DAY 28 : FRANCE : LANNE-SOUBIRON to AIRE-SUR-L'ADOUR - 20 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked so far : 575.5 kms

Weather : cool, cloudy with occasional sunshine : 16o

Walking through cornfields and Saint Mont vineyards

 

Hunters and their dogs out on weekend shoot

  

Walking into the pretty town of Aire-Sur-L'Adour

19th century Halle aux Grains, Aire-Sur-L'Adour

 

Locals out in their Basque gear for the festival

 

 

Special festival day today
The winner wins his weight in wine

 

Set in the local bullring, there is an acrobatic contest
between four  teams, identified by different coloured
sashes.

 

Our gite

Welcome by the very friendly Jean-Michel, the owner of the gite

  

 

M&M

30/9/12 

 

DAY 27 : FRANCE : MANCIET to LANNE-SOUBIRAN - 19 kms

Distance walked so far : 555.5 kms

Weather : showers, cool : 15o

Breakfast prepared by Mathieu for us and Zouszous and Bertrand

 

Another bull ring this time in Nogaro. A busy town, being
on a main transport route between Toulouse and Bayonne.
Mobile homes and Winnebagos aplenty speeding
through the town.

 

Showers continued as we walked through the woods.
No mud today - thank heavens. We were surprised to see a
small deer skeltering through the forest.

 

 

We emerged from the forest to find our gite - it felt
like something out of Robin Hood. It is a 300 year old
renovated outbuilding - very comfortable cottage -
and all to ourselves!

 

Christine, our hostess. She and her husband, Pierre,
bought the property 7 years ago and are slowly renovating
the out-buildings into accommodation. They also breed
ducks for the local industry - and of course, she served
delicious duck for dinner.


 



 

M&M
29/9/12

 

DAY 26 : FRANCE : LAMOTHE to MANCIET - 18 kms - 4 1/2 hours

Distance walked so far : 538.5 kms

Weather : fine, partly overcast : 20o

It was comfortable walking today mainly on a disused railway track – in fact, we felt quite cocooned in a covered walkway – oblivious to the countryside around us.

Walking on disused railway line

 We passed through Eauze. It is a beautifully presented town with a fascinating history.

 

Medieval main square in Eauze

 It was originally called Elusa, dating back to prehistoric times, and was capital of the Roman province of Novempopulana from the third to the seventh century.   In 1985 when the railway line was being dismantled through the town they found evidence of Roman occupation in the form of 23,003 coins and 50 precious objects dating back to the third century AD. While Mark rested in the sun in the main plaza (making more accommodation bookings) I visited the museum, which has the treasure on display. It included absolutely exquisite jewellery.


Roman artefacts in Eauze museum found in 1985

We were walking through the Gascogne vineyards most of the day. We came across several large holding tanks being aerated – we discovered later that it is a trial for breeding sturgeon for development of the French caviar industry.

Unexpected visitors along the way

 

Unhappy donkey not appreciating the slippery paths

 

  Our accommodation tonight is in a very inauspicious service town. Manciet has two claims to fame. It has a local bullring, now used for annual acrobatic bull competition in September and a communal wash house from the 19th century. The bull ring is a reminder that we are nearing the Spanish border.

Bull ring in  Manciet

 

Traditional communal wash house

 

   The gite is adequate – we have a room to ourselves with linen provided – always a bonus – and a meal tonight of local cuisine cooked by our hostess. Disappointing? Not so. If we were driving and riding through this area we would not even comtemplate stopping. Having walked and staying wherever you've booked, there are always surprises - friendly people in the bars, hosts and other walkers with fascinating stories.



Gite Mathieu, Manciet



M&M
28/9/12

　

DAY 25 : FRANCE : CONDOM to LAMOTHE - 26 kms - 6 hours

Distance walked so far : 520.5 kms

Weather today : 15o at 8am, continued cool with light breeze - perfect.

Quite a long day's walk but it was cool and the paths were straight, earthen and the roads were quiet, country lanes. We met up with quite a few groups along the way and we all ended up gathering for lunch in Montreal-du-Gers - at the only cafe. We are getting into a steady routine, walking in undulating hills, with a more constant landscape - mainly grape vines, little obvious livestock. Peaceful, predictable, pleasant...and still no injuries.

Yesterday we glimpsed the Pyrenees for the first time.
You can see the snow capped mountains in the background.
We hope to arrive there in about 10 days time.

 

Leaving Condom.
 

 

Unfortunately we didn't have time..but it looked interesting...

  

A map of the important religious sites along this part of the GR65

Pont d'Artigues
Originally Roman bridge over the Osse River with 5 arches.
In the Middle Ages there was a pilgrim hospital nearby but
there is not evidence of it today.

 

 

Lunch in Montreal du Gers.

 

Shady walkways

 

Walking through vineyards. Much of this crop used for the
very popular liqueur, Armagnac.

 

Gite in the tiny hamlet of Lamothe

 

4 bedrooms off a little verandah. We have a room to
ourselves.

 

A wonderful meal prepared by Fritz.
Brian, the Canon of Winchester Cathedral (a Canadian
priest), Jean-Pierre and Manu from Grenoble.

Sunset over Lamothe

 



 

M&M

27/9/12 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 24 : FRANCE : MARSOLAN to CONDOM - 21 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked so far : 494.5 kms
Weather : Cool, rainy periods : 19o

We started out today in the rain...remember 'it's not the weather, it's the
clothes!'
 

 

The dry, cracked soil suddenly became a slippery bog after
a night's rain. Our boots were like leaden weights..
 

 

Because of the weather we took a variant route today
and came across a gite, which acts as a cafe during
the day in the little village of Castelnau sur l'Avignon.
We have been so impressed with the dedication of locals, who
open their homes to pilgrims walking to St Jean and beyond.

 

 

A vineyard with white grapes - the first we've seen.

 

The impressive cathedral of St Pierre in the city of Condom.
It was originally a Benedictine Abbey. Under the English
occupation it was elevated to a Bishopric with a diocese of 130
parishes.

 

Fabulous statue of the 3 Musketeers with D'Artagnan.
D'Artagnan is recognised here because his birthplace is
in this vicinity.

 

Our gite on the main thoroughfare to town.

 

Gite with peaceful setting of lovely garden.

 

Clean and simple - 12.50 euros each.

 

TAMPONS IN CONDOM     We all know what a twisted mind I have and this will confirm it! Everyday we have been receiving 'tampons', the French word for 'stamp' on our credential. When I found out that one of the main towns on the route was Condom I couldn't control myself - and today I have achieved my goal - a tampon in Condom!   Tampon encreur (grand)

M&M 26/9/12 

DAY 23 : FRANCE : CASTET-ARROUY to MARSOLAN - 19 kms - 4 1/2 hours

Distance walked so far : 468.5 kms
Weather : cool, cloudy : 20o

Farewell breakfast with Kurt and Elisabeth (Gratz, Austria) as
we move on to different destinations. We all spent the night
in Chez Nat - Nat has 3 bedrooms which she rents out.

Over half way to St Jean...and a night away from the
unfortunately- named town, Condom.

 

Soft paths, shade and cool weather - perfect walking

 

Hay being stored for winter.

 

Interesting market gardens, planted neatly.
We saw 2 signs for snail farms today -
love to see how they breed them.

 

We walked through Lectoure - pop. 4,000. One of the oldest towns
 in the Gers River region. It is a walled town with ramparts. It also reknown
as a spa town with an ancient fountain dedicated to the Roman
goddess, Diana.

 

The cathedral in Lectoure is built on an
old Roman temple.

 

Lectoure is a hill-top town so we took advantage of
the view and had lunch on the terrace of one of the many
restaurants.

 

Our gite tonight is in a little country town. There is a range of 
accommodation on the property but our sleeping quarters
are in a little cottage overlooking a small forest.

  

A bunk room with a view.

 

.....and a pool...

 

oo

...good food...not the cat...

 

 

..great company!

 

M&M
25/9/12