Not sure if it was due to le canard eaten the night before, but the night was agitated. Sometimes when we find the perfect accommodation, it seems that we do not want to leave the following morning, and our bodies immediately support the idea by adding aches and pains all over. Our will power was shaken but determined to ignore the soothing suggestions to stay under the duvet a bit longer. At 8:00, the boulangerie was supposed to re-open after two days, and we did not want to face the risk of staring at empty shelves.

The itinerary was to reach a top point st St-Bressus after two hours and then rolling down slowly towards the small village chosen as the stage stop. We tried to contact also the backpack delivery service to get some help today, but of course yesterday no one answered the phone to book the trip, and this morning the office girl stated that the booking has to be done with 24 advance notice. Duh!

One way or another, someone in Heaven organized the most beautiful morning since we started. We crossed a deep forest with all the chirping sounds of happy birds, and we would have not be surprised if we were greeted by dwarves and gnomes. In facts we just found two pretty odd ones!

During steep climbs, I noticed that I inevitably end up humming some marching tunes. The first is almost always the ‘Ode to Joy’ from LvB 9th Symphony, followed equally as popular by Bizet’s Carmen ‘Habanera’. Today I could hear myself  tuning up also to Elgar’s ‘Pump and Circumstance’ as a new entry. I feel as these tunes were written by all these illustrious composers just to help me during these enduring moments.

Unlike the previous days, today we found many iron crosses as waymarkers and their typical layers of stones, intentionally left behind by other walkers. One had even a prayer or a message written on a piece of paper. We also left our stones we carried with us since the morning.

Once in St-Bressou we were planning to take a stop and rest somewhere, but again to our disappointment, we could find no such place among a handful of houses. No bars, or restaurants, let alone a public toilet. No other choice than asking hospitality to the clerk at the tiny City Hall, who graciously invited us in and use the private facility.

Had to walk for another 6 km before finding a bar in Lacapelle-Marival, to quench our thirst and enjoying an ice cream.

The stage for the day was scheduled to end in Rudelle, where we booked our overnight stay in advance. The little village is another nice example of preserved medieval houses all perched around a church fortified just like a castle tower since the days of the 100 years’ war and the Religion wars. It seems that nothing had really changed since 1000 years or so.
The place we booked was way below imagination and would require a post of its own. Just to document a few peculiar features, here is a picture of the ‘Terrasse’ cum kitchen, the shower and the organic toilet.

But tomorrow it’s another day….so goodnight!