September 9, 2024
The Poncho Patrol was out in force; by providence, we avoided most of the deluge, but the trails were braided and boggy.
It helped to attenuate the curious provincial bar scenes from the night before – a pétanque team well into their cups, arguing with the folle du ville about… well, her virtue. Our hostess was more diplomatic: it’s small town affairs, oui? We had grim expectations for our dinner: we were soon pleasantly overwhelmed by a flurry of paysanne fare.
Today was our étape reine (the peak challenge) with 2 passes and gorges to breach. ‘Treacherous’ as a search term yields info on this stage!
A less solitary experience, with pilgrims 1, 2, 3 and 4 abreast along the way, all decked out in Sierra Designs and Patagonia. Some with packs & poles, others light-footed. Most in their own vibe, with a salutary bon- jour/chemin/courage as we politely step by.
The juxtaposition of small burgs and historic sights keeps monotony (and repetitive strain) at bay:
It’s a Monday in rural France, so there’s more nightlife in our tweaking quads than the town… unless the mythical Beast of Gévaudan returns!
Another meh hotel; for rooms, we chose wi-fi over space – bad move! There’s a tub, though – ahhh.
Our Moveable Feats 
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