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 […]
Bursting with Hospitality in Decazeville
On the Camino Francés, many pilgrims begin in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. As the towns roll by, though—Roncesvalles, Burgos, León, Sarria—even larger numbers of reinforcements arrive, turning that initial stream into a full-fledged torrent in Galicia. By contrast, on the Chemin there’s a reverse effect, a continual dwindling down of walkers. Many—maybe even a majority—conclude their journey in […]
And Then Back to Conques Again…
It rained all night. I slipped into the breakfast room at the Couvent de Malets—a massive and impressive complex overlooking Saint-Come—around 6:45 and heard from a couple of other pilgrims that they were going to delay their start until around 9am, when the forecast gave them some hope. My plans, though, were locked in, as […]
Going Full Circle to Saint-Come
So we’re at dinner last night in Le Soulie, having a great time. Our host, Michel, doesn’t speak much English, but he actually engineered the seating at the table to surround me with English speakers (all young Parisians), along with another fellow who speaks Spanish. I’ve never had that happen before, but it was awfully […]
The Highlight Reel: Saint-Come, Espalion, Estaing… and Le Soulie
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 […]
A Detour to Bonneval
Four times now I’ve marched out of Nasbinals in the crisp cool of early morning, with a long day’s walk ahead. And did I ever get lucky this time with the weather, as the skies were already cloudless at 6:15 and before long they had a sapphiric quality to them. Climbing steadily, I left humanity […]
Day 3 – Back in the Aubrac
The hardest question one is asked on the Chemin isn’t “Why are you walking,” or “What will you do with your life when you return home.” No, it’s “Where did you sleep last night.” So much happens over the course of the day that when you finally pause and try to sift through the images […]
Day 2 – Some Sauvage Weather
Plenty of things went wrong today. The bakery in Monistrol-d’Allier was closed, due to illness. The farm snack bar in Rognac was also closed, as was the food truck after Montaure, and—crushing, for me— Chez Jérôme in Chazeaux seems to have shut down permanently. It drizzled off and on all morning, then abandoned all pretense […]