Walk Day 10 - Cahors river loop

Sunday, May 31, 2009
Got the walking bug now so, on my last day I decided to explore the GR36 which runs along the Lot River out of Cahors. Left at 8am and walked to Laroque des Arcs and back -- a nice little 9klm round trip and back by 10:15.


As on the GR65, there's the familiar red and white marker on the lamp post on the right.

A garden alotment.

Scullers and fishermen.

Laroque des Arcs -- half these buildings are built right into the rock.

Walk Day 8 - Lhospitalet to near Montcuq

Friday, May 29, 2009

Decided to use the baggage service again today so walked lightly! Was dropped in Lhospitalet by my hosts at "Les Tuileries" at 8:30am and arrived at my B&B "Labouysse" about four klms before Montcuq at 2pm -- just over 17klms. Sunny all day and the hottest one so far -- 27 or 28C -- and perhaps the least shady. The landscape has changed and is more open, less hilly, with more grain fields and the earth is grey/white as opposed to the distinctive red earth before Cahors. Far fewer other walkers on the trail today and yesterday, not sure why.

Too bad this has to be my last day on the trail because I'm feeling so much stronger and my hips and legs are no longer screaming at me. The lack of Sunday and holiday bus service in the area mean I'll have to return to Cahors tomorrow morning, Saturday, if I'm to catch my train on Monday and make the flight on Tuesday morning in Paris.





A little field airport.


Only the second day I was seeing the yellow gorse bushes.


Morning rest stop -- a surprise little park before Lascabanes.








Entering Lascabanes. You'd think there'd be a store or café but no.


Leaving Lascabanes -- a nice looking B&B and restaurant but resto only open in evenings.

St. Jean de Froid -- gorgeous little chapel

These are little sunflower plants -- imagine the field in two months...

The whiteness of the trail at midday made it feel hotter than it was but the breezes were still cool, feeling as if they were blowing down out of the mountains behind me.

The cutoff to my B&B, "Labouysse" about 4 klms before Montcuq.

M. and Mme Couture, who've farmed this land for 32 years, and also served a brilliant farm-fresh meal including a wonderful spinach dish.


"Labouysse's" main tower dates from the 1600s.

The view from my bedroom down into the valley.

My bedroom.

Walk Day 6 - ...into Cahors

Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Another perfect day for walking -- sunny but cool, I needed the sweater to start the day. For the first time I order baggage service and for 8 Euros (left in the top pocket of my backpack at the front door of the Le Gascou farmhouse) it will be delivered to my hotel in Cahors. Yahoo.

Left at 8:45am and arrived at Cahors, some 16klms later, at 12:45pm. Cahors' in the River Lot valley so had another mean descent into town. Except for that, it felt like I was dancing along the trail without the pack on my back today.


Somebody's sculpture -- stones hanging in the trees.

From the gite it's about 800 metres to rejoin the GR65 again, but the signage is good, as seen here.

Carved stone bricks -- this is the first area I've noticed these.

A glorious hedgerow...

Only twice did the trail run near or by a highway. Note white and red trail marker on the signpole marking trail which went under the highway.

Poppies and daiseys...

Might this have been the base of a windmill? There were a few other old "moulins" in the area.

Newly laid stones on the road -- hell on the feet.

These guys usually fluttered in pairs and were all along the trail.

If you know what this Martian-looking flower is please let me know. (Much later: I discovered this is a Tassle Hyacinth -- who knew hyacinth's could look like this!)

Descending into Cahors. Mid-photo you can barely see the three towers of the medievel bridge, Pont Valentre. The next day's trail started from there and went back up those hills.

The cathedral in Cahors -- the oldest part built between 1108 and 1153 (or something). This walled garden added in the 1800s.

When I entered the main church (this is a side chapel) there were two cyclists wandering about and the woman stopped at the front and started singing. She had a big beautiful voice and the church's acoustics were fantastic. Another magic moment.

My bedroom at the top of La Paix, a very decent little two-star hotel in the old part of the city right across from the daily market -- very handy for fresh bread, yogurt, fruit, etc.

Walk Day 5 - Bach to near Laburgade at "Le Gascou"

Tuesday, May 26, 2009
There was a terrific, wild thunderstorm last night but the morning is calm if cloudy and excellent walking weather. Easy, flat trail today although muddy, and made good time. Got going at 8:30am and arrived at my Gite d'étape "Le Gascou" at 12:50pm, about 12 klms down the trail.

Unusually, there was a kind of homemade café on the trail today so I had to stop and support it. Asked for tea with milk and was served green tea with hot milk in it, go figure, but I drank it down with pleasure.


Passing through Bach again.

A dark sky but it didn't actually rain much. The white flowers on the shrubs in the hedgerows are brambleberry blossoms, vibernum, and dogwood, among other things -- gorgeous.

A little topiary in the works....

About 15 minutes of rather gentle rain and then just cloudy...

A fellow traveller with a pack on her back....

My night's gite was off the main trail about one klm and down the path to the left here...

"Le Gascou" is a working farm, our accommodation was a little stone house behind where I was standing.

Arrived early and in time to mess around with self-portraits. Nothing hurting too badly today, must be getting stronger.

An amazing meal, simple but absolutely delicious which was eaten with the other three guests and delivered to our cottage by the farmer's wife and her two grandchildren. Started with this salad composé -- fresh lettuce from the garden, slices of homemade paté and fresh, hardboiled egg followed by stuffed goose over rice followed by a cheese plate followed by homemade chocolate-covered-cornflakes cookie (!) and all washed down by a bottle local wine. I bought a lunch for the next day from the farm which consisted of more homemade paté, a hardboiled egg, a chunk of cheese, an apple and some bread. I must be in heaven.

My bedroom for the night. As there are not that many single women on the trail, this turned out to be the only night I shared a room -- I arrived first so I got the double bed.