When we walked the Camino Frances last year, we always started walking around 6:30am just as the sun was rising. It was May and the days were lengthening and we loved to take advantage of the peaceful silence of the early morning. Now, in October, on Le Chemin Le Puy, the daylight comes much later so we wait for it, indulging in a light breakfast and leisurely cup of tea or coffee and usually head out after 7:30 or even 8:00am. Not so Valentine. Our lovely New Caledonia lady walks at a much slower pace than her travelling companion, Jocelyne, so they have developed their own routine. Valentine has an early breakfast and heads out into the dark with her headlamp on. Jocelyne leaves an hour or so later and they meet up later in the morning. There are usually several phone calls back and forth to keep in touch. By late in the day their pace in a little bit more in sync. It is really ideal to have a walking companion whose pace matches your own. In that sense, Dayton and I are not ideal walking companions. My stride is too short so it's difficult for him to inch along with me. We tend to walk several meters apart, Dayton path finding and leading the way. Julia fits in with us really well. Sometimes she'll stride out and keep up with Dayton but often is content to settle back with me. And sometimes all three of us are spread out lost in our thoughts. It was a beautifully clear and sunny day as we walked from Lascabanes to Lauzerte. The only problem was the mud caking on our boots. Jocelyne had walked the first couple of hours with us until we got to Montcuq where we went in search of an epicerie for fruit and drinks and Jocelyne went in search of Valentine. This should have been an easy day but I just don't find any days EASY, not when it's hot, not when I'm carrying a pack, not when it's muddy and my boots weigh 3kgs each, and not when I'm walking 25 kms. Not that I'm whining at all. We took a lunch break after Montlauzan and walked a fairly sheltered path into Lauzerte. It was going into Lauzerte that we were surprised by a 'supermarket' - a cross between a dollar store, a grocery store and a Zellers. Shampoo and wine were at the top of the shopping list and the the usual food for the next day's lunch - banana, apple, cheese and bread. A short walk up the hill (of course) and we found our gite, a long, low salmon coloured brick building. Being greeted at the open door of a gite by a friendly face and someone telling you to drop your pack and sit and have a cool drink is so wonderful. Once again we have found a wonderful gite; a friendly helpful hospitalero, free computer and internet access, big clean rooms with ensuite showers and washrooms and great food. Michel, the owner, helped us book a gite in Moissac and tried to find us the best way to visit Rocomadour. It turns out there is no best way. The trains are probably not running because as Michel says, "It's France". Julia, Dayton and I walked up to the lovely medieval city. It was lovely with a beautiful big centre square but once again everything was closed up and deserted. The only signs of life were the sounds of children playing in the schoolyard. It seemed an odd juxtaposition; the joyful sounds of children playing and the silence of the empty square. Dinner at Lauzerte was another marvel. Just the potatoes au gratin, made with deliciously creamy Gruyere cheese, were enough to make me rethink my French Fry addiction. I'm not saying they were good but tomorrows 25km probably won't be enough to wear off the four servings I indulged in. There were at least six courses served starting with an aperitif and appetizers. Apparently that downing that potent aperitif was imperative! The second course was not going to be served until everyone had finished their drink.Then we had soup and a creamy meat infused salad and bread and the potatoes and a pork meat course. There was the de riguer cheese tray, grapes and a mousse dessert. It was a very lively group at the table and conversations were going side to side, across the table and down the table, in English, French and German. Whew! We waddled away from the table with a few extra kgs under our belt and some good memories.
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