Leaving Le Villeret d'Apichier

I arrived this afternoon. Overall, this was another day of hiking on famous dairy farmland bordered by national parks. It was a nice and easy day today and a nice easy day is in store for tomorrow before the 30 K long walks that follow.

I made mention that I’ve had a lot of great experience with people tolerating my poor French. But to say tolerating is really not correct because they have encouraged me to speak. It is so liberating to know that the person who could speak English better than you is willing to descend to my level and patiently observe my struggles with the language. It has happened so frequently and so consistently that I thought it was important to say that the cliché of the snooty French speaker is really not a reflection of the French people. I’m sure everyone’s had their experience of somebody having a bad day. I can’t speak to that what I can say as I’m grateful to all the folks I’ve met.

Today in the path (le chemin) I noticed the continuing pattern of pastures alternating with wheatfields bordered by white delicate Yarrow blossoms and purple loosestrife. Today, I saw some new members of the roadside biome, European raspberries, elderberry, and Foxgloves.

The birds provided cheerful accompaniment, especially the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). I wish there was some way I could share the song with you, but I am not tech savvy enough for that. According to people who know, its descending trails kind of sound like a North American chipping sparrow.

The Eurasian Jay may have been lurking nearby. Lurking is their MO but I didn’t capture enough sound to be sure. Their typical scaaaaak call gets your attention, but then their calls kind of trail off so it’s hard to know.

We stopped at a 19th century Chapel dedicated to St Roch, a patron saint of the sick. This site still has a fountain reputed to have miraculous powers when it was associated with the 12th century, pilgrim Hospital. I rested here before I continued on.Læs mere