day 07 – draft
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Golinhac to Conques
25 km today - 206 km to date

Up about 5h30, pack and off to the social place for the whole camping complex.   A single breakfast place has been set.   I watch the sky lighten as I work through this meal. The previous night I had found a recent popular history of the village which supported a parish and a public school.  These, plus an open church, I encounter just beyond the camping complex.

Usual missing of way points on leaving.

I quickly tire of the mushy “official” track and take to the road (D42), through Esperac  (church open but not much else at 10 am), Senergues (another open church) and Saint -Marcel (third open church in a row).  Then down another stoney steep track to Conques.

Conques, wow!  It is just like stepping back 400 years in building history.  The purpose of the village is to support the Abbey containing an alleged relic of Sainte Foy (Faith), a young girl from Asia Minor  (modern day Turkey) martyred for her faith around 1,600 years ago.   I have my first restaurant meal (pilgrim's menu based on simpler items from the a l'carte menu) and attend Compline and pilgrim blessing in the Abbey church.  Staying in the communal gite.

And so to bed.