Cévennes

After cleaning up and packing a picnic, we set out for Cassagnas about 10:00 a.m. following two pretty young teenage girls who I suspect were sent out to water the sheep. We left town heading east bearing right on GR 72 which passed through nondescript pine woods for some time. We continued on and got some views but nothing as spectacular as we'd seen in previous days. We passed a formidable Mas with slate roofs and wood piles cut and aging nearby. The trail then descended alongside a rushing stream which joined the Mimente river, passing a bridge over the river and then a beautiful stone building opposite a swimming area (animaux not allowed). We crossed to the gare Cassagnas, which was no longer a train station but had become a restaurant/hotel/gîte with elaborate wooden picnic benches outside. As we were not ready for lunch, we headed up the road to the town of Cassagnas. I picked a little path which I thought would cut off a switchback only to find us hiking directly up a steep slope with briars and thorny trees. However, we hit the main road, and took the old road to Cassagnas. The town was, like Barre-des-Cévennes, built on the south slope of a Can Noire but as it had been bypassed by the new road it appeared to be dieing commercially. We went on through the town and again descended to the main road at the other end of town.

Unfortunately the trail was very poorly marked and we could not find the point at which it descended to the river and a small bridge. Finally, I picked a point and we descended steeply to a dirt road that led to the bridge. It was now about one thirty and we decided to picnic with our feet in the very clear stream.

We didn't stop long and returned to the trail along the river, finding a trail that had been the bed of the old railroad which passed an extraordinary field of narcissi. I was looking for a point where we might bushwhack up to the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail (GR 70). After an attempt to cross a dilapidated bridge, we forded a clear fast running stream with the assistance of some walking sticks that Bon found. We then bushwhacked uphill through piney woods for about one hundred yards and hit the trail. It was an easy walking on a dirt road through piney forests. It began to cloud over and rain - not hard but in large drops. We pushed on for a long time and finally hit the point where the path met the road and GR 67. Here there was a monument at le Plan de Fontmont for those that had died in religious wars. Continuing up on the road we found that the trail had been rerouted above the road. As we were tired, we decided to stick to the road and look for an upcoming right-hand turn. Unfortunately it did not materialize, leaving us on a boring busy road in the steamy rain.

We passed a wire right-of-way that allowed a view of a large stone village but it descended precipitously. Nevertheless, Bon recommended we try it. We climbed and slid down through wet plants and rocks soon reaching a wood road through forest which descended into a pasture and to a stream. Fortunately, we could ford the stream without taking off our shoes as rocks had been placed in the shallows.

We mounted an old stone farm road past wonderful flowers and some stone buildings. We were beyond le Vergounous but decided to walk back 300 yards to the town. There a helpful man showed us to the town washing area where we refilled our empty water bottles. We passed him again as we left the old stone village where he and others were unjamming a log splitter.

A sign said that it was 5.1 km to Barre-des-Cévennes and it was a beautiful walk over a winding road above a crystal clear stream and falls, but Bon and I were too tired to enjoy it. We passed an old stone mill and several mill pond dams and finally saw a break in the forest which appeared to be Barre. As we came into the road juncture we saw two young men and a pretty young woman in a green field beneath a large stone bridge playing the bongo drums. We had to walk up the steep hill into town in the rain again, but I waited for Bon at the camping gîte and we got back to our apartment completely exhausted at about 7:00 p.m. Trop long!

After collapsing for a few minutes, we commiserated about our aches and pains, took showers, washed clothing and dressed for diner. As at l’Hospitalet were very chilled, so, warmly dressed, we headed to the Creperie where the Madame greeted us warmly. As we ate, the father of the Madame, a very elderly gentleman who was somewhat hard of hearing and very difficult to understand joined us and talked of his life in Barre. Soon Madame's son arrived and I took a picture of the three generations. Bon and I left with good wishes exchanged all around. It was still light though it was almost 10:00 p.m. so we took a short stroll in the village and then headed back to bed.