Day 23 Roquefort - Mont de Marsans

Arriving at the refuge at Mont de Marsans

The plaque on the wall in the chapel of St Jacques in Roquefort showing the map of the routes to Compostella and the eerie reflection of the candles in the corner caused by the shaft of sunlight

We teamed up with Harry, the Hollander, today to walk part of the way to Mont de Marsan. We knew we couldn't do the whole étape because it is 34km and Mo had a potentially infected blister. So we booked a taxi to meet us all halfway - there was absolutely no public transport available.

On arrival at Mont de Marsan, Mo soaked the foot in salt water and we had coffee and pain au chocolat in the sun on the refuge terrace. We are soaking up the heat after the English winter.

We were at that stage in blissful ignorance that all planes are grounded due the volcano eruption in Iceland and Patsy is due to fly back to the UK tomorrow from Bordeaux. We are still grappling with that!!

All of us with Jean after breakfast

And Harry the Hollander

The first blooming poppy en route

Day 22 Bourriot Bergonce - Roquefort

Fabulous new refuge in Roquefort - tout modern with 10 beds and fridge full of Confit de Canard; We cooked it up with potatoes in the duck fat and shared it with Harry from Holland.

Jean (from the Association CSJ) visited and asked if he could join us for breakfast tomorrow to give us some more advice regarding the chemin. A lovely man and looking after "les pellerins" is his raison d'être in life.

Breakfast at the posh Chambre d'hote
at Bourriot Bergonce - Roquefort

The bar/shop in Bourriot Bergonce
where we bought our picnic

The brand new refuge at Roquefort

Day 21 Les Landes

Les Landes used to be swamp until Napoleon planted pine trees to drain it. So 24 km of a relentless straight pine lined path. We're all three shattered. At chambre d'hote tonight.

Lots and lots of wood

The endless 24 km long path

The "White Field" - a goose farm (for foie gras

The parting of the Red Sea
- enormous earth movers make way for us
to cross the motorway construction site

The first stop of the day

Les Landes showing some of the devastation in the background caused by recent storms and floods

Day 20 - Bazaz to Captieux

Today's walking has been exclusively on a disused railway track with lovely shaded, wooded and grassy flat track from Bazaz to Captieux

Patsy and Mo on the disused railway track
all the way from Bazaz to Captieux

A figure of St Jacques to mark the route
out of Bazaz (and bless the pilgrims)

Day 19 - Bazaz

Patsy and Mo leaving Abbaye du Rivet where Mo and Jenny got roped into Mass on Sunday and Patsy went to Matins this morning to be sociable with the nuns

Patsy and Jenny walking through rolling
agricultural land in Lot et Garonne

Mo and Jenny at today's fabulous lunch spot

Patsy and Mo arriving in Bazaz

The wonderful exterior of the municipal refuge in Bazaz

The interior of the refuge at Bazaz where the
kitchen is conveniently situated in loo

The amazing cathedral of Bazaz

The interior of the cathedral at Bazaz

Day 17 St Hilaire - La Réole 6Km

Fantastic today!!! So this is why I came. Hot and sunny - virtual day off, only 6k walking, bags with the Office du Tourisme, picnic by the river La Garonne with goodies from Le Marché (see pics). In cool cafe (Eclectik) where owner has lent us the laptop - can't be bad!! -Jenny

L'Abbaye de la Reole, cite de 'Entre-Deux-Mers
(between 2 rivers, La Dordogne et La Garonne

Leaving Chambre d'Hote de Bernadette et Serge.
Behind is the Sechoir de Tabac

Picnic lunch by the Garonne - quail, roast potatoes,
carrot rapee, olives and French strawberries

La Réole is a beautiful city on the river Garrone. The municipal offices are set in the abbey where there are long cool corridors that also form the pedestrian walk around the town. It is well worth arranging to stay at least a half day here to explore the narrow streets and town architecture. All thoughts of previous hardship were banished. Tonight we stay for the first time in a private home that welcomes pilgrims. The local tourist information kindly allowed us to leave our rucksacks there so we could explore the town more easily. Mo

Bernadette et Serge

Day 16 Pellagrue - St Hilaire 19Km

Vineyards and more vineyards - Bordeaux regions

Another hard day. Lots of road walking. Walked most of the day in sandals cos very hot now; knees manageable but shoulders ache; Duscussed with Mo whether the right adjective to describe this is tedious, tortuous or arduous. Decided the latter a lot of the time. Stayed at Chambre d'Hote with Bernadette et Serge. Lovely meal of Pot au feu (cos the English like meat well cooked) and oeufs au lait (egg custard) - Jenny


We set off fro, Pellegrue in increasingly warm sunshine. It remained bright and warm all day. The route was on roads all the way except for a kilo,eter just outside Pellegrue. We missed the waymarking and walked all day on roads<; It became hot and waring but you could walk on the side of the road and the edge of the vineyards. Here our feet became yellow from the dandelions that carpeted the vineyards. We past Chateau after Chateau advertising the Grand vin of Bordeaux. Roz of apple trees in blossom relieved the monotony of the of the vineyards. The countryside was beginning to green up as we walked into Spring. There were fewer wild flowers but cuckoo flowers were scattered on the roadside verges. Frogs could be heard again croaking and mating. The roadside ditches were full of frogspawn. Mo

Le Refuge at Pellagrue