DAY 22 : FRANCE : AUVILLAR to CASTET-ARROUY - 21 kms

Distance walked so far : 449.5 kms

Weather : overcast, strong wind, intermittent showers, 26o

In the bowels of the medieval house in Auvillar is the
kitchen. The owners have found Roman coins in the cellar nearby.
Mark is sitting with a father and son from Grenoble. The
father is a retired professor of Glaciology at Grenoble University.

 

Traditional French breakfast. Juice, yoghurt, baguettes,
home-made jams, coffee or tea usually served in a bowl.

 

Overcast day - cool walking in the breeze. Acres of
ploughed fields or crops ready for harvesting.
Figs, chestnuts, walnuts along the way.
Farmers offering sweet peaches as we walked by.

 

Coffee break in the small village of St Antoine.
The bar owner was very entertaining and brought
out some chain mail for us to examine.

 

Then he took us to his mate's house, whose hobby
making the chain mail into various
items - traditional armour and even lampshades!
(and a very heavy g-string!)
 

 

In 2005 in the local church of St Antoine they
discovered 15th century frescoes on the ceiling under years of grime.
There is now a large restoration project as there is in many churches in France.

 

We walked through the village of Flamarens. There is a
castle, being restored, history dating back to 12th century.
The adjoining church of Saint-Saturnin is a shell, destroyed
in the battles between Protestants and Catholics.

 

We are in a small village tonight staying in a private home.
Castet-Arrouy means 'red castle' and was originally the site
of a small fort.

 

La Plancha, the only restaurant in the village adjoining the church.

 

3 course dinner with drinks - 14 euro pp.
Lovely evening at the small La Plancha cafe with our 
generous host, Patrice. We shared a table with
fellow pelerins from Normandy -  a school librarian
as well!

 

M&M

24/9/12