Chaneilles

A difference between the Camino in Spain and here (so far) is that Spain has a series of Medieval towns that used to be important and are still busy. After Le Puy I have been through a series of tiny farming villages that might have a bar if you are lucky, but certainly don't have a grocery store, pharmacy or bank. Having said that, I went through an almost deserted village called La Clauze but received some words of encouragement from a kindly old gent there.

I am now settling into the village of Chanaleilles and looking forward to dinner at 7.30.

Some basics at Saugres

I walked about 12km to Saugres, avoiding being trampled by the fun runners.

There is spectacular countryside, this photo doesn't do it justice.

A complication is that there is a complete electricity blackout in the town. The local grocer had to find his old mechanical scales to weigh the vegetables. I am waiting for dinner provided here at the gite d'etape. I'm not sure what we will be eating, or if we will be able to see it.

There was a vigil Mass at 5 PM and the visiting Spsnish pilgrim managed to do the reading by candlelight. The Gospel was about the rich man and Lazarus, so we had a small taste of simplicity.

Monisole d'Allier

Yesterday I walked about 18 km and my knee still seems to be ok.

In fact it was a hard day's walking. There was a bit of a climb in the morning, but the descent into Monisole, where I stayed last night was tough. A long trail over loose rocks which was as hard as the descent last year after Cruz de Ferro.

The woman at the Gite was a little annoyed that I arrived unannounced at 5pm expecting a meal as well as a bed.

In future ill try to arrive at my destination at 3 at the latest.

This also poses the question what is my goal? Last year it was clearly to get to Santiago, but now there is no destination like that. I'm thinking of doing a shorter distance each day, eg 12km to Saugres today. My feet were a bit sore yesterday and I will get blisters if I do 20km each day. The people at dinner last night were thinking the same and are planning to "smell the roses" en route and spend se time in the villages.

Today we will meet crazy people taking part in Le Grand Trail du St Jacques. This is using the Camino as a fun run. They will run backwards, from places as far as 70km West of Le Puy and finish in ale Puy. Yesterday the path was full of yellow markers positing the way which were put there by the organizers. I don't know how they will run over some these paths.

Anyway I'll give them a wide berth if I meet them today.

Bains

I'm in a little village called Bains waiting for the pizza oven to be warmed up in the pub.

This was my first day walking and I planned an easy day of 10km. My right knee has been hurting recently but it is getting better and is now 95% ok

I might try going a little further tomorrow.

St Michael the Archangel

The chapel of St Michael:

Built on top of a volcanic plug at Le Puy:

Salve Regina

Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary overlooking Le Puy.

Camino rhythms

 I am getting back into the rhythm of life on the Camino, but this is a little different to last year.

When I did the Camino Frances, it starts with the simple path through the Pyrenees, then gradually you go through bigger and bigger villages until you get to the city of Pamplona.

However here I am in the fairly big and busy town of Le Puy and the Camino then goes through small villages where there seem to be no shops so you depend on the hospitality of the gites. 

It is possible to stay another day at this excellent gite in Le Puy, the "Relais St Jacques" and I think I will do that. Le Puy is worth exploring and going up and down the hills in town will get me back into a walking rhythm.