Chasing After Jess

We woke up early after an amazing night’s sleep and reluctantly said goodbye to our wonderful hostess, Sonia. This was easily the best sleep I had so far, with a comfy bed, soft sheets and perfect temperature in the room. The day started early, and we finally got to see our first sunrise as we set off along the beautiful, rugged paths across the Aubrac, the dawn casting an orange glow.

We passed through small towns with charming stone houses, and the path was lined with stone and metal crosses. We also walked through beautiful farmlands.

The weather conditions worsened during the day, with biting winds and rain across the plains. My boot fully submerged in a puddle of deep mud, up to my ankle, and then and there I was ready to go home.

Thank goodness – we were able to find refuge in a cozy café and enjoyed some omelettes. It was hard to leave the warmth of the café, especially with rain and mist making the final 6 km stretch (a rocky descent into Saint-Chely) seem daunting.

The cafe owner kindly suggested we take a taxi, but we decided to push on, promising to use our hiking poles. The final leg of the day was tricky and muddy, leaving us with wet boots and aching bodies. Unfortunately, we had tried to avoid the mud by walking on the road, but this ended up adding an extra 1.5km onto our journey as google maps violently redirected us back to the GR65.

We finally arrived at our overnight Gite in Saint Chelly. There, we recharged and connected with fellow pilgrims over warm soup and chicken stew, sharing our challenges from this day.

I did find this Gite situation a bit weird and wouldn’t stay again – therefore I won’t name the Gite. We got a bit of an unwelcoming vibe from the host and found the Gite was also a bit run down, and not what we expected for the price!

All apart of the journey I guess!

Jess x