Many ways

The more I talk to people, the more pilgrim routes I learn about.

This morning at breakfast in Lourdes I was talking to two women who are walking the Chemin de Piemont Pyrenees. This goes through the foothills of the Pyrenees, through towns such as Narbonne, Montpellier, Carcassonne and Lourdes. There is a guidebook available and there are gites d'etape along the way, so it is very possible to walk this route.

This morning I took the train to Bordeaux, at Bart's suggestion. He is right, the city looks wonderful, clean and well cared for.

I bought a book which describes a walk through Bordeaux for pilgrims to Santiago. This is on the Via Turonesis route, or the way of Tours. It is the most Westerly route through France and was used by pilgrims from Britain and north western parts of Europe. I believe there were periods when pilgrims had to go further east, when England and France were fighting wars over cities like Bordeaux.

Tomorrow I hope to follow the pilgrim route through Bordeaux.