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France Golinhac

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  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    1621113
    Day 12

    Espalion to Golinhac - visiting a castle

    April 30, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We had breakfast at the same table as at dinner, looking out on the street and hoping the drizzle would hold off. It was a larger offering than at the convent, with teapots there for tea. It is strange that breakfast can be so important when you have no control over what it might be.

    We started at 8:10 along the Lot river. It was overcast, so Anne had her poncho, but I thought I would be too hot with it. After 5km we were at a lovely old chapel (St Pierre) , followed by a steep 180m hill - up and down in a lot of mud. There was almost a rivulet in the middle of the path coming down. Landed at another old chapel and chateau ( Verrieres) before another 150m hill, then down to Estaing (think Giscard d’Estaing) with its 1,000 year old castle/ chateau and church. We were there around 11:15.

    St Come was stunning, but so were St Chely, Espalion and now Estaing. We toured the chateau, looked in the church, took too many photos, bought a baguette and set off for Golinhac as the church bell rang 12.

    The first 8km from Estaing were all uphill. There was a steady 350m rise as we went along the dammed river (hydro-electric) then up... through a forest, over farmland, more forests and occasional roads, then slowly down 100m and up the same 100m to Golinhac, which is on top of a ridge with spectacular views from W to N to E.

    We were both pretty weary by the time we reached our small hotel around 3:30. It was easy to find as it is the only hotel in a very small hamlet. The cleaner/ waitress/ receptionist showed us to the accommodation (maybe 7 rooms) which meant going outside and back in, and when we came in WE HAD TWO BAGS! La Malle Postale must have learned from and modernised the Yam, (although the Celts rather than the Mongols used to be here). Bliss is a second pair of shoes and clean clothes, plus wet-weather gear, gloves and poles.

    Golinhac has a population of 355, so walking around it later did not take long, but it is old, neat and has amazing views. Our interesting fact for the day was that town names ending in -hac or -ac indicate a Celtic past.

    Hotel Auberge de Golinhac: 1 Wifi very erratic. 2 No tea or coffee. 3 Bed okay. 4 Dinner was good - great cheese salad. 5 Basic breakfast. 6 Great view.

    40,600 steps, 32.6km and 157 flights. Maybe 1,000 steps less than the longest day in Japan, but 110 extra flights of stairs. Knees and ankles confirm it.    Read more

  • TravelerJessi's Jakobsweg
    4
    14
    Day 49–50

    Estaing - Conques

    October 6, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Heute war ich etwas unschlüssig, was oder wohin ich gehen soll.
    Ich hatte mir gestern Morgen irgendwie etwas das Bein verdreht - während des Laufens gestern gings zwar, aber am Schluss hatte ich ziemliche Knieschmerzen. Hatte noch Hoffnung, dass das über Nacht wieder weg geht, aber leider war ich heute nur humpelnd unterwegs.
    Zuerst hatte ich mir überlegt, noch ne Nacht in Estaing zu verbringen. Aber das Wetter war eher schlecht, und in der Stadt hatte nichts auf.
    Also bin ich mit dem Bus nach Conques gefahren, wo ich mir ein günstiges Hotelzimmer genommen habe. Ich hatte sooo Lust mal wieder alleine zu sein, alleine zu schlafen und am Abend nicht reden zu müssen😅 zum Glück durfte ich schon bei meiner Ankunft ins Zimmer und ich hab den ganzen Nachmittag geschlafen. Das tat richtig gut!
    Gegen späteren Nachmittag hab ich mir das Dörfchen angeschaut, wo heute ein Fest stattgefunden hat. Bei diesem Fest gings aber nur um die Kirche, und so genau hab ich den Hintergrund nicht verstanden.
    Habe den Japaner wieder angetroffen, der keinerlei Sprachen redet, ausser Japanisch.
    Hab dann mit ihm ein paar Stunden verbracht, wobei das ohne Kommunikation echt etwas nervig ist. Er redet nur über google Übersetzer, und somit kommt eine normale Konversation nicht zu stande.

    Am Abend war hier noch Messe und ne Führung durch die Kirche, das war noch ein Teil von diesem Fest.
    War ganz ok, wobei es etwas blöd ist, wenn man nicht alles versteht.

    Morgen schau ich mal was mein Knie macht, denke aber eher, dass ich noch mal ne Pause einlege.    Read more

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  • TravelerJessi's Jakobsweg
    121111
    Day 48–49

    Saint-Côme - Estaing

    October 5, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Heute wars ne richtig tolle Herbstwanderung - so ziemlich perfekt☺️
    Am Morgen wars zwar noch ziemlich neblig, aber irgendwann kam die Sonne raus und es wurde richtig warm!
    Thomas hab ich auch noch angetroffen und wir waren dann mal wieder gemeinsam unterwegs. Und da die Strecke heute recht kurz war (etwa 21 km), konnten wir es auch richtig gemütlich nehmen.
    Die Städtchen hier sind einfach nur wunderschön, wie im Märchen😍

    Wollte morgen mal Pause einlegen und einen Tag hier bleiben, aber es soll die Tage richtig übel regnen. Schau dann mal nach nem Kaffee - aber falls es wirklich so schlecht sein sollte, werde ich wohl mit dem Bus (den gibt es hier!😅) in die nächste Stadt fahren, wo gerade ein Festival stattfindet.
    Mal schauen🙂    Read more

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  • TravelerJessi's Jakobsweg
    1111
    Day 47–48

    Les Cambrassats - Saint-Côme-d'Olt

    October 4, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Heute war endlich mal ein richtig einfacher Tag - ich hatte eine Unterkunft in der nächsten Stadt gebucht. Das waren heute noch nicht mal 15 km🙂
    Ich bin dann erst gegen 9:30 los, da ich ansonsten viel zu früh am Ziel angekommen wäre. Und da Lee und Cédric schon weg waren, genoss ich etwa 1.5 Stunden alleine in dem kleinen Häuschen.

    Der Weg war einfach und es ging immer abwärts. Nun bin ich hier nur noch auf knapp 400 M ü.M.
    Das Wetter wurde auch immer besser und als ich am Ziel ankam, war es sogar richtig schön und sonnig🙂

    Das Städtchen hier ist sehr hübsch und wurde sogar als eine der schönsten Städte Frankreichs gekürt!

    Die Gite hier ist wieder mal recht gross und wir teilen uns grad zu sechst das Zimmer.
    Der Vorteil ist jedoch dabei, dass man immer recht tolle und interessante Menschen kennenlernt!
    Aber bin dann auch mal wieder froh, wenn ich alleine bin😉    Read more

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  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    331
    Day 30–31

    Day 30/31 - Conques to Decazeville

    May 21, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Yesterday we were up early to meet Helen and Andy off the morning bus from Rodez. The weather was mixed with intermittent heavy showers and sunshine. We visited the local bakery so we could all eat at lunchtime. The only grocery store was on the local campsite so we trotted through the cobblestone streets to get the necessities- toilet rolls and bananas 😂.
    After lunch we visited the Abbey at the centre of the town. Then got chased back to our medieval house by yet another downpour.
    After a chilled afternoon resting we hit the bar before having a lovely meal in the terrace bar.
    We were up early as we had a 19km walk to Decazville an old industrial mining town.
    Helen and Andy were inducted into the world of Camino walking through a very tough uphill 2km climb out of Conques.
    The weather has been dry all day 🙌🙌
    We passed through the forest of sweet chestnut trees then into a very British landscape of meadows.
    We stopped in Noilhac for a delightful orange presse and coffee mid morning.
    Lunch was enjoyed in a field and we finished off all the delights we had brought in the bakery yesterday.
    19km later we hit Decazeville and discovered an organic microbrewery so had our well done drink here.
    We then walked up the hill to today’s accommodation which is run by an ageing hippy. He has 2 rooms and we are to share with another pilgrim- so we have split into gender based rooms- as this will be easier to manage. We sit on the terrace having showered and relaxed.
    We await to see what’s for dinner - and who our fellow pilgrim will be …    Read more

  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    Day 29–31

    Day 29 - Golinac to Conques

    May 19, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The meal last night at the campsite was a worry as we had ordered a burger- they asked how we wanted it cooked??!! I said well done and Simon said medium… this meant that Simon’s burger came back only half cooked 😩 however he was so hungry by this point he ate half of it but it tasted more and more like pet food, so he stopped eating it and felt quite angry 😡 who eats raw burgers other than the french?
    Thankfully he survived the night!.
    The morning bought fog and rain. So we set off on our long walk to Conques all poncho’d up against the weather. We passed through the towns of Esperyac and Senergues. It was tough going, especially the descent into Conques- warning Helen and Andy, a tough ascent out again.
    Conques is a very old hobbledy hoy medieval village. When we got into our ancient house we found Hansel and Gretel 😂 Simon’s sense of humour! It all looks like it’s out of a fairy tale. As usual we were starving and have discovered that cafe/snack bars do a dish called ‘galettes’ which is the French version of a Staffordshire oatcake with savoury fillings 🙌 so we haven’t had to wait until 7 to eat.
    We decided to utilise the washing machine offered by the apartment and unfortunately put on a 3 hour cycle - lack of understanding french instructions 🙄 so have been kept up waiting for this to finish.
    We await the arrival of my sister Helen and her husband Andy who join us tomorrow for a few days on the trail 👣👣🙌🙌 so a rest day for us tomorrow! 👏
    We have now walked more than 400 km!! 👣👣💪
    P.S. Simon just gone to check on the washing and the clothes have all dissolved- that is the end of the walk 🤪    Read more

  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    2
    Day 28–29

    Day 28 - Estaing to Golinhac

    May 19, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today started off with a panic as Simon had lost his new hat!! We had to return to last night’s restaurant where we spotted it under the table. Mary had to then employ her French phone technique again to alert the owner of our dilemma and create a rescue scene! We had success 🙌 and now Simon has pinned it to his head!!
    Our walk today was shorter than of late and started with a 4 km stretch alongside the River Lot. Then it revealed its teeth and the next 6km at least were the walk up the endless, very steep hill.
    We then went through wooded glades and gullies on our route to Golihac.
    We also passed the drone of thousands of bees on several occasions which caused us to quicken our step.
    As we approached the village the ominous sounds of thunder - followed by darkening, brooding skies and yes 15 mins before our arrival the rain once again tumbled from the sky.
    We went walk about looking for campsite, arrived - reception was closed so started to set up camp under an awning when reception kindly opened early and got us into our chalet 👏
    Laundry done, now drying, we tried to find an earlier supper but no 🙄 we have to wait til 7 to eat. Then as early as possible to bed as we are feeling jaded!!    Read more

  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    211
    Day 13

    Golinhac to Conques: rain, mud, hills

    May 1, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    It was raining lightly when we left around 8:15, and it only got heavier. The views were misty rather than panoramic, but always over green countryside, with cows sometimes lined up by the trail to watch us walk by. Sadly, it was a day of many narrow, steep paths, which were sometimes rivers of mud. But what the heck: we had two bags, and more clean socks and another pair of shoes each awaited us in Conques.

    Conques was a revelation. We knew the path to it went down steeply, so we assumed it would be a typical village/ town spread out beside a river. The last 1.5 km was an overgrown and steep Kokoda- style mudslide, and we could not see where the land flattened out. We were perhaps not concentrating on that too much: it was very cold and very wet, our fingers were numb, and we kept going around corners that led not to vistas but to more of the same, and we were still on the upper half of a large hill. Then one slight turn and we were in a stony street with old houses way above the river. Then another, and we ran smack bang into an enormous abbey church. It was like expecting Nyngan but finding a miniature Oxford.

    Work started on Conques' church in the 11th C, and is apparently still on-going. It is now more a cathedral than a church, and the houses and hotels etc are packed in lines beside and around it. It all sits on a flattish area quite a bit higher than the river. It is old and pretty enough to have its own page... see below.

    Our hotel is just back from the church and is about 1 room wide. It has 4 rooms per floor. It is also several centuries old. We arrived at 2pm, seconds before out bags, but the 3pm rule was mentioned, so we looked in the abbey, the tourist office, and some of the shops, talked with a chatty young Englishman who had a tiny souvenir shop, then collected a key and started drying out.

    We met St Craig and Liz to return the borrowed overpants. They had arrived in Conques yesterday (having not had the short days with St-Come) and were in the other open hotel, but we took them to dinner in this one. The restaurant is usually closed on Wednesdays, but they were open on 1 May as it was a holiday and they hoped it might be busy. It was. Very good dinner: more aligot and local pork sausage for me, and the best beef ragout ever for Anne. Plus local red wine. We learned that Craig and Liz have a speech therapist daughter in Dubbo, and that we all shared a little trepidation about the very steep and muddy path that goes back up at the start of the walk tomorrow.

    Hotel was the Auberge St Jacques. 1 Wifi erratic. 2 No tea/ coffee. 3 Good bed. 4 Dark and winding stairs. 5 Fantastic dinner. 6. Okay breakfast - although I prefer to serve myself. 7. Family operated, and they were friendly

    31,250 steps, 25.2km, 76flights    Read more

  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    1212
    Day 11

    St-Come to Espalion

    April 29, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today was a short walk - 7km from one scenic village to the next. It was even shorter after we read Rosie's advice on alternative routes, and Anne's Vespers partner suggested going via the secondary road since it was cloudy and raining.

    We left the convent around 8:45 and were in Espalion around 10am. It was a flat walk beside a river that seemed twice as big as yesterday. Some rain, perhaps, or a release from one of the upstream hydro-electric dams?

    There were cars and people, but it is Monday and most shops are shut. That includes clothes shops, so our plans to buy waterproof pants were foiled. Espalion is much larger than the last two villages, but the centre is as old and as pretty. There are some old 20 houses built side-by-side along the river that used to be tanneries, and they still have the stone steps down to the water.

    We expected the hotel to be closed until 3pm, but we came in with our dripping ponchos after walking around the town. Reception was empty, so we sat for a while, then Anne found a notice saying reception was closed from 12-5pm, but if you arrived during that time you should look up your room number in the hotel's room register and take your own key...so we did. We were in our room around 1pm. Our one solitary bag had been in reception, waiting.

    Dinner at the hotel. Very cheerful staff, and no choices: a bacon, egg, pork and mustard salad, great bread, aligot and a local sausage, and then a pear tart. The first two courses were fantastic. There was heavier rain as we sat in the restaurant looking out at the street, but we are hoping for a long break in the drizzle tomorrow.

    17,565 steps, 13.9 km and 1 flight    Read more

  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    111
    Day 10

    St Chely to Saint-Come-d'Olt

    April 28, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    As we went up the hill leaving St Chely I took a photo back down over the village, thinking "Yep. Great shot. That should be first on the blog." Now we are in Saint-Come-d'Olt and I am not so sure. This is Brigadoon in France - the village time forgot. The Lot River valley has (I am told) some of France's prettiest villages, and this one tops the pops. Street names are in French and Occitan.

    We had packed our one bag to the gunnels again, left it for collection and went to breakfast, which was different: two coffee machines, pots for tea, muesli and granola, but no cheese (but otherwise as usual). We left around 8:30, over an apparently famous pilgrim's bridge, up a long, steep hill with amazing views back over the village, and off through farmland. It was lime green, since trees already had new leaves, and it was noisier with birds. We wore ponchos as we assumed that, being overcast, it would rain, but it didn't , and we were sweaty, so off they came. There were a few steep ups and downs, and often rocky paths, but nothing very hard. We went through one hamlet, but alongside numerous old farmhouses and barns, often with enormous piles of straw and cow dung ready to be spread back over the paddocks.

    We arrived at St-Come-d'Olt around 1:15, and as we stopped to look around a young woman asked if we needed anything, then told us about the shops being closed and the few bars etc that were open. She had an apron from a cafe (Cafe La Pause), so we went there later. The village has a few 11th C features, a church with a twisted spire (design or bad builder? no-one knows) and looks untouched. It might need a section to itself, particularly as the hotel tonight is a convent.

    Overall, it is so far, so good physically. Weary feet, but nothing worse than aches and end-of-day tiredness.

    27,785 steps, 22.0km and 51 flights. Tomorrow is a short day - only 7km to a large town    Read more

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