Day 8: Aumont-Aubrac to Fineyroles (Gentiane) (89.5-105 km)

May 19     Aumont-Aubrac (1050m) to Fineyroles (Gentianes) (1192m)

Dave: After stopping for groceries around 8:15am, we followed the red and white balises, walking out of town, steadily uphill. We veered off the D road onto a wide dirt track. After about 500 meters, we came to the “Saintjacqueduc,” a 30 meter “pilgrim tunnel” cutting underneath the A interstate which churns above. 

 The path then took us toward a little village, La Chaze-de-Peyre. We could see the church spire peeking through the distance.

Annie with one of the "trois femmes"

Annie:  Yesterday was sunny and warm – today started off cloudy, and got colder and incredibly windy.  After walking through a set of fields, we stopped for coffee chez Régine, a fly-ridden sort of truck stop (but with a surprisingly good, clean bathroom).  Who was there but “St. Etienne,” the young man we met at St. Alban!  Coming out of the café, and starting down a hard, winding path, we turned a corner and ran into the “trois femmes” we had met at Le Villeret!  I never learned their names, but we were always so pleased to see each other, and walk a bit of the road together.

Dave: We left chez Régine and walked up a small D road, and then headed left, through a gate. We were now at this point officially on the Aubrac plateau.  We walked on a narrow footpath, passing a long line of hikers coming from the opposite direction.  

The path threaded through fields, bordered by rock walls and often fences, sometimes crossing muddy and wet areas. There was the occasional tree and large rock, but otherwise, the landscape was desolate, but beautiful. Rolling grazing fields as far as the eye can see, with the occasional tree and large rock formation. 

We passed through several “cledos”, smaller fields enclosed by gates, which had to be opened and closed – not easy in the howling wind. 

Annie:  Since the gîte was closed, we trooped off down the road, where a stand was open and offered the much desired boissons chaudes.  Who was there but our friends the Dutch couple!  We had some excellent and very hot cocoa.  Then the three of us – Dave, me, and Mr. Holland – sang a spontaneous verse of the “chant des pèlerins.”  This is one of my favorite moments of the trip. 

Finally, the gîte opened.  There were about 10 of us waiting.  I wrote in my diary in bed, under the blankets.  The wind rattled the shutters, and outside you could hear the clanging of the cow bells.

Dave:  Dinner was again aligot, served with the mandatory demonstration.  Very tasty although not quite as tasty as the night before. We sat next to a friendly couple from Cambrai and retired around 8:45pm. 

It began raining and a fog blew across but we reached at last our destination Ferme de Gentiane – just outside Fineyrols. We were unfortunately a bit early. We had a late lunch hunched up against the back of the house.

On the way to Gentiane, Day 8