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  • TravelerViva Andalucia 2025
    123
    Day 75

    Puy de Dôme

    March 16 in France ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    Wir haben gut geschlafen und noch besser gefrühstückt. Voller Vorfreude fahren wir los und werden von einer lächelnden Sonne begleitet. 🌞

    Womit wir aber überhaupt nicht gerechnet hatten, und auch keine Wetter-App hatte das vorausgesagt, war ein heftiger Wintereinbruch. Wir konnten es kaum glauben, dass wir plötzlich bei nur geringer Sichtweise bei -6 Grad durch Schnee und über vereiste Straßen fuhren.☃️🌨️

    Unser Ziel ist der berühmte, auch aus dem Radsport (Tour de France) bekannte Puy de Dôme. Dieser ist ein 1465 m hoher Vulkan im gleichnamigen Département und gehört zum Zentralmassiv in der Auvergne im Zentrum Frankreichs. Er ist der höchste Berg der Kette der Puys. Als “Grand Site de France" klassifiziert und in der Nähe von Clermont-Ferrand gelegen, ist der Puy de Dôme das Wahrzeichen des gesamten Departements. Unter den 80 Vulkanen, die von der UNESCO zum Weltkulturerbe erklärt wurden, ist nur der Puy de Dôme für jedermann zugänglich, dank der elektrischen Zahnradbahn Panoramique des Dômes. 

    Wir hatten eine Fahrt mit dieser Zahnradbahn eingeplant. Aber bei diesem Wetter und dieser schlechten Sicht? Wir haben uns diese 30 Euro gespart. 🤔

    Auf dem Rückweg entdeckten wir einen schönen Aussichtspunkt oberhalb der Stadt Clermont-Ferrand.

    Wir buchten ein Zimmer mit Küche und Parkplatz in einem Home & Break Hotel. Das Zimmer ist zwar kleiner als unsere gewohnten Apartments, sind aber sauber und komplett ausgestattet. 65 € / Tag

    Von hier aus können wir in den nächsten Tagen die Stadt fußläufig erkunden🚶🚶‍♂️    Read more

    See translation
  • 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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  • TravelerJessi's Jakobsweg
    11111
    Day 46–47

    Montgros - Les Cambrassats

    October 3, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Eigentlich war heute mit ca. 22 km ein eher kurzer Wandertag. Trotzdem kam ich erst um halb 7 in meiner Unterkunft an.
    Gerade als ich am Morgen die Gite (Unterkunft) verliess, lief Thomas vorbei, der in der Nähe campiert hatte. Voll der Zufall!
    Wir liefen dann wieder mal ne Weile zusammen.

    Das Wetter war heute eigentlich gut gemeldet - doch es war ziemlich eklig! Viel Nieselregen, "normaler" Regen, Wind und Kälte! Hier in den Bergen ist es sehr wahrscheinlich noch viel extremer und kälter als weiter unten - schliesslich sind, bzw. waren, wir auf 1400 M.ü.M.
    Die Temepraturen hier sind tagsüber gegen 10 Grad, gefühlt waren es heute aber nur knapp über null🥶

    Ich war jedenfalls froh, war die Strecke heute nicht so lang. Aber ich denke, da das Wetter so schlecht war, waren wir auch eher langsam unterwegs.
    Ausserdem hatte ich am Schluss Mühe, die Unterkunft zu finden, da ich weder Name noch Adresse hatte. Cédric, der schon die Tage vorher in der gleichen Unterkunft war wie ich, hatte diese Nacht gleich für mich mitgebucht. Aber irgendwie habe ich mir nicht so genau aufgeschrieben, wo das ist und so bin ich zuerst noch dran vorbeigelaufen. War dann froh, als ich endlich ankam!
    Hier sind wir nur zu dritt - wieder Lee aus Korea, Cédric und ich.
    Thomas habe ich wieder verloren, da er kalt hatte und viel zu schnell (davon-) gelaufen ist😉

    Die Unterkunft hier ist echt irgendwo im Nirgendwo. Und man hört dauernd einen Hirsch brüllen! Da ich das Geräusch nicht kannte, dachte ich zuerst, es sei eine gebärende Kuh! Man klärte mich hier dann aber auf und ich bin froh, ist es nur ein Hirsch😅    Read more

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  • Nan & Grumpy Hit the Road!
    Day 10

    Getting back on track.

    September 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Chartres, Moulins and now Aumont - Aubrac. We are two hours from the Med. Very little has happened as it’s just been a couple of days of long driving and doing very little sight seeing on the way. Suzan is taking every potion I happen to pick up at the Pharmacies when out for the Croissants to try and get this dam cold under control and get some strength back. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. Chartres is a vibrant town, Moulins we didn’t see and A-A is a small town with a great little Aire and not a bad little restaurant. The Cheesy mash was to die for. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.Read more

  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    3
    Day 26–27

    Day 26 - Aubrac to St Come d’Olt

    May 17, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    We walked into Aubrac and spotted a swankey Brasserie so booked a meal for later. We then checked into our accommodation ‘La Dômerie’ a Chambre de hotes of very high quality. Wonderful to have sheets provided and not to have to use our sleeping pods. The hotel was a wonderful old building that had been kept in a traditional manner.
    We went for our meal which again was in a room of fantastic character with all kinds of quirky furniture, ornaments and art. It had a wood burning stove in the middle which was delightful as we arrived but soon made us very warm indeed.
    After a good sleep went down for a lovely breakfast in the charming dining room - a great selection including fruit salad, fresh croissants, cheese and ham. We left feeling buoyant and ready for a day on the road. A good job too as we had 24 km to get through.
    It was a tough slog as at least 15 of the km were a steep descent over gullies filled with rocks that really hammer your feet.
    We went through the medieval village of Chely d’Aubrac and stopped for coffee. Our lunch stop was in the hamlet of Lestrades where the locals had put hot drinks in a barn in a help yourself basis.
    The rain, thunder and lightning started as we approached our accommodation for the night - the Convent de Malet - where we were welcomed by 2 of the sisters. The convent is a big, old roomy building with a great wooden staircase and well oiled policies and philosophies. It can accommodate up to 60 pilgrims a night.
    After putting bags into room and freshening up we hobbled into town while we had the energy. Sadly most places were shut til 7 except the bakery and local snack bar. We dined on paninis and offered to buy one for another pilgrim travelling with his dog. This turned out to be Roman, a 29 year old Czech Republic guy who said he sometimes walks up to 40 km a day😳 and lives outdoors relying on the kindness of The Way.
    Had a good hour or so with him listening to his tales and philosophies, he had very gentle, spiritual eyes - probably a psycho 😆 - only joking. We sent him on his way with some provisions from the bakery and €10 - he was very happy and we had hugs all around before heading back to our convent for showers and chilling before bed in prep for 20 km tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    2
    Day 25–26

    Day 25 - Finieyroles - Aubrac

    May 16, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    La Rose d’Aubrac was a lovely gite but Simon struggling more and more with the communal meals 😳
    We were treated to a bland veg soup, truffelade ( kind of bubble and squeak with cream, garlic and cheese) and apple confit. Then Simon allowed to thankfully escape.
    We were only English speakers so was a challenge- but we were made to feel welcome.
    Up early for bread, jam and coffee. Then once more onto the Aubrac plateau. A place of solitude, bird song, flowers and lots of streams to breach. Really reminding us of Yorkshire moorlands and in places the Isle of Man 🇮🇲
    We came through sunshine, wind, hail and rain - thank goodness for my new poncho 😆
    Stopped in the quaint town of Nasbinals for a lovely sandwich and got an extra stamp on our credentials (pilgrims passports). 19 km later we have now arrived in Aubrac and are sitting viewing beautiful scenery waiting to check in at tonight’s digs.
    Simon tried the local drink pastis on our wet rest day - it’s rather like Greek ouzo!!
    He’s going for it again today!!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking the Camino
    2
    Day 24–25

    Day 23/24 - Aumont Aubrac - Finieyrols

    May 15, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We are very glad yesterday was a rest day as it bucketed it down with rain all day and we saw some very wet pilgrims. We got our laundry done then headed out for a slap up lunch. After exploring a few grumpy venues we ended up back at our fave restaurant from the day before. We were well looked after by our cheerful waitress. We had to leave our sopping coats in the barn next door. However when we went to retrieve them only Simon’s nuclear yellow anorak remained 😳
    I had to knock on the window as they had locked up. They found a replacement in a drawer which ended up being much better than the one that had disappeared!!😂
    Up early this morning- 1 toilet between 8!!
    Had petit dejeuner, tidied up the little cottage and hoofed it off into a drier day.
    Our path took us up onto the Aubrac plateau. There was a steady stream of pilgrims that the Plodicus picked off group by group with Mary steadily bringing up the rear.
    The plateau had lots of daffodils and looked very much like Derbyshire and Yorkshire moors.
    16km done and we rest in a little hamlet called Finieyroles for the evening. We are 3 hours early for check in so ‘just hanging around’ watching pilgrims drift in and out.    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

  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    412
    Day 8

    Aumont-Aubrac to Nasbinals

    April 26, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Very upmarket buffet, and then David, the joint-manager (with his brother- the family has run the hotel since 1928) took it upon himself to solve the luggage issue. He rang the same people on the same number, but was not taking no for an answer, and decided the solution was for the case to go to the Post office ( if it wasn't there) and for La Malle Postale to pick it up (likely tomorrow) and take it to our hotel for tomorrow. Lots of animated phone calls later he assured us it would be done, and sent us off. We were hoping but not convinced.

    Today was a long day - 27km officially, but 30km or so as both hotels were away from the town centres. We also crossed the Aubrac Plateau, which has rave reviews as a beautiful heath land, and in summer they are probably deserved...

    It was drizzling as we left in the new ponchos (which worked well) and Saint Craig of Kiama (he of umbrella yesterday) had lent me a pair of waterproof over-trousers which he said were too big for him. They probably were too big, as they were big for me, but in the cold and the rain they were a godsend.

    The country was grey because of the clouds, but everywhere were long, low stone walls, green fields, or paddocks with daffodils, and small woods. Most of the track was a walkway between paddocks, but we were on rural roads now and then. That was better than the boggy sections: they were horrendous after just a little rain, so I can only imagine WWI.

    Unfortunately the sleet and rain began in earnest around 1015, and kept on until around 2pm, along with a gale. I doubt my chinos would have survived the mud, or have dried out by dinner. We were warm enough under the ponchos, but fingers number quickly, and stayed numb until the wind stopped, or the rare burst of sun. Having said that, it wasn’t too bad with the ponchos and waterproof boots: we could walk along quickly without getting hot.

    We went through a few hamlets, but no villages or towns, but made good time because it was too windy , wet and cold to stop except inside, and the few little cafes we saw were crowded, or in the open. We saw a man with a Phileas Fogg type contraption harvesting daffodils in the driving sleet... unsuccessfully, though, as he seemed to spend as much time under the machine as on it. Maybe he was sheltering?

    After passing through a few small hamlets and past occasional churches, we finally made it to Nasbinals. It is a lovely old village with grey/fawn coloured stone houses, all with rooves made of flat rocks.

    One family has a monopoly on hotels in the town, and guests are apparently allocated on the day. We reached the first hotel on the outskirts of the village and were pleased we could have a break, but our names weren't on the list for rooms there. We walked into town to the central place (with restaurant and bar) but we weren't there, either. We had to walk 500m to another side of the town, but it was flat and not raining.

    Dinner was in the town rather than the hotel, and the same local specialties that Rosie and Amr had nearly 10 yrs ago - very good. Aligot (mashed potato plus cheese and garlic - consistency of play-dough) was a sight to behold, and very tasty, along with a local sausage.

    Just before we went we had an email from David, the Aumont-Aubrac manager, with a small glitch: the bag was delivered to the Le Puy post so late that it could not be collected today, and the Post is closed all weekend (plus perhaps Monday as a public holiday) so it will not be collected by la Malle Postale until Tuesday, and hopefully early enough then for it to be delivered to us where we will be that night - a town called Golinac. Four more days of only one pair of pants and shoes instead of one day more...but a timeline that ought to be achievable.

    Our hotel is a branch of a family hotel business. 1. Opened at 4... but if you knew your room number you could take your key and go in anyway. 2. Wifi and soap, but no tea or coffee. 3 Great view over open fields 4. Bed seems okay. 5. Quiet. 6. the ogress who did not want to let anyone in to breakfast...

    41,520 steps, 32.6km and 44 flights.    Read more

  • TravelerFrance and Germany 2024
    2
    Day 7

    Les Faux to Aumont-Aubrac

    April 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We did not wake up until around 6;45 - probably physically and otherwise worn out - but breakfast was not until 7:30 and Thomas had said he would call the Parcel People at 8am. We had to be in the reception area then, as 8am is the daily deadline for dropping off luggage. We packed our one bag, which is unzipped to its fullest to take everything we don't want to carry each day, and went to breakfast with it.

    Air France is a disaster, but there is a service - La Malle Postale - that collects bags from hotels in the mornings and delivers them in the afternoons, and seems to be as good as Nico's proverbial Mongolian Yam. So far for us it has been faultless.

    The good Thomas went into action when there was a lull in checkouts. After much calling and waiting, he told us that it appears that Air France gave our bag to its agent, who gave it to the local postal service, who tried to deliver it (allegedly) yesterday afternoon to the hotel in Le Puy, and who can or will do no more than try to deliver it to the same place today. The local post is probably linked genetically to Air France, so I am not confident that anything they say about the past, present or future is true, but pilgrims can't be choosers. The deal (as at 1600 on Thursday 25 April ) is that the bag is delivered to the hotel, and then picked up tomorrow morning and delivered to our hotel for tomorrow, as arranged with the tour operator, for 45 Euro... which seems good value for everything involved. The only catches are Air France and the postal service...and both are very French...

    UPDATE 8pm. Stupid us. Of course they did not deliver the bag. No excuses, no explanations. They simply lied this morning. The receptionist here rang for us and the latest "information" (being French, the "dis" is silent) is that they will deliver it tomorrow, but they will not say when, nor where it is, in case we wanted to pick it up - only that there is only one point in the world it can go to, which is the hotel to which they would not take it. It's Anzac Day. Is this what those people fought for? Am I bitter, twisted and frustrated? Yep.

    Anyway, we started off around 9am today and it was cold and threatening. We had spray jackets on (and also had an umbrella and some cycling sleeves for warmth, courtesy of the sympathetic Australian couple at the hotel), but there was no rain or snow to speak of all day. Through a forest, down to a small town, then farming land and trails through woods, and the occasional small hamlet or farmhouse. The people in the farmhouses must be heartily sick of tourists walking right past their windows and doors for 9 months of the year. We went through only one or two villages/ hamlets on the way, but the first bigger one (Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole) was 7km or so along the trail. It had a war memorial and a cannon, which seemed right for Anzac Day. The town also had a small, old, deserted chateau, which looked cold and empty, and the smelliest WC in Europe.

    We reached Aumont-Aubrac around 2:45. It is a small town/large village, but very pretty. The hotel is modern, but c 700m from the centre. We have not yet decided whether to have dinner here or in town... an extra walk, but we choose our own time. I think one of us (me) could also be described as angry and distracted...

    Went for a walk into town at 5pm. Found a store with hiking gear and a very honest owner ("don't buy that - it doesn't work"). We bought rain ponchos and a puffer jacket for me (with hindsight, buying the ponchos was genius).

    Aumont-Aubrac has a 12th c church, narrow streets (with the occasional massive 26 wheeler delivery truck trying to get through) and is spread out. Neither of us were feeling particularly social given our aggravation with Air France, so Anne found a boulangerie and we had our own little supper in the lovely hotel room.

    Chez Camillou Hotel (Logis chain) rates very well. 1 It was open before 3pm and has soap, wifi, coffee and tea and a good bed. It is quite new/modern. 2. very helpful receptionist who called for us trying to get an answer from the Air France baggage black hole. 3 Great breakfast. 4 Brilliant manager: David, the 4th generation hotelier who, the next morning, took it upon himself to ring every number I had and he actually made progress with Air France. On that basis alone, this hotel might be unbeatable. he promised to email us with updates if anything happened, but as we left he was under the impression the bag would be delivered to an agent that day and delivered to us the next afternoon.

    36,721 steps, 28.8km and 63 flights.    Read more

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