Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here. |
---|
Let me know when you plan to be in the city…could meet up with you.How cool! I will not be passing Auch (another pretty town with some superb architecture) because I stop in Toulouse then head north.
Oh, it would be lovely to meet up!Let me know when you plan to be in the city…could meet up with you.
Okay, great, keep in touch…Oh, it would be lovely to meet up!Barring any major delays or changes in stages I plan to be in Toulouse in ten days. We'll see how it goes.
It is hot but not (yet?) as crazy as before Carcassonne. I am okay as long as I have enough water and a shady rest. I also start early.Looks like your weather is almost identical to mine at the moment, whilst pleasant in the shade 30 degrees is a tad warmer than I prefer for walking in full sun (I went out around 13.00 for a 10km stroll.. ) How are you coping?
Why not one day?I love ruins, thanks so much for the photos. If only this was somewhere near where I want/plan to walk!
I do love your reports, and in this one, especially, the cost of the pitch or couch. It reminds me of a shop in a country town where the lady had all items in boxes, ladies under garments! And the prices were like that: no rounding off to the nearest five cent!Day 44: Conques - Cransac-les-Thermes c.24km
The night was surprisingly quiet despite seven men in my dorm. Only the one above me snored but he obligingly turned over when I shaked him.
Almost everyone was up by a little over six, it felt so much as a camino.
Conques was still in the morning freshness when I started on the GR 65. But after the bridge I climbed on a petit randonnee. It was longer and therefore less steep and the path was good and solid. Near the top a fine view of Conques, too.
Just before I joined GR 65 on the plateau, I crossed GR 6 (actually the old 65 before they changed them sometime after 2016) and saw a lady walking confidently down on it. Immediately I thought she must have took the wrong GR because it was much more likely she was a pilgrim then a regular hiker. I called to her and asked her and she was quite surprised she was on a wrong route. We went together to join GR 65.
The panoramic route is now much more pleasant than it was in 2016, they made a small path that runs parallel to the road for nearly all the way to where I deviated to GR 62B towards Firmi. The split is just before Puy de Wolf, a very very old (like, 400 million years old) hill from extremely hard rock called serpentine.
GR 62B is waymarked with regular red-white blazes, scallop stickers and rare yellow arrows. I thought waymarking was rather sporadic, sometimes very good, at other times I was left questioning myself if I am still on the correct route.
About 100m from the split a car stopped by me and a kind lady asked if I am sure I am on the correct GR. I said I am sure.
The initial descent is on a small path down through the woods, along a stone wall, through beautiful oak woods, and down a dry stream bed. Almost on bottom was an unmarked triple fork, the right one is the middle path.
Getting into Firmi, stay on the road till an underpass. There was a very weird waymark which made me go straight down into a field, from where I deviated across someone's yard and around a house back to the road.
Bakery in Firmi was open, so I bought pain aux raisins and ate it in the cemetery by the water tap (through the gate where GR veers right and sharp left to a wall).
A steep climb to the next hill then down a grassy lane and up across a pasture to the next hill. The next grassy lane crossed the next ridge via a ditch, then the route passed an equestrian centre. Entry into Cransac is along a loop south on a gravel road then down a forest path, coming out at small lake with a spraying fountain in the middle.
Camping les Faysses in Cransac is a bit off route. The super friendly lady at the reception sometimes lets pilgrims sleep on the couches in the common area which is what I will do with the threat of storms. (The last one here came with a hail the size of eggs and broke all roof windows.) She also offered me the use of a washing and/or drying machine for free. Pitch (or couch) €10.49 for pilgrims, washing machine €4.50+1, drying machine €4.50, fridge and microwave. About 10min away is a supermarket.
When I wanted to reserve a bed for tommorrow, I learned that the only option in Peyrusse has closed down. It then took more than an hour and a combined effort of two tourist offices and the super friendly lady at the reception to find me a garden for the tent. But yey!
View attachment 175718 View attachment 175719 View attachment 175720 View attachment 175721 View attachment 175722 View attachment 175723 View attachment 175724 View attachment 175725
That weird .49 is the tourist tax. I have no idea how they arrive at such a number.I do love your reports, and in this one, especially, the cost of the pitch or couch. It reminds me of a shop in a country town where the lady had all items in boxes, ladies under garments! And the prices were like that: no rounding off to the nearest five cent!
No, because that was an old mark from an exhibition in the fortified gate.Did you try out the Chocolatier?
Taking a break. I need to do something to be able to stay put for longer periods of time.Shame!
Are you taking a break or are you one of those that post on the move?
Aside from the freedom it gives me, this is one of the things I love most about camping.When I woke up to go to the bathroom during the night, I looked up and stared openmouthed. There were so many stars! I brought a chair and just sat there for a while, staring up. I saw a shooting star!
Keep an eye out for the next several nights. We're about the hit the peak Perseids meteor shower: "les larmes de Saint Laurent" (his day is today, but the forecast for most shooting stars is, I think, Monday night).ed. There were so many stars! I brought a chair and just sat there for a while, staring up. And saw a shooting star!
I know! It will depend where I'll be sleeping, I have more towns coming in.Keep an eye out for the next several nights. We're about the hit the peak Perseids meteor shower: "les larmes de Saint Laurent" (his day is today, but the forecast for most shooting stars is, I think, Monday night).
Definitely not my favourite day, probably one of my least favourite days. I forgot how much I really really don't like walking in the rain.A longer day is one thing, but 35k in the rain - yuck. Well done for persevering!
Hope today is considerably better for you
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?