Good wifi. Seems to be improving the further south we go. Thankyou to those of you who have recently made a donation to Hamlin Fistula. Unfortunately I am unable to send proper thankyous through the website as I only have my iPhone & not a computer, and I don't have emails for everyone either. So a very big thankyou from me to you. Your donation will not only give someone a new life but in the training of midwives work towards preventing birth related injuries in the future.
Days 54-57
Benevent l'Abbaye to Chatelus-le-Marcheix to Saint-Leonard de Noblat to Limoges to Saint-Martin-le-Vieux to Chalus.
France is flashing by under my boots as I track south west towards the Spanish border. Weather has generally been kind, at least during walking hours, although we did get 2 days in a row over 30C. The landscape is changing to more hilly countryside which also means more lakes, ponds and expanses if water. We pass thru l'Abbaye, a tiny hamlet with a collection of stone buildings, formerly a priory for nuns, built in 1278. Long uphill climbs, often on muddy forest tracks that would be a watercourse when raining. The road takes us downhill then for almost 9kms.
From Chatelus we make an early start because the forecast is for hot weather & we have 30km to do. Today we pass thru some very scenic hamlets, really just a collection of houses. The off road sections of the trail are very overgrown which means our boots are soon wet from the heavy dew. In St Leonard we stay at the municipal gite next door to the church. Here we meet up with Jose from 2 days ago and also Siets, the Dutch Kiwi we last saw in Vezelay when she went the northern route via Bourges and we chose the southern route via Nevers. All through the night the clock on the church chimes every quarter hour and twice on the hour. Sounds like it is in the room with us.
We leave St Leonard as a group of 4 heading for Limoges. Apart from a short light shower we have fine weather. Along the road, across the paddocks, climbing hills and descending to valleys. After coffee at Eytiar (no milk available???) it is a very busy road heading into Limoges. We eventually get off road firs few hundre metres before getting into the residential area. Quiet streets and finally down to the Pont St Etienne across the Vienne river. Here we can follow the brass scallop shells in the cobblestone pavement that leads us up the steep winding path to the cathedral of St Etienne. Another milestone to make it to Limoges. Here we stay with the sisters of St Francis of Assisi, next door to the cathedral. At night another heavy thunderstorm with lightning, thunder and hailstones the size of marbles hammering on our roof window above my bed.
It's Sunday when we tackle the southern suburbs as we exit Limoges. We walk for hours along streets and roads in built up areas, apart from a short off road section where we pass a paddock with turkeys and geese. Foie Gras anyone?? We cross the bridge at Aixe-sur-Vienne, head up the hill and find a bar to have a drink and a break. Shortly after the suburbs are gone and we are back in rural France. The way takes us on a quiet country road beside a river which we can hear rushing and tumbling through mill races beside us. There are several old mills along this road. When we do catch a glimpse of the river we can see it is muddy and swollen from last nights thunderstorms. There is also evidence of the storm on the road which is littered with shredded leaves, limbs and fallen trees. Shortly after crossing the Aixette on a stone bridge we come across a pile of hailstones, still not melted at 11.30, despite the warm sunny day. We pass Chateau Judie, before crossing another stone bridge, turning right at the stone cross, and heading up the hill to Saint-Martin-le-Vieux. Here we enjoy a barbecue lunch of local (Limousin) sausages and crepes, with a group of bikers who have come to enjoy the fete. On and upward for another km before arriving at our gite where we are staying. A delightful goat farm where the lady of the house also makes goats cheese. We get to try some at dinner. Delicious.
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