Day 11 : Estaing

Today I awoke to a lovely morning mist. In a way I wished I had taken some pictures the day before as St. Côme d'Olt is listed by a French association as one of the most beautiful villages in France. I had breakfast with the four French men I had met the Gîte St. André the night before along with Caroline, the young French woman who shared my room. I started off before they did, but was soon overtaken by them as I spent some time taking pictures of the old city.

The path varied and in places was strewn with leaves from a variety of oak with very tiny leaves.  There were also acorns that fell without their caps attached, looking like scattered olives. Walking over them, given the somewhat uneven terrain, could be hazardous. The stoney section descending down to Espalion was difficult with a very steep descent and much rock scrambling. I met a French woman walking in the opposite direction, she asked where I was coming from and about the availability of gîtes there.  I met her husband much further down, taking a rest on a boulder.

Espalion is a good sized town divided by a river--the Lot. I encountered hikers of different stripes, many in large groups, some walking the pilgrim route, others doing day or longer treks  elsewhere. French, German-speaking, Dutch . . .

After a picnic lunch in a beautiful park, I continued on the longer walk to Estaing, deciding to skip the last hilly 2 kilometres of the GR65 and walked along the highway as my right knee was beginning to bother me.  Estaing turned out to be a picturesque medieval town as well. 

Selection for Day 11 on the Pilgrimage

(Psalm 130) 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. 2
Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice
of my supplications! 3 If you, O LORD, should mark
iniquities, Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is
forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. 5 I wait
for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my
soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the
morning, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O
Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is
steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. 8 It
is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Scary section between Saint Come and Espalion

View of Espalion

Espalion with Vieux-Palais

Leaving Espalion

Eglise de Tredou

Bessuejouls

Saint Jacques Catholic hospitality house in Estaing

Entering Estaing

Estaing

The chateau in Estaing, belonging for centuries to the Estaing family, is now property of the Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Foundation