Tag: Churches

Cheese and Pyrénées ~ June 5, 2016

  • Day 36, Day 33 (Camino)
  • Lurbe-Saint-Christau
  • Distance: 13 miles (40% tarmac) 478 total miles
  • Ascent 1,710 feet and descent 1,658 feet
  • Time: 7 1/2 hours
  • Weather: 65-78 degrees, blue skies with white clouds

Today’s bread and cheese,

With distant views of the Pyrénées.

  1. Towards Lurbe-Saint-Christau
  2. Towards Lurbe-Saint-Christau
  3. Towards Lurbe-Saint-Christau

Immortalized ~ June 3, 2016

  • Friday, June 3, 2016
  • Day 34 (Day 31 Camino)
  • Lescar
  • Distance: 22 miles (40% tarmac) 450 1/2 total miles
  • Ascent 1,341 feet and descent 1,571 feet
  • Time: 10 hours!
  • Weather: 65-78 degrees, Overcast. Feet stayed dry😻

Immortalized in art.  

  1. Lescar – C12th mosaic of hunting scene. Archer with a wooden leg of the type fitted by Moorish surgeons and indicated to portray stumbling in the faith.
  2. Lescar – Saint Francis of Assisi
  3. Lescar – Saint Jacques of Compostelle

Tummy and Soul ~ June 3, 2016

  • Friday, June 3, 2016
  • Day 34 (Day 31 Camino)
  • Lescar
  • Distance: 22 miles (40% tarmac) 450 1/2 total miles
  • Ascent 1,341 feet and descent 1,571 feet
  • Time: 10 hours!
  • Weather: 65-78 degrees, Overcast. Feet stayed dry😻

Picnic spot for the tummy and soul.

  1. Towards Lescar – Russe (Russian Moch Merange Buttercream is a favorite), Morlaàs
  2. Towards Lescar – Church of Sainte-Foy, Morlaàs
  3. Towards Lescar – Church of Sainte-Foy, Morlaàs

A Pilgrim ~ June 1, 2016

  • Wednesday, June 1, 2016
  • Day 32 (Day 29 Camino)
  • Maubourguet
  • Distance: 11 miles (80% tarmac) 414 total miles
  • Ascent 1,027 feet and descent 970 feet
  • Time: 7 hours
  • Weather: 60-70 degrees, Cloudy. 16 mph wind

To be a pilgrim is to be defined. People have walked The Way for thousands of years and for thousands of years people have supported pilgrims.

I stopped at a pharmacy looking for gel inserts for my shoes (still no blisters😻). I was told the Super U (Target) four miles away had them. A non-English speaking French lady offered to drive me. She first took the time to help me find my Gîte to deposit my backpack, drove me to Super U to pick up items for herself and insoles for me, and then drove me back to the Gîte. Once there, she got out of her car to give me a proper good-bye kissing both cheeks and wished me ,”Bon Marchi” (Good walk). I was teary eyed.

The Camino provides. Ask any pilgrim.

  1. Towards Maubourguet
  2. Towards Maubourguet
  3. Maubourguet

But Why? ~ June 1, 2016

  • Wednesday, June 1, 2016
  • Day 32 (Day 29 Camino)
  • Maubourguet
  • Distance: 11 miles (80% tarmac) 414 total miles
  • Ascent 1,027 feet and descent 970 feet
  • Time: 7 hours
  • Weather: 60-70 degrees, Cloudy. 16 mph wind

Okay, I get it. We walk from church-to-church.

But, why are churches always at the top of a hill?

  1. Towards Maubourguet – C15th church with 35 meter spire
  2. Towards Maubourguet – C15th church with 35 meter spire
  3. Maubourguet – Church of Saint-Martin

Lancôme ~ May 31, 2016

  • Tuesday, May 31, 2016
  • Day 31 (Day 28 Camino)
  • Marciac
  • Distance: 14 1/2 miles (5% tarmac) 403 total miles
  • Ascent 1,491 feet and descent 1,601 feet
  • Time: 7 hours
  • Weather: 60-70 degrees, Cloudy with brief drizzles. Walked in shorts and rain jacket.

Pilgrim who continue are offered gifts by pilgrims who have finished their walk. My seven French women gave me lunch, mole skin, and a petite bottle of Lancôme Miracle Magic Perfume. How French!  How yummy!

  1. Leaving Pouylebon – Lancôme
  2. Leaving Poutlebon – Pierrette, Catherine, Maria Claire, linda, Denise (sister), Christine, Jo (Driver), and Josy (president)…final – adieu
  3. Towards Marciac- Saint-Christaud, setting for last picnic that got rained-out

Stop ~ May 30, 2016

  • Monday, May 30, 2016
  • Day 30 (Day 27 Camino)
  • Pouylebon
  • Distance: 13 miles (30% tarmac) 388 1/2 total miles
  • Ascent 1,536 feet and descent 1,496 feet
  • Time: 6 1/2 hours
  • Weather: 60-70 degrees, Blue skies becoming cloudy; had lunch under a bus shelter during the 15-minutes of steady rain. Luckily I never needed more than my rain jacket while walking.

Stop and look…

  1. Towards Pouylebon – Porte Fortiée, Montesquiou
  2. Towards Pouylebon – Church in Montesquiou
  3. Towards Pouylebon – Goose Farm…Stage #1 in making Foie Gras

Twisted ~ May 29, 2016

  • Sunday, May 29,2016
  • Day 29 (Day 26 Camino)
  • Barran (L’Isle de Noé)
  • Distance: 12 miles (80% tarmac) 375 1/2 total miles
  • Ascent 1,371 feet and descent 1,547feet
  • Time: 6 1/2 hours
  • Weather: 60-75 degrees, 3 light drizzles becoming blue skies with white clouds…humid breaks.

Twisted or crooked spire of the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. There are 33 in France and 80 in Europe.

  1. Barran – “Laundry”
  2. Barran –
  3. Barran – Helicoidal spire of the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste

Cathedral d’Jour ~ May 28, 2016

  • Saturday, May 28, 2016
  • Day 28 (Day 25 Camino)
  • Auch
  • Distance: 17 miles (35% tarmac) 363 1/2 total miles
  • Ascent 1,870 feet and descent 2,024 feet
  • Time: 9 1/2 hours
  • Weather: 60-75 degrees, blue skies becoming overcast…75% humidity

Cathedral d’Jour…Cathedral of Sainte-Marie

  1. Auch – Cathedral of Sainte-Marie
  2. Auch – Cathedral of Sainte-Marie
  3. Auch – Cathedral of Sainte-Marie