the way of this well. We are very in tune from everything from the time to take a break to what we should stop and see and what we should eat, such a lovely and easy way to be.

After missing a turning and getting a little confused, we managed to get back on track and on the road down to Monistrol d'Allier these are the stunning colours that awaited us.

The town/village of Monistrol is a hub of hydroelectric power and the road, rail and river all come together here. The metal bridge is quite a sight and we weren't that surprised to find it was built by a certain Monsieur Eiffel, I wonder why.

We took our time walking across enjoying the views and taking photos from this vantage point above the river Allier.








We had been looking forward to a snack in the cafe here but it was not to be. The cafe closes early on a Saturday so all dreams of a chocolate chaud were dashed. Probably for the best!!

The hot chocolate might have given us the energy for the long climb up though out of the valley. However, the views behind gave us a good excuse to stop and catch our breath. 

We stopped to admire this cross and my eye was caught by the columns to the left of it which looked so similar to those of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. I know there are some in Scotland on the Isle of Staffa but I'd never come across them anywhere else.

Closer examination further up the road gave me a chance to see them again and they do look familiar, made me feel at home. Of course have not got round to any further research into this but that's OK.

The road was becoming long at this point so it was lovely to see a sign directing off and up, yes up a path. This one took us past the Chapelle de la Madelaine which is thought to have been a grotto originally but then was developed into a chapel in the 17th century. It wasn't open but we could peer in a little.

Our next destination was the hamlet of Escluzels and once again pretty signage showing the way.  There was a fountain there to refill our bottles. The French are so good at supplying these and it's comforting to know that running out of much needed water is quite difficult.

From Montaure further on we could see back to Rochegude and there was what looked like an instrument of torture but I'm assured was for strapping the oxen etc to so that could be shod.

From this point we have about 5 miles to go and once again we consider a stop for a drink in Le Vernet de Sauges but again there is nowhere open. This is where snacks become so important so if you are reading this take note, I always encourage walking companions to have some snacks. Nuts, dried fruits and small sugar shots are ideal and water of course.

Some interesting things to photo graph in this area.

The next bit was probably the most boring of the day as we had to road walk for a fair distance and felt as if we were going far further than we had to. I think we were both a little concerned that we'd made a mistake like the day before.....

 Thank fully the sun and blue skies stayed with us and when we started to go down we were back on track and we had sculptures again including that of La Bête du Gévaudan - Saugues. 

The Beast of Gevaudan is , according to what I'm told, an animal responsible for a series of attacks against humans which occurred between June 30th 1764 and June 19th 1767  These attacks, often fatal, numbered between 88 and 124 and took place mainly in the north of the old country of Gevaudan which is roughly the current Department of Lozere.





The "Beast of Gevaudan" was apparently likened to a wolf, an exotic pet and even a werewolf.

A bit of excitement here but good to know all this happened many years ago.

This is the view from the hillside looking down on Saugues and good to know that  we are nearly there.

The first priority Teresa and I agree on after a walk is finding somewhere to have a beer and if possible finding somewhere in the sun so we bypassed the hotel to find our little bit of heaven. On this occasion it was a tabac in the square with a couple of seats in the sun just for us. How good to take the rucksack off, relax and sip that wonderful golden nectar.

As we sat and discussed the day we were able to wave at some of the others doing the same walk that we'd met along the way. There were the three men of seemingly varying levels of fitness who we'd seen on day one, the German couple who I think we'd seen at some point every day and the two women who were staying in the same hotel.

Often little more that a wave, a smile and a 'hi' is exchanged but it's the acknowledgement that we are all on this same journey that's very apparent and therefore the understanding of what we are experiencing.

Two beers later, well too tempting to resist and we head to the hotel for a hot shower and a wonderful meal... and a great night's sleep.

Back track dear friends to Oct 2008

The symbol of the Camino

October 3rd 2008

It's rather embarrassing that as Teresa and I pack and plan for section 4 of the Camino that my photos and updates of the whole journey are no further than part of Day 1. It's always been my intention to get it up to date and preferably before we start section 4 but there's loads of work, time is tight etc,

However this morning with a great plan of work ahead, my Thunderbird has crashed and has a 'Can Not Do' attitude. I could scream and shout, I could get depressed or I could look at this as a gift and take the opportunity to update the Camino trip and share with you our experiences and photos.

Are you ready?

Day 1 on Oct 3rd 2008 and Teresa and I are getting into the swing of the Camino. We're sussing out the signage which is magnificent, so good in fact that I can put the book away and enjoy the walk knowing that there will be frequent signs. How lovely is that?

This is the land of the lentils, go look in your store cupboard, have you any Puy lentils?

Below is some information about the church of St Christophe. Written in English, I found it really useful and really added to my understanding of the whole history. The church itself is below.

 

I love this photo of Teresa as she enjoys a rest in the sun and reads up on where we are heading next. That wonderful tree was made for just an occasion like this, giving shade from the sun at this time, but I'm sure at others, shelter from rain.

We were only 3 kms into our journey here but taking our time drinking in the whole experience and wanting to make sure that we didn't go wrong.

The next church we would come across would be La Chapelle Saint Roch, a 13th century Romanesque chapel dedicated to the patron saint of pilgrims. It's lovely to step inside there chapels and churches, to feel the history and also to enjoy the peace and calm that is always there.

Chapelle  Saint Roch

Why is it that when you have decided that you want lunch that where you are aiming for seems to get further and further away? At this time too, the scenery became less inspiring and the wind was chilled.

We were heading for Montbonnet, still when we did get there the Croques Monsieur were fabulous and we had the place to ourselves. Great food of the country and very satisfying.

When we came out it had been raining but was now dry, what timing and still dry the way was up and along more interesting pathways, I was loving this. Then we had hailstones, noisy and unexpected and it only early October. Of well, ensures you take nothing for granted.

We had a walk through wonderful woodland where we got very hot. It's shade was very welcome and as you can see in places it was so shaded that muddy areas had never really dried out.

Part of the woodland was commercially managed as you can see below, all the trees cut and sorted ready to be transported further.

When we emerged it was into an open area with an amazingly deep and wide valley ahead. A wind farm appeared over to our left, 5 large turbines and I learned that Teresa loved them as much as I did. For me they are gentle giants moving across the landscape and looking after us and much preferred to a nuclear power station.

We walked down into Le Chier and I noticed a path to Didier d' Allier, that was to come back and haunt us!!!

Towards the end of the day as we walked through wonderful woodland, the scenery is stunning we met up with the German guy and walked into St Privat D'Allier with him. En route, we passed a house which would have been an old mill house set in a shady spot beside the river.

It felt great to have completed day one so we sat down on a wall to eat and apple and work out where our hotel was. We were also contemplating where we should go for that well deserved beer.


Sadly, we discovered that we were not staying in St Privat but a hamlet called La Grangette on the other side of St Didier. Not amused we set off on the road and discussed the inefficiency of UTracks who stated that our destination was St Privat. If we'd know that we would have taken that path!

4.5 k along a road when you think you've finished is not fun and as it was it zigzagged round the valley.  We did find interesting things to cheer us up though, what do you make of the boots? Could be an interesting story there.

At the road down to St Didier we were confused further as to whether we should go down into the village or follow the main road. another mistake and we took the village route. After wandering around we asked some people and with messages and directions about sheep and chapels we headed down a grassy track. The house by the chapel was shut up so we turned, retraced steps again and finally after walking up a steep slope and emerging onto the main road, we found a Chambres des Hotes called La Grangette .... but how were we to know?

 Our hosts were terrific, they were sheep shearers and we had rather a surreal dinner being invited to a dinner party with 6 others. Thankfully Teresa's french is superb so she translated for me. It was not at all the more formal dinner I associate with the French but full of laughter, bawdy jokes and plenty of wine. The food, all home made was stunning and included an elderflower apperitif and some dust mite cheese, yes, Teresa and I tried that.