Well we rose early with breakfast at 7AM and got under way at 7:30 in moderate but unrelenting rain. It just kept coming down making the chemin treacherous. JL slipped once but caught herself with only a knee down. We were lucky as both of us were skidding down hill. The sticks saved us. We arrived in Marciac within 2 hours and enjoyed a cafe at a local cafe. Marciac is noted for its jazz festival in August and enjoys international renown bringing lots of euros. The baside is therefore well maintained although we were told by last nights dinner guest Judy Ford that the covered market in the central square was sold and is now somewhere in Delaware.
As we approached the cafe an elderly woman approached who had obviously walked some of the chemin and advised us that certain portions ahead would be impassible with all the rain. So we heeded her advice and avoided those areas. The rain continued and as we passed various swollen streams that were boiling.
This was a miserable day and as we walked into Maubourquet we were grateful it would soon be over. We stopped at the first restaurant to get out of the rain and have a bite around 1:30PM and to our surprise there were 5 pilgrims eating. One was a Canadian named Eric who could translate. The other 4 were French with no English. The group of 3 Eric was with had started in Arles and were headed for Santiago de Compostela. Impressive at 1020 miles.
We are snug in the Hotel de France. Pricey but warm and cozy. Tomorrow is more of the same, but colder. Maybe a train to sunny Estepona, ESP and warmth is in order.
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