DAY 7: Friday June 8th - Authon to Bayons:
Walk: 28k, 9hrs: 15°C to 18°C: Cool, hazy with a few thunder storms
Accommodation: Chambre D’Hote Les 3 Pitchoens in Bayons
Followong a group of French walkers up the Gorge from the Gite
Being chased by a storm
Jan amongst the wildflowers near Col de Clapouse
Deer on the mountain side. We had venison for dinner 2 nights ago
Head down, Jan climbing to the top of the Croi de Veyne at 1857m
Looking back at the Col de clapouse
Picnic at Le Lac on the GR6
Another very long 28k day in the mountains. From Authon at 850 metres, climbing 1000 metres up to the Croix de Veyne at 1857 metres then down to Bayons at 900 metres. We were chased by a storm, saw deer, had a picnic by the lake and feasted at a chamber d’hote with Kathy and Jacky in Bayons - a perfect day.
We had a sleepless night at the Gite des Monges - the place was perfect - nice owners, lovely place, superb dinner, but we forgot to open the window, so the room became very hot - it also had a double bunk with me underneath - bad choice. Never the less, we both awoke recovered from our 30k marathon 2 days before. Breakfast was a simple continental, toast/bread and jam with a cup of tea.
We leave Authon (900 metres in height) at 8am at the same time as a group of French walkers - we have seen very few walkers on the track since leaving a week ago and those we have seen are French. They follow us up this magnificent gorge, the Ravine de Valonnet, along a donkey track cut into the sides and pass us as we stop to contemplate whether to get out our rain gear. We hear thunder and storm clouds loom over the mountains. There's 20 drops of rain, then nothing. Luckily we were only on the edge of the storm.
The GPS wasn’t working at 1:8,000 today - a mal-function in downloading, so we relied on good old paper maps. But in a deep gorge with no other tracks in and out, it's hard to get lost. Out of the gorge, we start to climb even more steeply towards the Croix de Veyre at 1857metres. It's a struggle near the top where the track disappears in the midst of a shale covered mountain side. At the top, it's even harder to find our way as the path was covered by a sea of wildflowers. We can see where we're going, but it's not clear how to get there. We stop for coffee behind the shelter of a large rock - it's still only 16°C with a strong wind.
A steep climb down to the Col de Clapouse where 5 tracks meet. Then its a long slog down 2,000 metres to Bayons. It's hard to believe that walking down hill is harder than going up. Climbing is a simple one step after the other but going down puts pressure on the quads, the knees, the ankles and the shoulders. The narrow path gives way to a winding forest trail and we slip and slide down the steep shaley path. Eventually we’re in the forests and stumble across Le Lac - with a picnic table - time for lunch - the same old ham, cheese and tomato. We continue our descent and hours later we arrive in Esparron - time for an afternoon cup of tea, today is a long day with already 2 morning tea stops and lunch and now there's still 8k to go. The trail meets a bitumen road - but its steep, following a cascading creek at the bottom of a deep gorge.
The sides of the gorge get narrow and we arrive in Forrester La Court where we meet the main road into Bayons - still 3k to go. We have a quick drink of water before continuing. There's an old French man sitting in the church square and we ask him the directions to Les 3 Pitchoens - it takes a while to get the right pronunciation and I drag out my computer to explain - ah oui - and he points to a place off in the distance - it's almost 6 o'clock - and I am worried that Jacky and Kathy will think we aren't coming. But when we eventually find the place, we are greeted like royalty - cold beers and pickled mushrooms picked from the mountains - such a lovely welcoming.
We shower and come out to watch the end of the Federer/Djokocic match which Djokovic wins in 3 sets, then dinner. They have gone to so much trouble as it's their son Vincent's birthday - he's 17 today. We have grilled capsicum with anchovy and garlic paste, followed by a platter of cold meats (Jacky was a butcher in Marseille) then spicy vegetable risotto and sausage, followed by a raspberry mousse then a platter of cheese. Jacky opens two of his best reds - and they were the best reds we had tasted in France to date, and then a bottle of champagne to celebrate Vincent's birthday. And just as we are full and about to go to bed, Jacky brings out a bottle of Perrier - yes please, and I hold up my empty wine glass as I'm thirsty - but the Perrier bottle is full of Genepy - a home made brew of Genepy and sugar - a bit like Grappa - enough to send us of to la-la land even quicker. We say good night and sleep really well.
Les 3 Pitchoeuns in Bayons
Jacky and Kathy our hosts
It's Vincent's birthday - he's 17