I previously wrote that the walk leading into Nasbinals is my favorite on the Chemin, or at least the co-favorite. If, for some bizarre and/or tragic reason you could only walk one stage on the GR-65, though, I think you might have to pick the walk from Saint-Côme-d’Olt to Estaing. With two of the “most beautiful villages in France” bracketing the walk and plenty of stunning moments in between, it’s a highlight reel of a walk.
One of the stage’s two significant uphills comes early, soon after leaving Saint-Come. The ascent takes you up through a long-abandoned quarry and to the statue of the Vierge Notre-Dame de Vermus. The views of Espalion below, with the ruined castle behind it and the Lot beneath it, are outstanding—and it was my good fortune that the weather accommodated. Take note as well of the pink-stoned inland in a sea of green between you and Espalion. We’ll call it the Perse church, because the actual title is massive, but it has a lovely tympanum out front and some neat capitals inside. It’s just before town.
In another stroke of good fortune, I arrived in Espalion on a market day, so the streets were stuffed with vendors selling tasty treats and locals filling their baskets. I started off with a pair of beignets de pomme (apple pancakes, basically) and went from there, retreating to the river bank to stuff myself for the second time today, still before 10am. The elegant medieval bridge over the Lot in Espalion might be the defining image of the Chemin and it remains every bit as stunning on each return visit.
Like Perse, another lovely church awaits on the other side of Espalion. The Bessuéjouls church is ideally situated on a lush, green patch with tree-covered hills flanking it and a burbling creek (with requisite medieval bridge) gliding past. The main chamber of this church is fine, but the magic is upstairs. While the staircase will lead you to believe that past residents of the area were a meter taller than us and half the width, navigating those steps is worth the trouble, in order to visit the small, artfully crafted chapel up above.
I knew I would be annoyed leaving Bessuéjouls and my expectations were met. A distinctly vindictive ascent used to haze pilgrims departing here, more of a climb through exposed tree roots than anything resembling a walk. I loved that punitive little trail. Alas, the GR-65 has been re-routed, adding distance in order to circumvent that “footpath.” Don’t worry, though, there’s still plenty of uphill to follow!
Poor Verrières. Surrounded by such bright lights, it gets little attention, and it’s little church has certainly seen better days. It has a very friendly snack bar on the way in, though, and a wonderfully cared for cluster of buildings around the old bridge leading walkers out.
Of course, at that point everyone’s attention has turned to Estaing, which is just a couple of kilometers away. As motivated as I was to arrive, it’s hard not to be stopped dead in one’s tracks when the town comes into full, glorious view across the Lot. There aren’t many better positioned swimming pools than this town’s municipal! Alas, unlike my previous walks here, this time I’m not staying in Estaing, so after a visit to the church, a good lounge by the river, and some refueling, I was back on the GR-65.
By contrast to the highlight reel, the beauties of the next stage are more subtle and it’s really just unfair to compare them. In a lot of ways, this stretch feels a bit like an opportunity to allow one’s over-stimulated senses to cool down for a bit before arriving in Conques. Still, I enjoyed my break in Golinhac, which has an enviable viewpoint overlooking the valley below, and I’m thrilled to be at tonight’s gite, the Accueil du Soulié de Saint-Jacques. Every time I’ve passed here, I’ve looked longingly at the entrance, while enjoying a drink from their offerings left out for pilgrims. It finally fit this time. I feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland, with a wild, sprawling garden all around me. A footpath has been cleared through the flowers, with small islands branching off the sides leading to different, comfortable seating areas. To the right, small rooms try to hold back the encroaching greenery. The donation-based operation is supported by volunteers and all deeply in the pilgrimage spirit. (They also gave me a private room, which I humbly accepted.)
And tomorrow, a strange day! But that’s for tomorrow.
