DAY 7: Friday June 8th - Authon to Bayons: 28k, 9hrs: 15°C to 18°C: Cool, hazy with a few thunder storms
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
of the We've had another very long 28k day in the mountains. From Authon at 850 metres, climbing 1000 metres up and over the Croix de Veyne at 1857 metres then down to Bayons at 900 metres. We were chased by a storm, saw deer on the track, had a picnic by the lake and feasted at a chambre'dhote owned by Kathy and Jacky in Bayons - a perfect day
We had a very 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 was also 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 with a donkey track cut into the sides and they pass us as we stop o contemplate whether or not to get out our rain gear. We hear thunder in the background and storm clouds loom over the mountains. There's twenty drops of rain, then nothing. Luckily we were only on the edge of the storm.
The GPS isn't working at a 1:8,000 level today - there was a mal-function in downloading, so we are relying on good old paper maps for the first part of the trip. But being 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 Veyne at 1857metres. It's a struggle at the top where the track disappears in the midst of a shale covered mountain side. At the top, it's even harder o find our way down as the path has been 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 dow to the Col de Clapouse, a pass in the mountains where 5 tracks meet.
Through to the other side and its now a long slog down to the bottom to Bayons, a descent of 1,000 metres. It's hard to believe that walking down hill is actually harder on the body than going up. Climbing is a simple one step after the other using the quads to lift and step. Going down puts pressure on the quads, the knees, the ankles and the shoulders - all from bracing yourself as you descend.
The narrow path gives way to a winding forest trail and we slip and slide down the steep shaley path. Eventually we are back in the forests and stumble across Le Lac - with a picnic table - time for lunch - the same old - ham, cheese and tomato, then continue our downward descent. Hours later we arrive in Esparron - time for our afternoon cup of tea, today is a long day with already 2 morning tea stops and lunch and now afternoon tea and there's still 8k to go. The trail meets a bitumen road from here on down - but its' still steep, following a cascading creek running 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 marching up the road to Bayons - 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 pace 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 seventeen today. We have grilled capsicum with anchovy and garlic paste, followed by a plotter of cold meats (Jacky was a butcher in Marseille) the spicy vegetable risotto and sausage, followed by a raspberry mousse then a platter of cheese. Jacky opens two of his best reds - and there 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 tiring 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