Le Puy to St. Privat d’Allier - 22Kmk

My departure was delayed by 3 hours because my camera had been broken as I quickly rammed it into my rucksack on the bus the day before.

So at 10am I set off ....It took me a few days to realise that all departures in the morning entailed a big climb that not only tested your lungs, but made you question why you were undertaking the whole exercise in the first place.

No matter, it was a lovely day, and in no time we off the road and on a nice dirt track walking along the top of a plain. If the rest was going to be like this it was going to be easy, sun, sandy but firm track, flat…. no problem.

 Passing through my first village I realised that there are a lot of villages with no shop or bar, but in this instance they did provide a shelter for the hot pilgrim.

After lunch, the journey led to the village of Ramourousle, which was the most depressing farming community I have ever visited. It was a collection of about 5 run down farms, being managed by very senior people. You could see in 5 years the place would be a ghost village.

On the way to the next village you pass the 12c chapel of St Roch. In the past this place started off by being a chapel to St James for pilgrims, then it became St Bonnet (local boy made good) and finally St Roch who looked after plague victims and is very big in this area. I don’t know why the French feel so strongly about him as at the end of his life they put him in prison as a spy….remorse perhaps, or scared the plague might pass through again?

In the Miam Miam Dodo (The universal book for food, booze and accommodation on the GR65) the next village of Montbonnet had a bar… which was shut. I sat on its steps drinking water and going ‘cold turkey’ from a day of no coffee
 

The walk to St Privat was a delight; the ‘edge of Dartmoor’ scenes were giving way to rolling hills. On the way to the Gîte I met a Danish woman on her third Santiago type trip. The Gîte was fine, but full, which made me think I must start booking ahead. I’m in a room with two of the men from last night, once again staring at the ceiling from their bunks.

After a ‘holistic’ washing session, (You stand in the shower with the clothes you wish to wash from the day. As you wash & remove each layer it gets further attention being trodden on in the well of the shower…. Eventually you wash your body, simple system, but effective.)

I then looked through the pack for things I could send home & failed. This 16Kg was killing me. I sat in a café and had an awful chips & quiche for a meal. Sitting contentedly I sat in peace and completed my diary for the day, not a bad start… but the weather forecast is grim.

To save you worrying about this after completing the journey to Santiago here are the 4 rules for a happy life and enjoyable experience.

1. If you plan a long journey one day, offset it with a shorter the next.

2. Aim for a maximum of 10Kg on your back or 10% of your body weight.

3. Stick to the route....avid short cuts that are just on tarmac.

4. Do not over plan your journey...let life happen.