Ce n'est pas parce que les choses sont difficiles que nous n'osons pas, c'est parce que nous n'osons pas qu'elles sont difficiles
- Seneca
- Seneca
The difficulties of the Way can be overcome, provided you are flexible. Not one but two of the pilgrim accommodations we had booked turned out to be unable to accommodate us, so we retraced our steps by bus and stayed in a budget hotel near Toulouse last night. The buses don't run on Sundays, so we took the train for a few stops this morning to get back on the trail at the closest possible point to where we left off last night.
Upon arriving in L'Isle-Jourdain we bought picnic supplies before setting off along the trail; surprisingly, several of the local shops were open on Sunday!
Today we walked through woods and wheat fields, over rolling hills and streams, and through the picturesque village of Montferran-Savès. We are in the heart of Gascogne, land of foie-gras and armagnac.
Today's destination was Gîte le Grangé, just outside Giscaro. One of the best places we've stayed so far! Cute dormitories with linens provided, a communal living room with a fireplace and a massaging armchair, dinner cooked by the owners. We shared our evening meal with Enrico, who set out from Padua on March 11, and two German walkers, Marius and Peter.
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| That cosy feeling of knowing that a warm shower, a good meal and a comfy bed await you, only 1.8 km away! |
Today's destination was Gîte le Grangé, just outside Giscaro. One of the best places we've stayed so far! Cute dormitories with linens provided, a communal living room with a fireplace and a massaging armchair, dinner cooked by the owners. We shared our evening meal with Enrico, who set out from Padua on March 11, and two German walkers, Marius and Peter.
L'Isle-Jourdain - Giscaro 17 km
Loved this place, too! A perfect gite!
ReplyDeleteJoanne, I am very interested in walking part of the GR-653. Can you assist with a few questions:
ReplyDelete1. Did you use Miam Miam guidebook for your walk or another resource?
2. I don't speak French but am learning and can read better than I can speak. Will I have difficulties when on the walk? I am sure in most rural areas I will need to use my Google translate app to help.
3. Did you have to reserve in advance your day's stop (gite or ?)
4. Did you encounter any sections where you needed to carry water and food as there were no stores or bars/restaurants available?
5. Last question...where did you get your stamp in Montpellier?
Mega thanks in advance for your help - Eric
Hi, Eric! I really recommend this walk. I did not use the famous Miam-Miam Dodo guidebook; I like the Topoguides published by the Fédération Grand Randonnée, which have the map and the directions on facing pages. For accommodations, I used web resources. A little bit of French definitely helps, for communicating with hosts and people you meet along the way... try doing some French lessons on Duolingo? I pretty much always reserved the day's accommodations in advance, even just one day in advance. It's best to carry enough food for a couple of meals with you at all times, as many French villages have no shops, and even when there are shops, they are closed on Sundays, holidays and - apparently random days and times during the week ;) ! Lastly, I got my Montpellier stamp at the Cathedral. And it's a really nice one, too! Bon chemin! - Joanne
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