Day 6: Stage 4: La Charité-sur-Loire

37 kms, Cloud & Sun, 8-12°

Hunting For Pink Piggies!

That was one long stage! Just four stages into this journey, and I hadn’t expected to walk quite so far. However, in an effort to miss some of the alleged mud, I swung out onto the back roads again today for the first 19 km. When I make up my own route, I often have no idea quite how far it’s going to be.

This is disappointing, I just lost a whole description of my stay at the gîte last night. In a nutshell, I spent time over dinner speaking with a very nice young couple from Paris who were at Vezelay with me several days ago. They are walking for just five days and will finish in Bourges where I expect to be this Sunday. We had a really nice meal which our host prepared for us, and while we were there, she showed us a room which has remained untouched since construction in 1750. Her father, grandfather and great grandfather were all doctors who operated and lived in this beautiful old building. It was built just before the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars. I really appreciate and enjoy hearing about these types of things when I’m on these wanders.

I’ve just taken a break to have my dinner. A fairly healthy selection of salmon on crackers, cheese, an apple and a bit of dark chocolate for dessert. All washed down by a small bottle of cheap French wine! Yup, I know how to travel!🤣

Dinner in France is often closer to 8.00 which is later than I like when I head for bed just a couple of hours later. After a long stage I prefer to keep things low key when I’m on my own and to eat earlier. When Annemarie gets here I’m sure we will eat out most nights unless we are at a gîte as I was last night. Better to eat earlier when possible. Besides, eating out alone, no matter how good the food gets a little tired very quickly.

After dinner last night, I think that the excellent chocolate cake served for dessert contributed to my somewhat sleepless night. The other big culprit was my decision to open the windows fairly wide. It was darn cold last night! However, as I have found in the past, sleep isn’t that important while on camino because all I have to do each day is walk, complete a few domestic chores, write my blog and somewhere in there eat a little food. Pretty straightforward.

Having sorted out my route last night, just before bed and knowing the distance was going to be fairly long today, I was on the road by 8 o’clock. It was great to see a little bit of sun as I left town. The forecast was for rain, but intermittently with increased risk later in the afternoon. A much better forecast than yesterday! It was quite cool when I left, and I’m really glad that I put on my wet gear, which while light, provides a nice insulation over my T-shirt and shorts.

Without realizing it, I had again figured out my route which ended up following the bicycle Camino route. I followed the road to the left. it proved to be a good choice as I walk through some beautiful forests and small towns. There was very little traffic, and most of the vehicles that passed me, were pretty considerate.

For most of the day, I walked without my earbuds and just listen to the birds around me and the many cows that I met along the way today. There’s a huge dairy industry in this area.

Funny story. I was taking some time to chat with some cows, you know like you do when you’re walking, and also trying to take some videos for my grandkids. Behind me, I heard this massive bellowing and looked around to see this bull trotting across the field towards me. I guess I was chatting with his girls . He wasn’t impressed, and I was very happy that there was electric fence and a small ditch between he and I. Otherwise things probably wouldn’t have ended well! For me!

The weather seemed to be cooperating. There was a fairly cool and stiff breeze in my face, but basically I seemed to be avoiding some of the black cloud cells that were dropping moisture in my area.

One of the little towns I walked through had a church that was quite unusual.it was full of pigeons! There was even a sign on the door said it’s under renovation because of the pigeons. The door was open and I was able to take a picture of the inside. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before, considering I’ve poked my nose into a whole bunch of neat old churches. If you look closely, you can see them sitting up on the sides at the front.

Another interesting little town had a mill complete with flowing water. There wasn’t a water wheel, but there was a screw system that moved the water through.

I know for sure that if I had taken the prescribed route that I would’ve missed all these little villages. Part of the reason I like to walk here is to see some of these places.

However, I eventually had to climb out of the valley to rejoin the chemin. I was continuing to keep a sharp eye on the weather.

It was 3 to 4 km to reach the walking route. I did walk through an active timber milling town where I found some really nice wall murals.

Someone had spent considerable time painting these. I thought they were pretty good.

And then I was off again into the forest walking on a very straight road which ran for miles.

When I eventually came out the other end I reached another town, but as I approached I was thinking that it had a very unusual name.

I’m finding the domestic animals here incredibly friendly. Particularly the cows who seem to follow me as I go by. This herd actually walked all the way over to the gate to greet me. Bunch of posers!🤣

Then there were these two beautiful horses that were racing back-and-forth across the grass.

About 3 km outside of town I was finally hit while walking along a highway by a very wet squall line. It passed in about five minutes, but it soaked everything. The wind and sun dried me off pretty quickly before I reached town.

And then I was in.

I stopped in to see this huge church, also called Notre Dame, before walking down to the Loire River which was impressively high and flowing very strongly.

This is only half the river. I’m staying on an island in the middle of the river and will cross the other half tomorrow morning. I’ve never seen this river so high, but I’m sure it’s been here before.

Another not insignificantly long stage tomorrow. I guess I better take some time to look into it and confirm my accommodation. Hopefully the weather will continue to improve, but it will be what it will be.

Concerning today’s post title, my granddaughter Ciara who is almost 2 years old and impossibly cute sent me a video followed by an online call asking if I could please take her some pictures of pink piggies. I’ve been looking now for two days without success. I will continue to look because I don’t want to let her down, but if I don’t find something soon, I think I have some videos and pictures from previous walks that I can send her. She’s two, and I doubt she’ll know the difference! However, I did write her a little haiku today.;

PaG where’s the pigs?
Ciara said, “I want pink pigs”!
Now on a pig hunt!😎

Bon Chemin!

Geoff 🍷🐖 🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖