Day 11: Le Haget via Nogaro to Lanne-Soubiran

Psalm 57:10-11 "For your steadfast love is a high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth."

 

Well yesterday afternoon was just miserable weather-wise, and it rained steadily after I arrived at my gîte. I was thankful I had planned a short morning walk. The gîte and equestrian center, Le Haget, was in the middle of nowhere, and apart from the equestrian center and pool (which I didn't take advantage of), there was little to do.


Leaving Le Haget early, I again passed by the 12th century chapel which was once an outpost for the Knights of the Order of Malta, known simply as the Eglise d' hôpital, dedicated to Ste. Claire. The remainder of the buildings had been destroyed during the French Wars of Religion. Apparently the pilgrimage route from Rocamadour, mentioned earlier, also had a variant route that joined the Via Podiensis here as well.  It seemed so remote, but then I was judging from 21st century eyes. I  stopped, had a look, then continued on five more kilometers to Nogaro.

Oops--what do I do here??

I wasn't sure what to make of this--I barely knew what day it was

First glimpse of Nogaro

Like elsewhere in the region, the town of Nogaro has some lovely half-timbered buildings.  The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas in 1060 was apparently seriously damaged during the French Wars of Religion, then used for coal storage during the French Revolution.  It was repaired and enlarged in the 19th century, but there remain some of the oldest romanesque frescoes in the region. Nogaro is also the site of a distillery of Armagnac brandy.

Approaching Nogaro

Les Chais de Saint-Jacques

Although much had been destroyed and rebuilt over the centuries, there were lovely capitals, and frescoes.  The newest stained glass windows, dating from the 21st century have vegetable and grain themes.

Lanne-Soubiran, Maison Labarbe

Lanne-Soubarin, Gîte d'étape Le Presbytère

Eglise de Lanne-Soubiran

The walk on to Lanne-Soubiran was mostly though fields and woods, occasionally intersecting roads and highways. My gîte, Le Presbytère, is authentic, and is actually attached to the church, dedicated to St. Peter, which dates from the 11th century. 

Unfortunately the gîte only opened at 3 pm and I was there, along with two German pilgrims, at 1:30 pm. There is NOTHING to do at Lanne-Soubiran, as there is nothing else here.  NOTHING.

Day 10 : Éauze to Le Haget

Psalm 16:11 "You will show me the path of life, in your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."


 Finally cooler weather! As it had rained violently yesterday in several successive storms while I was visiting Gerard Zegers and his wife, Magda. I spent the night with them.

The rain continued lightly the following morning, but Gerard drove me back to the gîte where I had left my poles, boots and silk sleep sack, and was kind enough to give me a head start along the route, actually several kilometers, so I could avoid unnecessary mud. As a result I had only a few kilometers to walk, feeling quite rested and refreshed.

Before leaving Éauze, Gerard took me to see the recently renovated former 13th century benedictine chapel from the hospital of Saint Martin.  This former Cluny-supported 11th century hospital had once served the poor, but more notably, those walking to Santiago de Compostela, hence the new scallop shell design shown below in the pavement attests to that.

 

la chapelle de l'hôpital Saint-Martin

 
 As I walked, I passed through the little town of Manciet with its church, Notre Dame de Pitié, and its small arena (used for bullfighting!), then continued on in spitting rain to my gîte, Le Haget, in Cravencères.  At le Manciet, a variant of another pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, the Via Tolosana joins from Auch, but there are probably few that travel it, and I didn't note any increase in numbers of people walking.

Arena (for bull-fighting) in Manciet

school children on a field trip

Having reached my destination way ahead of schedule, I walked a little further to the small outpost chapel once belonging to the Knights of the Order of Malta in the late 12th century, before returning to my gîte (shown above). As I walked back there, in passing, it became a small reunion as I ran into  a number of pilgrims I had met along the way nearby.

Le Relais Équestre du Haget