Day 8 September 3 Saint Chely-d’Aubrac to Saint-Come d’Olt

16.7 km 339m ascent 762 descent 4:10hr. 30⁰ C

We had a very nice sleep, although it was a bit warm. Everything that opened was large enough that a person could enter that way, so I didn’t feel comfortable about leaving anything open. Life is full of compromises.

We got up at 6:15 am and were at breakfast at 7am. Nice breakfast. Russell was attempting to make himself a cappuccino from the fancy machine, following all the instructions, and I was standing beside him with my cup. Another lady arrived for coffee, and wasn’t about to put up with any delay. She grilled Russell on whether he had done this or that, why not push the button again, even though a sign on the machine said not to push the button twice, and then went and fetched the lady in charge. Russell’s cup was rapidly dealt with, and she then made herself a coffee. I just stood there throughout all this, feeling rather like someone completely insignificant and best ignored. She seemed to be happy once she had her coffee, and then turned her attention to me. Joanne, a lawyer from Montreal, walking the Camino with her husband, an American chemical engineer. They started in Aumont-Aubrac, which is where we were on what we are calling our Day 4.

We had a nice conversation, but it was rather going on, so I sat down to eat, and shortly after she left with her coffee. We finished breakfast, handed in our key, got our credential stamped, and were just putting on our backpacks to go, when she reappeared for another coffee. We got into another, very interesting, but long conversation. She had lots of questions about our poles, gear, how far we walked, how we selected our lodging, etc etc. The issue was that we purposely got up early to walk before it got too hot. So I eventually cut in and said we had to go. I’ve been through this with myself many times before. I will allow my own objectives to be thwarted, just to not appear to be rude. I know a lot of people that would never let that happen. Why can’t I?

The map today showed one approximately 200 meter ascent within a span of 1.5 km early on in the walk. We exited through the town, and then climbed approximately 100 meters straight up a very steep hill.

 We passed a pilgrim on one of the 5 cultural heritage items on that stretch of the GR65, the Pont de Pelerins (Pilgrim’s bridge) over Boralde in Saint-Chely d’Aubrac just before the hill, and he started the ascent about the time we were at the highway at the top. The GR65 markings were very clearly telling us to go left, but the GPS seemed to be saying to go to the right. There were more hills involved, and the GR65 markings are so good, I wanted to follow them. Russell was having memories of the via Francigenia, and wanted to follow the GPS. During the debate, the other pilgrim arrived at the highway, and said to go left. Russell was still skeptical, so I went left and after about 20 meters a dirt path appeared on the right, which followed the highway, just many meters above it.

The path crossed that highway again after maybe 500 meters, so either way would have worked, but who wants to walk along a highway when you can walk on a safe and secluded path?

The path then plunged down a hill and we started to climb a whole new mountain. It was a lovely walk through the woods, with the rising sun shining through the trees. We asked the pilgrim to take our picture and then walked with him up another majorly steep, 100 meter rise. He was from Germany and was walking the Camino from his home in Nuremberg, although not all at once. He had started several years ago and was walking for 10-12 days a years from where he left off the year before. He was going at least 30km a day. He was kind enough to say we were very well conditioned when we got to the top of that steep hill. I was pretty pooped at that point and stopped at the very conveniently located picnic table to mop the sweat off my back. He carried on.

The views were magnificent again today. We entered the Lot valley, which is a very fertile plain in France. The trail was lined with hazelnut trees, blackberries, and blue plums. Also more pastures of cows with their calves.  We have noticed the entire family of cow, bull, and calf is put together in the maternity field. Perhaps so the bull can be a role model for the calf?

Today really was a continuous series of steep climbs followed by steep descents.  As you can see from the stats, the descents were much greater than the ascents. To be honest, I’d rather climb up a steep slope than down a steep slope anytime.

We only walked about 17 km today to our lodging, and we arrived at around 11:30am. We are staying at a Convent tonight, called the Couvent De Malet, which is about 400 meters before Saint-Come d’Olt.

We went to where we thought the rooms were, there was nobody there, but there was a bell, so we rang the bell, waited 20 minutes, and rang the bell again. Russell wanted to keep ringing the bell but that seemed rather desperate, so we went outside to a table that was there and had a lovely lunch of cheese, bread, a tomatoe, and olives. This lunch was made possible by the fridge we had in our condo last night.

While we were having our lunch, a Sister came out, got me to come with her, and then presumably explained the routine to me.  I broke in probably near the end of her speech and told her I only spoke a little French. She asked what Country I was from, and I said Canada. I’m pretty sure she was impressed with that response, because I then got a lovely tour and she relayed the drill in a slower manner with much more hand waving, that I could understand.

We had gone to the section of the convent that was only for nuns. Where our rooms were, there was a library, we could get cold water from a water fountain, and make coffee or tea, there was also a much nicer picnic area we could use, outside the church and ‘hotel’ part of the convent, and we could check in the hotel at 2pm.

I thanked her, and went back to finish my lunch with Russell at the table where we had started it. After lunch, Russell left his backpack where the suitcases were being delivered by the taxi transfer, I didn’t, and we went in to Saint-Come d’Olt to sightsee.

We met the German pilgrim coming in to the town that had been travelling with the Lithuanians. They had gone further a day or so ago, so he was now on his own. He planned to go to Espalion today, which a lot of others were planning to do as well. We go where Macs arranges for us to go.

The circular street surrounding the village centre of Saint-Come d’Olt and its ramparts, that have become the facades of the houses, give the city an exceptional appearance.

The heart of the city has kept its mediaeval character with three fortified entrance gateways and its alleyways. A 12^th century manor with two 14^th century towers and two monuments listed as historic monuments: the Chateau de Castelneau, dating from the 13^th century and today housing the Mayor as well as the Chapelle des Penitents, formerly a hospice for pilgrims and now an exhibition room.

What really distinguishes Saint-Come d’Olt from other villages is its church with the twisted spire. It was built from 1522 to 1532 in a flamboyant Gothic style.

You have to wonder about a town that retains its medieval appearance. That usually indicates it suffered a major economic or political setback.

At a picnic site beside the towers, were tables of pilgrims, including the nurse, the ladies from Australia, and many others. They were also heading to Espalion. We go to Estaing tomorrow and have a rest day there, so will likely not see any of these people again. We said our good-byes, and they said ‘you never know, we may meet further down the road after all’.

We came to check in to our room close to 2pm. 

We didn’t get a key, hmmm, we did get a big lecture about how to avoid leaving them with a bed bug problem, a routine we follow anyway because we don’t want them any more than they do, were told of all the services, if we wanted to pray, and when dinner was.

It is a very austere room, but definitely adequate. The e-mail doesn’t work coming in or going out – but it’s not that an uncommon occurrence. We do, at least, have very slow internet access.

It was a nice supper, but very lacking in spice. Squash soup, curried chicken, vegetables, couscous, and a trifle. We all ate at long tables, to encourage mingling.

Interestingly, the Sister asked people what country they were from, most from France, Belgium, we from Canada, and six people (not collectively but in pairs or individually) said they were from Quebec. I didn’t know Quebec was a country!

She also explained, as was later translated to us, that you could get to Espalion tomorrow along the road, on level ground and a shorter distance, or via the GR65 - which involved a major climb, and not to turn your light on in your room with the window open when it was dark, because the bats would fly in.

I was pretty surprised about her discouraging pilgrims, in any way, to follow the GR65. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey!