The Lalbenque Variant, Rain, and Being Vegetarian on the Chemin
Today’s walk split into two main chunks. First, I walked the variant from Lalbenque to Lhospitalet, rejoining the GR65 soon after, shortly after the village of Labastide-Marnhac. From there, I followed the GR65 to just after Lascabanes. As an epilogue, of sorts, I deviated from the GR65 one last time at the walk’s end in […]
They Can’t All Be Above-Average Days
I enjoyed a nice, leisurely breakfast this morning. That was different! Normally, a non-negotiable impulse drives me towards the door, eager to return to the road. Instead, though, I was at the mercy of a force far greater than me: public transportation. I was catching the 889 bus from Cahors back to Bouziés. From there, […]
Picking a Path from Bouziés to Cahors
In comparison to the Camino del Norte, the Chemin du Puy is a guidebook author’s dream. The official route is stable. Among the gpx tracks I’ve been able to compare thus far, practically nothing has changed since I was last here in 2018. While the Norte has settled into a more consistent track at this […]
It Will Never Stop Raining
This time, the lightning show arrived right around midnight. Must be an Italy fan. While the thunder rumbled forebodingly enough, most of the noise was generated by the campers who were thoroughly enjoying the show. I squeezed my head between pillow and mattress, hoping the storm and the campers would wear themselves out shortly, clearing […]
Closing the Loop to Figeac
Sometimes, I’ve learned, a 7am start time for breakfast—especially in larger accommodations—can actually translate into a 6:30am availability. So on this morning, in Gramat’s Grand Couvent, which holds many more folks in hotel rooms than its small pilgrims dorm, I sat outside the restaurant, trying to strike an expression that balanced meekness and cordiality. Harmless, […]
Morning in Rocamadour
My eyes were on the horizon as I slipped out of the gite early this morning. While it’s been rare on this walk to leave before 7am, this morning I was on the road just before 6am, due to a very particular goal. That timing, though, combined with my northward trajectory, afforded me the opportunity […]
On the GR46 to Montfaucon
The Gite Le Monde Allant Vers is the smallest place I’ve stayed thus far, with only six pilgrim beds. It’s vertical aspirations far outpace its horizontal limitations, so much of my time there was oriented around the blue spiral staircase. Descending it one last time after breakfast this morning, I was surprised to discover that […]
South to Cahors, Then Back North Again!
This was a wonderfully relaxed day—the shortest I’ve had on this trip, aside from my first stage, and the first time I’ve managed to arrive before the gite has opened. While I wish the clouds would have burned off a little sooner, so that I could better enjoy the views of Cahors, that’s my only […]
Through the Causse de Limogne
Originally, this walk was supposed to take me to the Couvent de Vaylats; alas, they were booked solid. OK, no problem, on to the Gite de Poudally then! Closed, for the time being. Eventually, my attention was drawn further down trail, to Gite Le Pech. A longer day than originally intended, but I confess it […]
Following the GR-65 from Figeac to Cahors
When I was first learning about the Via Podiensis, I quickly learned that the biggest decision I had to make centered on how I would approach the section between Figeac and Cahors. Most pilgrims, I was informed, just automatically continued on the GR-65, without really thinking much about the options. A few iconoclasts opted to […]