To Montesquiou

14.07.08 Monday Bastille Day.

Auch to Montesquiou.

A grand day out Grommet. After a slightly noisy night in the campsite, some people celebrating Bastille day a bit early, we started with clear skies and a fresh cool morning. After getting out of Auch, we had breakfast in a lavoir. These are the refurbished public washing areas in most villages and towns, they are completely unused but many have been renovated and provide a pleasant place to sit, usually at the edge of a shallow pool about 10ft by 15ft. After about 3-4 miles consistently up hill on roads we came out of the communale forest of Auch and there over a wheat field we got our first sight of the Pyrenees with 14 hot air balloons in the distance. At last after all these weeks a real landmark in our progress.
Shortly after we were joined by a foxhound, who amiably followed us but at a short distance for about 10km to the village of Barran. This was a lovely little village with all facilities (closed of course as it was a public holiday) except for a bar/café to get a drink.
We reached our destination for the day (L’Isle de Noe) at 12:00hrs, and after a biere and our lunch had an hour's rest in the shade while the tents dried. The morning had passed quickly and relatively painlessly while we walked over some of the most pleasant countryside we have seen, perfect walking weather cool and bright with clouds gradually building up did help. We saw our foxhound friend chase a family of three deer but fail to catch one, and also a sighting of what may have been a Jersey Tiger, points for the first to find out what this is.
It was far too early to stop so we moved on to our next probable campsite, arriving in Montesquiou about 16:00 and a campsite in the grounds of an old chateau (Dutch owned again) with pilgrim reductions again. The Dutch seem to have taken to this part of France as the English have to Dordogne. We are also having a pilgrim dinner and breakfast, 48euros for camping, two evening meals and two breakfasts.
While coming through the village we came across their Bastille Day celebrations which seemed to consist of a communal meal on tables outdoors on the sports field. The celebrations were just about over but a lot of good natured noise and singing could be heard even from a distance. It looked like any good village bash that we would have at home.