Author: Thom

The Camino eventually returned to the road, and shortly thereafter I caught my first glimpses of the village (town, really) where I planned to spend the night: Estaing! It towers over the north bank of the River Lot, and it almost looks like a town from a fantasy novel. It was only about 1:30 PM, so I would have plenty […]

After leaving the little village of Verrières, I was soon on a main road again, which ran above and roughly parallel with the River Lot. Then the Way left the main road to go up a ridiculously steep hillside covered in loose slate. Soon I was walking on a ridge above the road, which itself was on a ridge above […]

After Trédou, the Camino passed through several tiny villages – or perhaps farmsteads – so small that most weren’t even on my map. Finally, we came to the larger village of Verrières. It appears to have been the home of several mills, but in recent years found a new life as a suburb. This photo was taken from the Pont […]

This image in the little church of Trédou is, despite appearances, a modern poster mounted on a metal backing, if I remember correctly. In any case, it’s a poster, and it’s attached to a pillar in this 15th century church to appeal to pilgrims walking the Camino. I would love to know the origin of the original image, as I […]

The little church of Trédou was built in the 15th century, although by that time there had already been a church on this site for at least 400 years. It’s sort of quasi-Gothic. The stained glass windows date to the 20th century and are quite lovely The sign outside indicates that this was originally a monastic church, which definitely tracks, […]

After passing through a small village (or possibly a large farmstead), I arrived at the little church of Trédou just as the bell rang out noon. Marten, one of my roommates last night, and Nina were eating their lunch on a picnic table outside. Two Bavarians had found each other! It turns out their hometowns are only about an hour’s drive […]

The Camino turned onto a rough dirt and stone road through open pasture land before eventually dwindling as usual to a narrow dirt path through trees and brush. This path, which soon acquired ruined stone walls to either side, trended increasingly downwards. There’s something of the romance of færie in these places. Date: 25 August 2023 Place: between Le Briffoul […]

After roadwalking along the ridge, I passed through the little village of Le Briffoul, which I described in my journal at the time as “a charming little village with beautiful old stone houses and one extremely ugly concrete cinderblock barn.” Fortunately, you can’t see the barn in this photo. Sadly, no café. Date: 25 August 2023 Place: Le Briffoul, Aveyron […]

After Bessuéjouls, the Camino was a lovely stone and wood chip path that climbed steeply into the woods, a hill every bit as challenging as the one earlier this morning. In parts, there were stairs. And in other parts, there should have been. It was definitely warmer now, and the humid air was stifling. In occasional clearings, I could see […]

I stopped in the only café in the village of Bessuéjouls for a quick pick-me-up. It was about 10:30 in the morning, and the temperature outside was already oppressive. In these days of walking through the French heatwave, Orangina came to my rescue again and again. As I was relaxing in the café just after I snapped this photo, Nina […]