Béduer to Cajarc - 19 kilometers

Another hot day - low 90s.  A village along the way had a water fountain where we refilled our bottles with cool water - we needed every drop.

Last nights lodging was a treat, our hostess was so nice.  She showed us a shortcut back to the trail.

Hit the trail at 8:30 after croissants, bread and yogurt.

Most of the way was on dirt paths today, so much easier on the feet

Another caselle - a circular stone structure for temporary shelter for animals, equipment and sometimes farmers - 18th and early 19th centuries

Two story barn typical of the "Lot" Department, this region of France 

Standing in front of a "dolmen" - prehistoric tombs 3,500-2,000 BC

At last, Cajarc down below - always downhill at the end of the day and then back up in the morning

Our hotel and restaurant 

And now dinner - beautiful presentation.

Salad with melon, ham, tomato, mushrooms - very good

Duck, frites, roasted tomato, green salad, sliced apple

Followed by fruit salad for Mare and chocolate ice cream pour moi

We skipped coffee.

Bon nuit!

Figeac to Béduer - 12 kilometers

Saturday, August 29 - no wi-fi - post on Sunday  

Approximately 158 miles down and 285 miles to go.  

We had a short day but another hot one, in the low 90s

Last night hotel was a dump - dirty and the bathroom tile was painted over in a fluorescent orange!

Mare at breakfast, we did get our chocolate croissants 

Sights along the way

 The building is a caselle  - we think 

Our lodging for the night - cute and clean

Our booking company goofed again!  We are supposed to have dinner included every night.  Our host tonight knows nothing about that.  So we will go into town and pay for a dinner we already paid for.  

Hanging out

Waiting for the laundry to dry

Dinner - we paid and will try to get reimbursed - pizza with side salads and a couple of beers to wash it down 

Beautiful evening

Livinhac to Figeac - 26 kilometers

Friday, August 28

Breakfast - bread, juice, coffee, tea - no croissants!

Hotel - rooms on 2nd floor, entry through  garage door on the right

We entered a different Department in France - we are now walking in Lot

Chapelle de Guirande had murals from the 14th century

Nice section of trail in this picture, so much of the trail today and yesterday was on blacktop - which is tiring to walk on

Trucking along

Break for nectarines and the feet

Bike sculpture to honor local guy who won a segment of the Tour de France in this area

Still moving. Started out at 8:00 and got to hotel at 4:15.  Today was also very hot.  We drank lots of water during the day.  We were lucky, there was a water fountain by the big bicycle - we refilled our bottles.

The blackberries were good today

Dinner was at this restaurant in the historic area of Figeac

First course :

Salad with goat cheese for me

Salad with raw salmon for Mare

The entrees

Duck breast, salad and fries for me

Duck leg with potatoes for Mare

Desserts

Nut cake for me

Cream puffs filled with ice cream and drizzled with chocolate for Mare

Dinner was great but we find ourselves getting shorter and wider

Tomorrow we will work on that.

Conques to Livinhac - 23.5

No wifi last night - so posting today Friday, August  28

This is Thursday, August 27!

Got started with croissants - plain and chocolate; and bread, yogurt, coffee and tea

Long and steep climb getting out of Conques.  Midway up was the Chapelle of Saint Foy - we rang the bell and took a short break

View back to Conques shows how far we had come but only half way up, took us 90 minutes to walk up and out of the valley

We took the alternate route and saved an hour and didn't get lost - awesome

The blackberries were the best we have had along the trail

The sign isn't kidding - 18% grade, it was a steep climb

Having our nectarine by one of the many Saint Roch chapels on today's route - we rang the bell here too

Pretty stained glass

Then we dropped down down down into Decazville only to have to climb back up. Then another long downhill to our stopping point.  

It was sunny and hot.  We left hotel at 8:30 and arrived at 5:00.  Very hot.

Dinner at restaurant next door to our chambres was interesting.  They didn't have reservation for us and the entire meal was served on one plate (except the bread and dessert) - salad, gazpacho, turkey, potatoes and cheese

 

For dessert we went with creme brûlée - very rich

Another long day of walking tomorrow.

Conques - rest day

Le petit dejeuner at hotel with Barbara and Gerhard before they head back to Le Puy. Bread, croissants, juice, coffee, tea, cereal, fresh fruit.

Eyed up the goods at the bakery shop - planning ahead for lunch

Chatting with the couple from South Africa before they head to Paris and home.

Then we walked around Conques - walking tour.  

Entry to cathedral.  The saved are depicted on the left and the damned on the right side 

Closeup of carvings above entry to cathedral 

Fountain in the village

Entry, gateway into Conques 

Bought our lunch (pizza and quiche) at the bakery, sat outside and people watched. 

Laundry is done - yeah

Went to vespers at the cathedral this evening.  Michael, Switzerland, is still here.  Like us, he is walking onward tomorrow.  He is the last person we have met so far that is continuing on.  Many are still walking but we haven't met them yet.

Dinner

Gazpacho, fish with a side of egg noodles in a creamy mustard sauce, walnut cake and of course bread

 

Dessert - cake with a side of ice cream - good!

Tomorrow we are taking the GR65

And try not to get lost, we have a long day ahead!