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  • Day 54

    St Martin le Vieux

    September 21, 2021 in France ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We left Limoges at about 8.30, and it took 2 hours (and 8 kms) to finally leave the outer suburbs and find ourselves in the countryside. Amr navigated us with map and instructions through the city, quite complicated crossing squares and up and down small streets. We discovered places that we hadn’t found yesterday en route, and a huge square full of bars and cafes that we’d love to have found at lunchtime yesterday! Also passed the market which was open and bustling today…Today we didn’t go through industrial areas to get out of the city, but in rather well to do suburbs, and in fact all day the area was more affluent it seemed - we didn’t see any crumbling buildings or farms.

    So we walked about 24 kms…meant to be 20, but add on the small distance from our accommodation at the beginning, and a bit to our (again) amazing accommodation tonight. It was a very peaceful and idyllic walk through the beautiful scenery. One larger town, Aixe-sur-Vienne, where we crossed the Vienne - quite a big river now - and where we stopped on a bench for lunch. One thing about crossing rivers is that you descend to them, then have to ascend up the other side, as most of the time we were in the higher country. We also crossed the Aixette, tributary of the Vienne, and followed alongside it for a while - truly beautiful, before coming up again - not steep climbs, just up!

    Passed a château, goose farm, lots of sheep, no vineyards and walked under oak trees, constantly crunching acorns. Arrived at this very small hamlet at about 3, and found that our place is out of the town a little, but along the camino, so we have even done a small bit of tomorrow’s distance! We knew we were staying at La Fromagerie which sounded lovely, but we were bowled over when we arrived. It is a very old stone building (will find out the actual date at dinner) but centuries old, and charmingly renovated inside to make a guesthouse. The hosts are delightful and greeted us and expected us and bags here…all perfect. Our hostess said she used to have goats and make cheese here, but she’s now given it up. They are probably in their 70s and we will have dinner tonight with them. Our room is of course delightful and we have showered and have plenty of time to relax and recover before dinner.

    I have sadly lost my hat…it disappeared somehow at last night’s place…I know I arrived with it and it was a bit wet, but leaving today it had disappeared…anyway, kind Amr has said I can use his. Not a crisis, but I was fond of that hat and it has done lots of our walks! And I like it as a hair controller! Maybe I can find one in Perigeux next weekend.
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