DAY 32 : FRANCE : NAVARRENX to AROUE - 18.5 kms - 6 hours (avec arrets)

Distance walked so far : 695 kms
Weather : sunny, pleasant walking - 22o

Leaving Navarrenx, with our packs firmly strapped to our backs, this morning we could really visualise this 'bastide' town with its ramparts, still in excellent condition. Henry 1V, who was reknown for his many mistresses, as we learnt yesterday, employed Italian craftsmen to build the ramparts. In fact, it resembles the fortifications around Lucca in Italy. We walked over the impressive bridge, originally constructed to take pilgrims on their way across the river, to leave the town to head further south-west.

Ramparts around Navarrenx

 

Leaving Navarrenx on impressive bridge

 

We met a woman with a donkey and four goats on a
leash. The goats were eating all the vines in a public park
and the leads were all entangled. I volunteered my
services.. and I hope that they all reached their
their destination.
 

We walked through attractive small towns, through forested areas and cornfields (of course). We arrived at an intersection to find a beautifully finished shelter area for walkers. An enterprising businessman, who owned the frois gras store on the block, sold drinks and displayed his products, with discounts for pelerins. A successful secondary line for an otherwise quiet shopfront.

Delicious European passionfruit

 

Beautiful houses in villages around Navarrenx

 

Free range roosters

 

Walking through the forests many hides
for hunters looking out for pheasant and deer.

 

Enterprising businessman - pelerin business on the side

We found a sheltered spot for lunch with large picnic tables - chatting to a range of groups on the way. Four from Quebec and four from Lyons are sharing tonight at our gite extraordinaire. Our gite is a large old home on a busy road, run by a old-style grandmother, who has the welcome and organisation for pilgrims down pat. Our bedroom looks like something out of the Sicilian scenes in The Godfather - faded and basic. There's a lot going on in the farmyard - painters on the roof of the shed, meetings in the dining room, large trucks driving around the house, dogs barking and the gerdarmerie have just shown up. I can't wait for dinner.

Gite extraordinaire - farm or building site?

Then the police car arrived.....

 

Madame Francoise, the hostess with the mostest

 The Menu

Aperitif : White wine, juracon, with cassis (blackberry syrup)

Entree : ham with green pepper chunky omelette

Main : Pan- fried pork slices with peas and carrots

Simple green salad

Cheese : slice of hard sheep cheese with cherry jam

Dessert : Ice cream

Herbal teas (very popular in France, called tissane)

 

M&M

4/10/12