Our second day - a longer distance but pas de probleme. The usual path of 30 kms includes a temporary detour due to TGV works - so an extra 3 kms this afternoon, but we still arrived in our gite around 4, having left Saint Gilles at 8 this morning.
The weather was similar to yesterday, cloudy but dry in the morning with light rain in the afternoon. We enjoyed our lunch stop at 18 kms in Vauvert, arriving in time for the Saturday market. We bought baguettes from the boulangerie, chorizo and jambon from the charcuterie, and fromage from the market. Yum. And Guy and Martine shouted a very decadent gateau from the patisserie. We sat at an outside table of a cafe on the square, ordered coffees and made our picnic lunch. You can't imagine cafe owners allowing you to this in most places, but it's quite 'normale' on the Chemin.
I was going to write more tonight but we will leave the gite shortly for dinner - and our team meeting about our next few stages. There is a difficult decision at least for Domi and I. We are heading to the city of Montpelier tomorrow - large, sprawling and apparently not a lot going for it - other than a place to sleep. If we walk all the way, usually my preferred option, we have about 10 kms of industrial sprawl going in, and similar going out - making both stages around 39 kms.
Guy and Martine are definitely taking the bus from where the sprawl starts - and again the following morning for a similar distance to get out of Montpelier. And we have also to consider the beautiful towns coming up that we want to make extra time for, and that Martine and Guy need to arrive in Toulouse by Day 18 to take their train home early the following day. I'm sure we will explore all options and come up with a good decision!
Before I sign off, we very much appreciate the messages from home over past few days - from Jill, Pat and Dick, Paul and Pauline, Helen, Marian and Mandi. Merci amis . And special thanks to Helen and Mandi for the photos of Zaccy. They reminded me to confess that, before we left Arles, I made two 'unscheduled' purchases that are now travelling with me along The Way. Just couldn't resist. Photos provided.
Time to eat. A manger. A bientot.
J X
