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3.7
Arzacq to Pomps 22 km
Another hot day, but we managed to reach our destination by 2 pm which was good going. Many lovely rest places to stop with lovely undulating countryside and spectacular views of the Pyrenees at last.
Dinner at the Gite communal was great last night, I had had pangs of regret about passing the opportunity to eat out at cafe Sports, where the "Roy du Garbure" serves up a reputable feast. As it turned out the dinner at the Gite in the garden under massive shady trees was superb. Once again Confit du Canard, crispy and succulent and good company. The other 6 people at the table were serious pilgrims in for the long haul. The group included a father "Eli" and his son "Baptiste". They had only once before met people from New Zealand on the trail and that was in 2009, August 22, 2 women at the 7 am mass in the cathedral in Le Puy en Velay. Well guess what? The 2 women were no others than Jenny and myself! Fancy that. I recognised the 2 and remembered that I had been touched by father and son taking off together to help deepen their conflict relationship at the time. Baptiste is now a medical student, he was still at school in 2009 and things are better between father and son. What an amazing encounter! They continue to walk the St James route together in stages.
Tonight we are staying in the gite communal in Pomps. Very basic, part of a sport complex, but the shower is good and it is cheap at 24 euro per person demipension.
There are other people here who are en route to Santiago. Finally we are meeting more of the kind of folk I have met in the past. The tourist walkers seem to have gone, this bit is not for them. Fine by us, it is very real, little towns with everyday lives taking place scattered amongst rural French countryside.
4.7
Pomps to Cambarrat 16 km
Nice little walk today and the Gite Cambarrat, set in huge glorious grounds in the middle of a forest is one of my favourites. Isabelle and Nicholas have created an artistic haven out of an ancient farmhouse. They put us up in their 2 bedroom converted and very elegant barn after a very warm welcome. They remembered me from my previous visit. Dinner was followed by a very competent banjo recital by our host - his repertoire included both classical and bluegrass. We explored their gypsy caravans and admired the vibrant Basque colours used by Isabelle in her decorations.
5.7.
Cambarrat to Navarrenx 24 km
It rained during the night and we set off in a drizzle. Unfortunately the predictions for sun were wrong and by 10 am the rain had settled in right and proper. The terrain was pretty up and down, 4 biggish hills to climb and descend from.
Fortunately a series of international encounters gave us a bit of a lift on what would otherwise have been a miserable kind of a day.
We were walking along deep in thought, suddenly a voice behind us " you are not wearing black, John and Brigitte from New Zealand", a biking couple from Napier had caught up with us. They are on an extended holiday in Europe and have already cycled 2000 km from Holland and presently en route to Santiago. Of course they knew John from his Hawkes Bay Community College days and they had already heard about me at Ferme du Barry in the Aubrac, where the owner described me as a "real character" whatever that means...
A few moments later we bumped into an Australian woman walking towards us, who had just finished the Arles route and was walking back to Moissac along the Le Puy route. Over coffee at the Abbaye of Sauvelade we got talking to a Swiss guy who had set off from Zurich after we left Le Puy and at 60 km per day was overtaking us. He looked totally fit and well, no ill effects and was pretty clean and tidy considering he sleeps outside under a tarpaulin most nights. He and the NZ cyclists are advancing at the same speed!
We were glad to arrive in Navarrenx, wet and cold. After our showers we resorted to merinos and down jackets once again.
We attended the little ceremony for pilgrims at the church, which was a light affair under a dark blue vaulted ceiling decorated with lots of little golden stars depicting the milky way.
Wine at the presbytery to follow.
I was glad I had booked us into really good lodgings, at Relais Le Jacquet where the owner Regis attended to all our needs and cooked a superb meal of courgette soup, salmon with ratatouille, rice, salad, crunchy bread, sheep cheese and fruit tarts.
Breakfast with fresh croissants, warm baguette, homemade confitures, yoghurt and grapefruit juice set us up for another day of walking. Our washing had been done in the machine and dried.
6.7.
Navarrenx to Aroue 18 km
Reluctantly the sun came out, warm temperature and a very pretty walk through hilly country with glimpses of the Pyrenees through the clouds, golden fields of sunflowers in full bloom, pastures and woodlands.
By 2 pm we had checked into our Gite, Bellevue, where I had stayed in 2009. A big rambling kind of a house in a huge garden with great views as the name suggests. The sun has gone again and thunderstorms are on the menu for tomorrow.
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