Murat sur Vèbre to Saint Gervais sur Mare, 23.3 km
What should have been a relatively easy day turned out to be quite demanding – but not as demanding for me as it is for the folks going the other way. They had the 650m vertical climb up to the ridge while I only had about 300m of vertical. My big day is tomorrow.
Crossing the ridge and descending into the valley marked a major change in landscape and geology. Gone are the rolling farmlands, replaced by harsh rocky outcrops and minimal arable land. The land must have supported many industrious subsistence farmers for centuries, as there are ancient rock terraces, two very quaint villages nestled deep in the valley, and the path we walked on must have once been a very well constructed horse path. The villages were a surprise: rather than the run down, crumbling ancient stone houses previously encountered, these were well maintained. The region is popular for hiking, so I’m speculating that city folk have bought up the houses as weekend retreats.
Tonight’s gîte is a communal one, newer than I’m used to, and well equipped. Being well equipped is a moot point when, being Sunday, there is nowhere to buy provisions. I lugged the French equivalent of a TV dinner over the hills. The options in the tiny grocery store were limited. There are now many more people on the path. Tonight there are 4 others, but I passed 10 on the trail today. Last night I shared the gîte with a German and a Dutch couple. English was the common language, so it was an enjoyable evening with some interesting and funny fellow walkers.
2saunter 