Day 15 - And yet another. (Saint-Cirq-Lapopie à Cahors 32 km)
After a decent sleep, a hot shower and a traditional French breakfast at the campground, we were ready to begin another long day of hiking. Our first order of business was to climb up to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie which is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in all of France. It did not disappoint. In the early morning sun, the village was indeed very beautiful. The narrow streets, the impressive architecture, the incredible views and the air of centuries old history made for a wonderful experience. It was well worth the extra distance we covered yesterday.
Lucie has been nursing a sprained ankle for several days and despite the very challenging treks over the past few days, she continued to fight through the pain and discomfort. This morning however, she decided that she could no longer risk further injury, especially since today was going to be another long day. She made it into Bouziès where she could catch a bus to Cahors. Always the gentleman, Clément decided to stay with her. This meant that Dan and I were on our own for the remainder of the day.
Because of the difficult day we had yesterday, we decided to modify the route slightly to reduce the distance. With intermittent cell coverage and somewhat suspect maps, we ended up spending significant time on roads and goat paths but also created our own bushwacked trails through forests and fields. Late in the afternoon, we split up as my body was telling me to minimize the distance while Dan wanted to head to the river.
In the end, we made it to our gîte within 45 minutes of each other in the early evening and were greeted by Lucie, Clément, Kate and well-deserved cold beer. Another incredible supper supervised by Lucie followed and since this was our last night together, we spent a great deal of time chatting.
Speaking of Lucie and Clément, they unfortunately have to leave us because of other commitments back home. I cannot tell you how much they have touched each of us in a different way. They are such lovely young people who will be greatly missed for the rest of our journey yet who will always remain in our hearts and in our lives. Clément, the English/French teacher and historian was always very patient with my language abilities and frequently provided us with very interesting facts about the local architecture and history. Lucie, the incredible chef and geologist, with her constant smile, positive attitude, beautiful French accent when she spoke English, was a bright light for us on this journey. The very cute noises she produced with her lips in regular conversation kept us so amused (how can I spell pfftt, ppupt, ppiut, pprup?). I met Clément on the first day and Lucie a few days later. I am so grateful to have spent two weeks with them and look forward to the next time I see them. We said goodbye to them Tuesday morning as they went to catch a bus and three trains for their 12 hour journey back to Lyon.
For the past two days my body has been telling me to take a well-deserved break. It is hurting after two weeks on the go and about 350 km of challenging terrain. Today is a rest and recuperation day. If all goes well, I'll be ready to press forward tomorrow.
