My Chemin de Compostelle--the Via Podiensis: Day 3: Monistrol d'Allier

It looks like I have now lost my original posting today as it got stuck somewhere in a saving mode due to an intermittent Internet connection. I left Montbonnet in good time having enjoyed my stay in a lovely gîte. The only negatives were the lack of wifi and so-so meals.

On the way out of Montbonnet, however, I managed to miss the pilgrimage route and ended up doing the same distance on a parallel highway a good distance on the way to Saint Privat d'Allier. I stopped at a picnic table there for a break, but nothing much seemed open, even though there were a few places to stay. After that the trail took on more ups and downs through wooded areas with some inclines, but also steep descents, sometimes serpentine turns, and very rocky, often pebble-strewn terrain. I was happy for glorious sunny weather in the morning, because it could have been a horror in the rain and mud. Somehow, despite the lack of traveling companions, the time seemed to pass quickly as I didn't add extra kilometres this time.

For lunch, I stopped at a restaurant, Le Repos du Pèlerin, as I reached Montistrol, which gave me access to wifi, only to learn that my own gîte had acquired it recently.

La Tsabonne, where I stayed, was decidedly more homelike. There was even a selection of books courtesy of the town of Saugues, forming what they called a Travelers Library. Pilgrims could borrow a book at one stage of their journey and return it to the next stage. Of course there is the more informal library of donated books that tend to form as travelers discard their unneeded extra baggage to lighten their load. In this way I was able to nab an older edition of the Miam Miam Dodo, which has already proved itself useful.

Michel, the man from Quebec that managed to start out 30 minutes before I did, arrived an hour and half later. Dinner here was homemade and organic, as the husband, Nicolas, seems to like to cook, including using local vegetables and cheese, and he also made very good tarte.