day 08 - draft
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
Conques to Livinhac-le-haut
24 km today - 230 km to date

At Conques the gite communal is simple but comfortable.  The beds are good, about five older men and women all together.  The ablutions block is across the courtyard with the kitchen above it.  Bliss, a microwave, so I prepared my porridge the night before.

Up at six and away just after seven, going back a few hundred metres to take some photos in the early morning light: no one about.  Getting out of the village is a long slow walk down a cobled pathway to the pilgrims bridge over the Dordou River.  Then starts the climb up one of the “marvellous” tracks  (comprised of stones, mud, water and awkwardness that I have met often in recent days and absolutely love to bits (not).  Eventually encounter the Chapel of Sainte Foy with a bell rope brushing my face as I enter: what else to do but test it's sonorities.

On cresting the top there is just a 20 km drag to Decazeville. After another Chapel of St Roch  (three statues of the man, with one ishowing him in de rigeur pilgrims garb of 500 years or so ago.

When a passing motorist stops and asks me where I am going  Iyield to temptation and accept a ride.  Decazeville is one of the larger town so far.  Interestingly the shops are strung out along one main street for nearly a kilometre.  As it is after 12 noon it is hard to tell if the many closed shops are observing the long lunch break or are permanently closed.  At the local Tourisme (Information) Office I am a great hit with the young lady and her older assistant: he wants to take photos of me wearing my “hiking” kilt and she wants to be in at least one of them.  And I have to place a marker on my home town.

Just as I leave Decazeville the heavens open and I am grateful for a 4 km ride to Livinhac, my stop for the day.

There are 10 for dinner that night, the six I met at Saint Come on Sunday night, an Australian couple, a lone Frenchman and me.   A great night, again.

And so to bed.