Walking Day 2

Leguevin to Gisaro 

It seemed strange to awake alone in an alberque.  We dressed, ate a little bread & cheese and were out the door at 8 AM.  We found are way out of town and unto the trail that soon took us into the forest.  We back tracked a bit at the start of the forest for JL to change from Tevas to boots as the rains have made the trail very muddy in places.  The very red poppies are everywhere.

The chemin follows GR 653, a French walking trail designated with two stripes, white over red for straight ahead, a third white L strip under orientated to form an arrow for L or R ahead.  The chemin uses the traditional shell and a third hybrid uses a single yellow stripe.  These were all present in various degrees to give us a little more challenge to the day.  Farm land approached the forest and we walked alongside fields of winter wheat and fresh plantings we couldn't identify.  Here we saw the snow covered Pyrenees for the first time.

   We arrived in L'Isle-Jourdain at noon and mistakenly choose a lunch spot that took 2 hours.  We decided to press on to Gisaro some 15 km further.  The walk was easy but tiring.

A nice rest bench along the way placed by a supportive farmer gave some relief prior to finding the Gite La Grange, the oldest gite on the Arles route - built in 1652.  Again, the only pilgrims.  A nice lady (Danielle from Quebec) was house sitting for the owners.  She was a great host, serving the best duck and potatoes we have ever had.  The remainder of the evening was spent in delightful conversation.  The total walk today was too long at 19+ miles