Tous les matins nous allons plus loin
Jour après jour la route nous appelle
C’est la voix de Compostelle
- Traditional French pilgrims' song
Tous les matins nous allons plus loin... And after taking to the road on many, many mornings, walking farther and farther from home every day, here I am, on my last night in France!
Ventimiglia (on the border between France and Italy) to Bource (14 km short of the border between France and Spain)
58 days - 1260 km!
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| Leaving Sarrance - On the bridge over the Aspe |
We six women who had been staying at the monastery walked as a group for most of the day, and we had a great time!
Especially in Bedous, where we met Pierette, who opened the church for us and then invited us all to her home for a cup of coffee. It was like a proper ladies' tea party - but with muddy boots and wet raingear strewn all about the hall!
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| Bedous |
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| Bedous |
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| Pierrette, keeper of the key to the church (and a very impressive key it is!) |
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| Ladies' coffee morning chez Pierrette! |
Pierrette's home was very simply furnished but packed with images of saints and Madonnas, stacks of Famille Chrétienne magazines and other such relics, reminding me very much of the home of Jeannine who hosted me in Mouries the night I couldn't find accommodations!
When we finally managed to leave Bedous behind, we discovered a flour mill on the edge of town that sells the most delicious bread in the world!
Tearing chunks off a freshly baked loaf with our bare hands as we walked, we continued to the village of Jouers, where we made a slight detour to view an 11th century chapel decorated with extravagant little carved figures around the roof.
We caught up with the rest of the ladies as they were setting up for a picnic by the river just outside the village of Accous.
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| Accous |
From here the route became rather less exciting, joining the national highway for some time. Then it crossed the river again to wind through the trees on the opposite bank of the river from the road.
Hot and sweaty from walking all day in waterproofs, we were delighted to arrive in Bource and find that the local pilgrim hostel is also the local bar!
After a cold beer we retired to our rooms, or rather, our house, as we have the whole place to ourselves tonight! The guys have gone ahead to the next town, and there are no other guests, so for once we don't have to worry about the complications involved in getting out of the communal shower when you have only a handkerchief-sized travel towel!
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| Bource |
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| Bource |
Hasta mañana!!
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