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| A broad and fertile valley beyond Revel-Tourdan. |
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| There's always someone who doesn't follow the crowd, isn't there? Thank God. |
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| Colourful caterpillar. |
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| Following a shorter, variant route through the Bois de Taravas, I soon approached a more mountainous landscape. |
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| After a long day covering more than 30 km, I crossed the Rhône and entered the riverside town of Chavanay. The old part of town lay just up a valley of vine-clad slopes. |
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I spent the night at a communal gîte next to the church with other French, German and Swiss walkers. It was a Sunday, and most places were shut, but we managed to find a small restaurant - with a proper pizza oven - that was open, so we enjoyed an excellent pizza washed down with rosé wine. Before this we'd eaten delicious sweet chestnuts which some French pilgrims had gathered along the day's route, then simmered in water for an hour in the gîte. |
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| The restored chapelle du Calvaire above Chavanay. |
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| A simple stone alcove and cross behind the chapelle du Calvaire. |
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| Last sight of Chavanay in the early morning mist. |
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| The Way continues. Only 1631 more km to Compostelle! |
8 comments:
Goodness, with 'only' that distance left, you are 'nearly' at Le Puy!!! Loving your photos. Hope to walk this next year, but will see how I like the comparative solitude and ups and downs of the Cluny route first.
Sounds as though sometimes this turns into a gastronomic tour Robert.
Kiwi - Le Puy is in sight...
... and Pat - is my love of food and drink really that obvious? ;-)
Another sumptuous feast for the eyes and spirit. So many paths to travel, so little time. As you said on the eve of this journey, one must always be willing to seize the moment, grab the backpack, and embark upon another path of discovery.
And a feast for the stomach, too, George, according to Pat! (And she's right...)
Thanks so much for your comment, George. Seize the day, my friend!
Not very far at all, then. A wonderful little afternoon's walk.
Robert, do you meet any of your fellow pilgrims again on the route? Or any other pilgrimage? The companionship of people all following the same path must be a heart-warming feeling to experience at the end of a long day's solitude.
You are right about Larkin, he is one of my favourite English poets too. I know there are people who can't stand his slightly sardonic, unembellished attitude, but I love it; it's very close to my own world view.
Yes, Friko, you do keep bumping into other pilgrims. People you haven't seen for days sudden appear. Then disappear again. Evenings in the gîtes can be very companionable. All this helps to keep any pangs of loneliness at bay.
Larkin is a master. His, as you put it, 'slightly sardonic, unembellished attitude' I find refreshingly real and true.
Oh, the vantage point out onto the valley and those scenes. It really fills a person up. The pizza and wine must have been such a treat after that day. I am astonished by these continuing delights.
And oh, Larkin. I first fell in love reading "Church Going."
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