Day 6 : Marsolan to La Romieu to Castelnau sur Auvignan

 

Hebrews 12:1 "[S]ince we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perserverance the race that is set before us..."


Well it was difficult leaving my little corner of paradise. Even though I didn't use the pool, I sat by it for awhile, and the world seemed do peaceful and calm...
 




 

 




 The following day started off nice and cool, though, and the long walk to La Romieu was very pleasant. La Romieu is known for its magnificent Collégiale St. Pierre, a 14th-century collegiate church and cloister with a tower. The four French women I had talked to at the gîte Bonté Divine were bypassing La Romieu as it wasn't on the original Le Puy route according to them, and were taking an alternate route directly to Condom. The town of La Romieu began in the 11th century, apparently, as a stopping place for Benedictine monks on pilgrimage to Rome.  Today it is joined by two pilgrim routes, the one from Le Puy-en-Velay (GR65), and its variant from Rocamadour (GR6/GR64/GR652) which includes  Figeac, Rocamadour, Agen and La Romieu.



The original name of the former village of Larroumieu means "pilgrim" in old Gascon. Once the site of a modest monastery, with time it grew in importance, and the impressive collegiate church was built.

The town is also known for the legend of the young orphan girl, Angeline, who saved two cats from being eaten during a terrible famine during the Middle Ages.  The cats in turn were reported to have saved the towns population from the plague, by ridding it of rats.  Today cats, and the cat motif are quite visible.

It was also the perfect setting for a delightful lunch.

My continued walk to Castelnau sur Auvignon was a short one, where I stayed in Les Arroucasses, another lovely place with a pool.