GR653 Via Tolosana, last part: Day 3 Giscaro - L'Isle-Arné

Le pied: un objet simple et moderne pour vivre debout.
- poster at Gîte Le Grangé

Hung about the comfortable Gîte Le Grangé as long as we could and then set off along the grassy path by which we had arrived. We passed through the hamlet of Giscaro and continued straight on to Gimont, where we stocked up on groceries for the next couple of days. In the supermarket we ran into our new German friends, a couple of Austrian pilgrims, and - Asterix and Obelix, along with their whole village of indomitable Gauls!

This bird has wings but prefers to walk, like us

The church of Giscaro

Indomitable Gauls out doing their shopping

With provisions for the next two days securely put away in our packs, we then explored the town of Gimont, a bastide, that is, a medieval market town surrounded by walls. 

Upon leaving the town, we found a park by a small lake, the perfect place for a picnic - in the company of a gaggle of geese. Did I mention that Gimont is the foie gras capital of the world?

Leaving our picnic spot, we stopped by the abbey of Cazuhac before continuing across farmland and through woods to our destination for today, Gîte Pied-à-terre en Gascogne near L'Isle-Arné. 

In this island of tranquillity we prepared a spaghetti dinner with our German friends Marius and Peter, who then made us peppermint tea with mint leaves from the garden. We are sharing this wonderful place with the young Austrian couple we ran into in Gimont, a Frenchman who has just finished cooking himself an elaborate seafood dinner, and six young women walking from Auch to Toulouse on a bachelorette trip! 

GR653 Via Tolosana last part: Day 2 L'Isle-Jourdain - Giscaro

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

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.

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

GR653 Via Tolosana, last part: Day 1 Toulouse - Leguevin

You have feet, and if you don’t make use of them it’s a loss and a waste.

 ― Thích Nhất Hạnh, How to Walk

Today we finally started using our feet again!

We crossed the centre of Toulouse, very quiet early on a Saturday morning. 

Le Capitole

Adieu Toulouse ! 

Once out of the city centre we quickly found the "coquille St. Jacques" symbols posted by the local branch of the Amis de Saint Jacques, indicating a more direct route to Léguevin than the GR653, which takes a long and winding route around the city airport and through a forest. Much of today's route was on the sidewalks of paved roads, but it wasn't ugly! 

Natural beauty even amid the concrete

We stopped for a lunch break in Colomiers, home to the Airbus factory.  

Assorted bits of planes outside the Airbus factory

Then the trail took us to a book exchange in a former telephone booth, where we stocked up on reading material - my choice was Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Français, pour les étudiants de tous pays, ouvrage coronné pour l'Academie française, 1963 edition. After drinking all my water and eating an apple to make up for the weight of the book, we resumed our way and passed through the charming village of Pibrac, a pilgrimage destination in its own right with the Basilica of Sainte-Germaine.

From Pibrac we took a grassy path alongside the railroad tracks to Brax and then down the road to Léguevin, where we had read that the Maison Saint-Jacques offered pilgrims a particularly warm welcome. But when we arrived, tired out from a whole day of using our feet - which can be quite a shock to the system on the first day after a long winter of indoor life - we were surprised to find it shut and locked! 

Coming up with an alternative plan

Calling the number on the door, we were told it was closed because of a problem (the exact nature of which my limited French did not allow me to understand). A couple more phone calls revealed there were no alternative accommodations in the vicinity, so we took a bus back to Colomiers, the Airbus town, where we were able to find an inexpensive hotel next to the train and bus station, so we can easily get back to where we left the trail in the morning. 

Toulouse - Leguevin 24.5 km

GR653 Via Tolosana, last part: Back on the road!

I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I've been.

- Winnie the Pooh

Where I've been, on these Long Walks, is everywhere between Rome and Toulouse on the route linking Rome with Santiago de Compostela. Starting out from my home base in Chiavari.  

First, 600 kilometres from Chiavari to Rome on the Via Francigena, in 28 days, in September and October 2015. 

Then, 294 kilometres from Chiavari to Ventimiglia, just short of the French border, in 25 days in October 2016.

572 kilometres from Ventimiglia to Montpellier, on the toughest of my Walks so far, in 25 days in October 2017.

And 389 kilometres from Montpellier to Toulouse in 18 days, in April and May 2018.

So next, I'm going to pick up the Via Tolosana right where I left off in May 2018. 

It takes thirteen hours on the bus to get back to where I left off: thirteen hours to cover the ground I walked in 58 days. Thirteen hours - or 58 days - to cover 1557 kilometres.

GR653 Via Tolosana: Ready to go!

S'en aller, c'est gagner son procès contre l'habitude.

- Paul Morand, Le voyage (1927)

Boots polished... pack full... first week's accommodations booked... Time to leave routine behind and head for the unknown!