Aumont Aubrac to Aubrac - 32k

I came down for breakfast… as instructed at 7am, no one there. So I furtled around & found some stale bread. On top of the stove was a very big pot of homemade strawberry jam setting, from a big cook in yesterday, so I nicked some and put it with the stale bread. I had seen the weather outside & realised I must get some calories inside me.

Eventually everyone came down for breakfast, I think only Eve and I were going out that day. Cliff and Wendy were suffering from culture shock with the cold and snow. The Patron suggested I walked on the road as the paths would have hidden rocks etc. With the state of my right ankle I thought this was a great idea. Looking back this 32k on road was probably a very bad move for my ankles.

I then said goodbye with the words ‘I’m going outside & may be gone for some time’ I’m glad the Australian’s got it. As I moved out of town the gale force wind & snow hit me full in the face. This was not going to be possible if it was like this all the way, but a quick look at my map showed me the wind was mostly going to be on my right shoulder... So on I went.

There is not a lot more to be said for the trip except it was white, windy and at times a little worrying. But I knew if I stuck to the road I would be OK.

At Malbouzon I made a ‘b’ line for the bar. Sitting in there it seemed the great outside was another world. As I dipped my croissant in my coffee (oh how French can you get… but a great dirty  little habit) I noticed across the road was a post office and decided I just had to get rid of some of the stuff I was carrying.

There then followed a comical 5 minutes as I dashed across the road and did my best mime act, acquired two boxes, came back & filled them, then took them back for posting. Home went used maps, my only book, and my fleece jacket. (The logic might be lost on you, but my reasoning was; here I was in the worst weather possible, this side of Alaska, and I was warm enough. This of course was wrong as it did not account for the cool evenings. Another thin top fixed that.

View from bedroom

After phoning Joy, to get some sympathy I then  went out into the cold, wind and snow again.

Its fair to say the snow dropped, but the wind was doing its stuff until I reached Nasbinals. Entering the village it was unreal as it so well sheltered there did not seem to be much snow.

I dived into the bar and had a highly suspect quiche. (At the cheap end of things, there is a depressing similarity between French and English cuisine …. its awful)

Eventually I came to my Gîte which Eve had booked me into the night before at Royal Aubrac. An ex grand hotel that had been turned into a sort of outward bound centre for school children & reforming drug addicts. Anyway on this raving Saturday night, apart from the staff, the total occupant was me. (Another French couple arrived later)

As we were the only diners food was brought to us on a tray… A huge salad, with ham & the French equivalent to hazelet, + loads of bread ( one baguette & banana became breakfast which I was told it was ‘off’) Then a big bowl of Aligo was produced with sausages. After this there was enough local cheese for 50 and a big bowl of fruit.

In sitting down with my map I try and make sense of the time I have left and how to build a day off into my visit to friends Andy and Monica in the Cele Valley, plus try and reduce the daily distances. As I put my maps away I realised I have had a fantastic memorable day… but I am in no rush to repeat it.