Pyrénées

We slept after 8:00 a.m. and got up in leisurely fashion as the walk today would be short. After packing up and checking out, we crossed to the Creperie and had substantial crepes with coffee. We then confirmed our reservation for tonight and set out about 10:30 a.m. Unfortunately the weather was very foggy and we could not see the peaks.

We walked back up to the tennis courts and picked up the trail passing lots of children who were embarking on various hikes. The trail snaked steeply to the Col de Tortes where a couple of vertical rocks were visible in the fog. At the col it descended and we could see (and hear) a flock of sheep being herded up a green slope. There was one ambiguous crossroad where I walked one way and Bon another until she found a marker. Then we continued down grassy slopes with a few unusual yellow rocks in the trail. Finally the trail descended to a road which we took to the right. It was a pleasant road around the Pic de la Latte de Bazen built on the side of a cliff and about 150 feet above the base of the cliff allowing views of the valley and the hills topped with clouds across the valley. The trail went to the outside of a tunnel where it was very narrow and a precarious path – one step to the left and you would be on your way down. We navigated this successfully and the next (and shorter) tunnel included the trail. After this second tunnel the drizzle was such that I decided to don my poncho to keep the upper part of my bag dry. As the trail completed its circuit around half the mountain, it came out to a high pasture with the valley, a river and a road below. This was the dividing line between Pyrénées Atlantiques and the Haute Pyrénées. In the past, this road had been one of the critical climbs in the Tour de France.

As we mounted the road, a cow descended on the same side bellowing as if she had lost a calf. She was clearly agitated and we crossed the road and passed her with some trepidation. She continued to bellow as we mounted the road and then turned right through a high pasture climbing to the Col de Saucede. Unfortunately due to clouds we could not see much.

The trail now descended through pasture land and it was routed around some kind of pen which had been muddied by sheep or cows. It went along a stream and to the right of a stone hut soon after which it crossed the stream and climbed up into a cow pasture. One cow moved on as I came through but the rest just stared at me in their passive way. The next field had some mares and their colts, one of which galloped along side of its trotting mother out of our way.

We descended along the ridge of a high hill between two streams. From here we could see Arrens-Marsous, a larger town than those we had been through. Before the end of the ridge the trail switched back to the right and down to a stream through yellow and pink flowers. It crossed the rushing stream and then followed on its right bank where large stones had been placed like cobblestones. We passed a farm house and a newer house with bright blue shutters which contrasted with the gray day. There were lots of goats on the field above us to the left one of which stood with two feet on the fence and watched us go by. We overtook a French couple just before reaching the large building with church for the Mutiles de Guerre. Then we took a left at the road and descended into the village.

After walking around a little we finally located the gîte Maison Camelat only to find that we actually were staying at a large house up the street. Madame Cabac, a pleasant older lady, showed us to a nice double bed room with sink adjacent to the toilette and douche. It had an extra bed but we learned we were to be the only occupants.

We unpacked a little and showered in the tub and washed a few clothes. Then we walked the village buying an avocado for lunch and stopping by the tourist bureau to ask a few questions. We then ran into Alan, George, Tom and Jane at a bar and had a beer and chips on the covered veranda as it began to pour. We had a nice chat and then, when the rain let up, headed back to our room.

Dinner at the gîte was amazing for the number of people they served. There must have been 40 to 50 people. We had a lovely dinner with Tom and Jane and shared a full carafe of wine. At the end we bid each other adieu. It was lovely to travel with them and the crowd we found on the trail.