Cévennes

The day was overcast and a little cooler than previous days. We packed up and did errands. As the clanking bell in the bridge tower sounded 10:00 a.m., we set off mounting through the town retracing our steps of the day before. From a passer by we obtained directions to Villeneuve which was on our way to le Mas de la Barque, our destination. The road climbed the hill above the waterfalls that descended into le Pont-de-Montvert. We opted for the gradual climb of the road versus the trail which went over the hill and down into the next valley. It was very pleasant with a good view back to the village. As we came to the outskirts of Villeneuve, there was a field filled with narcissi and a yellow ranunculus for the first time. There were also two blooming arnica - which were a cross between a bright yellow daisy and a marigold. Villeneuve was a attractive stone village. A woman who happened by chatted with us somewhat surprised that we were Americans.

We passed more flowery fields and above a picturesque cattle pasture with large trees and waterfalls as we left Villeneuve. There was also a old irrigation ditch which carried water a long way high on the hill above the river and down into to the village.

At the point the road turned north towards l'Hospital, the trail left the road and followed an old road from the 18th century also used by the Hospitalars of St-Jeane-de-Jerusalem. It was cobbled and shady and ran along a rushing stream. The path divided between one running north to l'Hospital and ours which turned south over the stream. There were large stones 3 feet deep by 2 feet square on the top positioned in three separate streams which enabled passage across the crystal stream. The grassy trail rose above the river where there were several waterfalls before a dam. Beyond this our path leveled out and the stream was 10 or 20 yards wide and completely clear. The meadows were gently rolling with rocky hills beyond.

We continued along what was now a small river and as we approached the Pont du Tarn, the vegetation changed to pine forest. Here eight to ten men on horseback were picnicking; their horses tethered near the path. The Pont du Tarn, a very old structure, was gray stone with three graceful arches. Our trail did not cross it and we continued on through some woods. As we came out of the woods there were narcissi at their peak, but then as we passed a herd of Holstein cattle, Bon spotted the yellow and orange wild tulip of which she had read and was thrilled to find. There were more along the trail further on.

The trail passed through an area of the yellow broom and then opened into a field white with narcissi framed by an old elm-like tree and continuing on a flat stretch to a group of stone buildings. The weather began to spit a little. The buildings at Bellecoste were intricate stone structures which we explored. A woman, tending her garden in the last building told us that Mas de la Barque was four kilometers further. We passed over a wide new bridge with an all stone surface and where the road turned we went into a grassy field and found a rock on which to lean our packs as backrests for our picnic. We had views of the stone buildings, hills and white fields of narcissi, with a large beech tree to our right. It was a delicious picnic, but as we were finishing it began to rain and we donned our rain gear and continued on. By the time we had turned a corner and mounted the next field, the rain had stopped and overheating us in our rain gear so off it came.

We continued on a dirt road with solid yellow broom on the rise ahead of us and a cuckoo singing to us from the woods on our right. This led to piney woods where there was lovely bird song and we tried to locate the warblers, but though they were right next to us we could not find them. As we approached a rise with large gnarled old beech trees, the “cowboys” that we had seen at Pont du Tarn overtook us, most of them mounted but three at the end leading their horses. They were fully equipped with chaps and cowboy hats and certainly looked the role.

Soon we arrived at the ski area of le Mas de la Barque where there was a large parking lot adjacent to two stone buildings with horse pastures behind. We went in and found we had a private room with sink and facilities at the end of the hall. We arrived about 4:00 p.m. after about 17 kilometers.

After watching the US Open, Bon and I walked down to a stream in a field below the mas and back through a large old beech woods discussing plans for the next few days. Then we looked at the map for Avignon and Arles and how we would get there from Villefort (our destination for tomorrow).

Before dinner we had a rosé wine and a pression (draft) and watched the horses outside as it began to rain. The brown horses in one paddock began galloping to the end and one jumped over the electric fence and then jumped back into the paddock. I later told this to some of the riders and they went out to look at the fence.

After a pleasant dinner we walked up to the pay phone to call home, returning to the gîte in the drizzle a little after 10:00 p.m.