To l’Ile de Bouchard

14.06.08

Chinon to Ile de Bouchard.

An accompanied walk – Betsy became a pilgrim for a day (yes, you too can become a pilgrim for a day). A very straight forward walk 13 miles long, first up into Chinon and then along through wooded tracks. We left the GR3 outside Chinon and joined the GR48 that should take us down to Limoges. We were also joined by a dog, a boxer who tagged along for several miles through the forest and then wandered across the road whenever cars came along, resulting in several people telling us to get it under control. Pas mon chien! Eventually in Isle de Bouchard it went off up one street and we went off rapidly down another. We met up with Jane for lunch by the banks of the Vienne and then returned by car to the campsite in Chinon. The ladies depart tomorrow and we shall continue our journey south. Shopping in town we bought sausages of various kinds from a boucher in Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau which were among the best we’ve ever had, also the bakery just opposite supplied an excellent loaf with Italian style dough and lardons. We had a very good evening meal with local asparagus and green beans.

Short stay pilgrims beware – Tim & Tony have been walking for weeks now and can move very fast, especially when they have found a way to avoid carrying their heavy rucksacks! Still, there was time to enjoy looking at fields of poppies, donkey family with foal, a hoopoe….maybe I could become a pilgrim after all with practice.

Link to where we are on Google Maps