If you have been following my blog and are wondering what happened to the photos, it is because I had trouble uploading them. I will have to add them later. . .
The Gîte Saint André was very pleasant. I learned from the proprietor that my former walking companions, Michel and Oriane, had been there at the same gite the night before! Although I am a slow walker, they are really walking very fast.
At the Gîte Saint André I shared a room with a young woman from Paris, Caroline, and learned that she, too, planned to stay at the gîte run by the Ursuline order at the Convent of Malet in Saint Côme d'Olt tomorrow. She left earlier than I did, but we planned to meet up with each other when I finally arrived. I started off walking with the Americans, then let them go on ahead, and walked with another Québécois, Charles, for awhile. I had met him at dinner, but didn't really have a chance to talk. An hour later, I stopped at a little rest stop along the way to have a snack, and let him walk on ahead. While there I exchanged a few words with another French woman, who asked if I was French! She obviously didn't talk to me very long!
It was slow going. The proprietor of the Gîte Saint André had insisted that the route was not as tortuous as the previous day's walk, which was true, but only because it wasn't raining. In fact there had been a storm the previous night as I had been awoken by the sound of heavy winds and rain that lasted about an hour. When I peered outside in the early morning darkness, I had seen some stars, which bode well for today's weather--absolutely perfect.
One of the problems was that in addition to the gravel and rocks, which were allegedly there to prevent erosion, fallen leaves and chestnuts, in or out of their hairy jackets, covered the path, making each step a surprise. It was curious to learn that I had passed a chestnut processing plant somewhere along the way.
When I finally arrived at Saint Côme d'Olt, I passed right by the convent without realizing it and had to retrace my steps. This at least gave me time to stop at the city hall multipurpose building in town and use the rest room! Saint Côme is a lovely medieval town and probably worth a detour on its own.
Selections for Day 10 on the Pilgrimage
(2 Corinthians 1) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all
consolation, 4 who consoles us in all our affliction, so that
we may be able to console those who are in any affliction
with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled
by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant
for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all
consolation, 4 who consoles us in all our affliction, so that
we may be able to console those who are in any affliction
with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled
by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant
for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.
(Psalm 107) 1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed
of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble 3 and
gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the
west, from the north and from the south. 4 Some wandered
in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; 5
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered
them from their distress; 7 he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town. 8 Let them thank the
LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to
humankind. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry
he fills with good things….
for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed
of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble 3 and
gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the
west, from the north and from the south. 4 Some wandered
in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; 5
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered
them from their distress; 7 he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town. 8 Let them thank the
LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to
humankind. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry
he fills with good things….
The following are a couple of French videos on the place where I am staying tonight.
For those librarians out there reading this, I forgot to mention that the public library in Saint Chély d'Aubrac is open a whopping 3 hours a week--2 hours on Sunday morning and one on Wednesday morning. There is also a retirement community there that actually looks more like an assisted living facility.
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| chestnuts |
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| Some kind souls had equipped this pilgrim shelter along the way in the town of Lestrade... |
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| No entry "except pilgrims" |
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| relaxing en route |
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| The gothic-style church in St Côme d'Olt has an odd, twisted flammé steeple that resembles a witch's hat |
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| Leaving St Côme d'Olt |
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