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| The trail passes under the tree, just left of this beautiful meadow this morning. This was my favorite meadow on the trip. Had it not been so close to my starting point and perhaps a bit warmer, I would have followed my desire to stop and lounge in the sun. |
Today's stage leads me inland again, away from the Célé River. The distance for this stage is 12 km (8 mi), and the trail climbs to a maximum elevation of 290 m (951 ft). After arriving at Cabrerets, I hiked another 3.5 km (2.2 mi) up and back to the Grotte de Pech Merle (Pech Merle Cave).
I enjoy encountering these quotes on the trail by The World in Happiness. This morning it reads:
Reading this reminded me of my meditation walk at New Hamlet. The words reasonate with me. That morning, I felt just as described, light and caressed by the world around me.
Maybe I could open a Gite or a Bed and Breakfast, I say to Céline. I really enjoyed having Nathalie join us during the meals. It is not often the host joins the guests at a Gite. I find this provides a much more intimate experience. And her lentil salad was fantastic! I continue. "It would be a great way to meet people and to fill up your bucket with new experiences every day," she says. Yeah, I would love to prepare meals and visit with the guests. Unfortunately, I get tripped up with the cleaning part of this venture. All the laundry and making everything look like it's your first day for new guests would wear me out. I would feel like I am constantly picking up after people, I tell her. "Yes. I would find it difficult to be tied down during the nicest part of the year, spring and summer. You need to work 7 days a week and long hours. It would be difficult to spend time with friends and family. Pilgrims arrive every day during the summer," she says. I hadn't even gotten that far, but you are right. It's probably why I haven't progressed very far with my thinking. 😂
This isn't the first time I have seen houses that cling to cliffs on this trek. However, in Sauliac-sur-Célé, the homes' volume, size, and complexity are more remarkable than anywhere else I have been. I love how these not only appear to be growing out of the rock, but simultaneously, the ivy appears to be consuming the buildings and making them disappear into the greenery.
The trail is quiet, and the sky is beautiful this morning. It feels like it should be warmer than it is, but there is a persistent breeze. I am hiking with my pullover and prefer not to stop this morning. The wind is strong enough that I know I would have difficulty staying warm if I stopped. I want to avoid pulling out my rain gear simply to block the wind today.
It's not just the weather that feels different today. Céline and I left this morning without having a plan on where we were going to stop for the day. There were three options we discussed. One was to stop in Cabrerets, around 12 km (8 mi). Another was to continue to Bouziès, another 7 km (4.3 mi). Or third was to walk to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, another 13 km (8.5 mi). I had zero interest in going all the way to Saint-Cir-Lapopie. That would make for a very long stage. So, we agreed to get to Cabrerets and reassess how we feel.
One kilometer (0.6 mi) from the Hamlet of Courbous, France, I see Gerrard walking down the trail in the opposite direction. He is just starting his day and says he is staying at Oasis Graine de Joie (Ossis Seed of Joy). The Gite is responsible for displaying the quotes I have passed along the way. We chat briefly before parting ways. It feels good to see him on the trail today though this will likely be the last time we see each other, with his Gite being 3.5 km (2.2 mi) short of Cabrerets.
Around 130 pm, Céline and I arrive in Cabrerets. "Let's go to the boulangerie before it closes, then we can go to the grocery store," she says. That works great! I am ready to eat and sit for a while, I say. The boulangerie is the last building on the right before the Chateâu de Cabrerets, on the cliff in the photo below.
The selection of bread and pastries in the boulangerie is fantastic. One of the special pastries from the Lot Region is Tarte aux Noix (Walnut Pie). It resembles a pecan pie with a richer, less sweet taste. Every pastry shop has its own twist on the pie. Unlike the large pie in the recipe above, here in the Lot Region, they make little tarts about 7 cm (3 in) in diameter. They are perfect for settling my sweet tooth without overdoing it. 😊
While having lunch, a few groups of kayakers pass through. In the background of the photo below, there is a third kayaker. He sits at the bottom of a chute designed explicitly for kayaks and canoes to help them safely traverse the check dam.
After lunch, I sit on the beach observing the river's edge and notice an inflection point. Sometimes, the small waves are in sync and wash over everything. Other times, when not in sync, the waves become susceptible to rocks on the bar. In those moments, the small waves divert along different paths instead of flowing over the rocks. After watching this for a while, I close my eyes. Soon I begin to understand my frustration.
"I would drink a little coffee. Are you ready to find someplace warmer," says Céline. Yes. I would love to drink hot tea. I am done being cold, I say. Inside the restaurant, I find a table near the fireplace. The warmth and lack of wind feel wonderful. Finally, I notice my tension is dissipating as my corps warms up.
Céline and I are still not in sync, though. There's a tension within me related to my not sharing what I want to do today. Similarly, I feel that Céline is also struggling with something today. This leaves us both feeling frustrated with our lack of plans today. "I am not willing to risk walking another 7 km (4.3 mi) to Bouziès without knowing if they have rooms for us. If they don't, we are committed to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, and we already discussed that it was too far. Now it's 330 pm, which means we would be walking in the dark to Lapopie," I say. "I feel like we haven't walked very far today and would love to walk further," says Céline. I understand. I could walk further, too.
Here's what I propose. I'll call the Gite in Bouziès. If they have room, we continue on. If not, we stay here and hike up to the Grotte de Pech Merle, I tell her with a smile. She nods, and I head out the door to make a call.
A few minutes later, I returned. We are staying here. The Gite in Bouziès is closed today for renovations. Let's see if they have space for us here. We dropped off our packs at the Gite a few minutes later and climbed up to the Grotte de Pech Merle.
Halfway up the climb, I stop to admire the view. "I am delighted we decided to stay and not walk on. I feel so much better. Thank you. This is what I needed," says Céline. Me too. You are welcome. Did you notice that the wind is also gone now? I say as I begin to share with her my experience near the river earlier today.
The Grotte de Pech Merle Center is a large commercial cave above Cabrerets, France. It is unique in that it has cave paintings that are 29,000 years old, in addition to some spectacular geological features. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed. However, this video of the Grotte de Pech Merle shows the interior of the cave and the amazing paintings.
When searching for bats in the Intermountain West, I had the pleasure of visiting hundreds of caves. This is the first commercial cave, the largest I have seen, and the only guided one. One of the most unique features is a tap root from an oak tree that descends 30 m (100 ft) from the ceiling into the floor of one of the main rooms. I am happy I leaned into the discomfort. Pech Merle was an incredible side trip!
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