Jour 10 - Pasturat to Cahors

 The gîte at Pasturat had been a lot of fun with a dozen of us around the dinner table, most from different regions of France--Brittany, Normandy, Montauban, the Loire Valley, one displaced Canadian living in Brittany, a young Swiss couple, and me. Those sitting closest to me were a forester and his wife, and a couple of dairy farmers, and the conversation included a discussion of organic farming, apiculture, and why there were so many pine trees fallen along the path (not native to the area)--you get the picture.  I was out of my element.  I did, however, learn from the 3 people with whom I shared a room that I could shorten the route by skipping the town of Bears and taking the highway directly to Mazuts.  As I mentioned, I took a photograph of a topographical map that one person had and it came in handy the following day in the morning drizzle.  As I understood it, Bears was chiefly interesting for a panoramic view, not too enticing in the rain, and getting there and back would be rocky and hilly. An easy decision.

Otherwise, the walk to Cahors seemed interminable, and, as the signage giving the mileage for the road and pilgrim path differed, it was frustrating trying to estimate when I would arrive. Not only that, the trail had apparently been slightly re-routed and after walking, say, 2 kilometers, the signs might indicate that you hadn't walked at all!  Now THAT was discouraging!

When I finally reached Cahors, the relatively large city felt somewhat intimidating at first, as I didn't have a map, but I managed to find the correct bridge without difficulty, and was only a stone's throw from my destination when I called the gîte owner for directions.  I was literally less than 100 feet away and he came and got me, walking me to the nearest ATM when he heard my complaint about the one in St. Cirq Lapopie being out-of-order.

Cahors, of course, is known for that fantastic dark, pungent red wine using the malbec grape, now very popular in the US.  During the middle ages it was exported via Bordeaux and known as the "black wine".  The city itself apparently dates back to Roman times with some vestiges of that period still visible, and Cahors has had vineyards since then.

wayside cross

a portion of the topographical map ensuring that I connected correctly to the trail at les Mazuts

Approaching Cahors from the Célé Valley there is a choice of two routes--I took the towpath. The alternative was longer, had more ups and downs, and entered the city via the Mont-Saint-Cyr.  At a juncture where I had to make a decision as to which route to take, two French couples described my alternatives, and the choice was a no-brainer.

respect our free-range chickens and keep your dogs on-leash

along the lot river approaching Cahors

little victory gardens along the way

a tiny ornamental cazelle on a fence post

approaching Cahors

A jokester posted this near my gîte--"here on April 17, 1891 absolutely nothing took place"

clever mechanical clock not far from my gîte

old houses in Cahors

dinner at the little restaurant "Chez Jackie" in Cahors.  I had, of course, a glass of the local "black" wine

unfortunately this church was closed

 Psalm 133) 1 How very good and pleasant it is when
kindred live together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on
the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of
Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. 3 It is
like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of
Zion. For there the LORD ordained his blessing, life
forevermore.