Day 2 Saugues

It is Sunday 18 September and after yesterday's steady walk and 45-minute run I certainly took things easy today. Blue skies and a gentle breeze meant I reached Saugues at 2.30pm giving me some rest time before the gite opened at 4pm. I had missed out on Puy Lentils in Le Puy-en-Velay but the gîte served them up last night as part of a simple four course meal.

The route today felt like it was going to great lengths to wind up and down the Atillier valley until I realised we were taking in the pilgrim churches and chapels.

Beautiful scenery and if I havn't taken too many photos it is because a substation sits in the valley floor and the surrounding area is strewn with electricity pilons. The cool morning started with cotton wool mist in the valley floor and remember we are in the Massif Central, France's central Highlands so I would have this at about the height of Snowden.

There is always lots to see and this dwelling shows a common design where a ramp goes up to the first floor which I expect was used to store hay and other fodder.
It is difficult to capture a landscape in a photo but the following shows a classic view.
In my preparation for this trip I received a tetnus booster as my last trip to France involved a bite from a dog and indeed there are plenty of free roaming dogs on this are. I was amused to see this serious advice.

Today's 19km felt tiring and was definitely sun hat and suncream weather towards the end. I am trying very hard to tske care of myself as I have another 30 nights of accommodation booked so I can't miss a beat. Today I probably didn't drink enough and I certainly failed to spot early enough that I need to re-tie my boot laces when it warmed up. 43km put of 748km is a start.

There are more pilgrims around than I thought, though we are still bunched together from Le Puy-en-Velay and I expect we will string out more as the towns turn to villages. Tonight's run was fun especially as the outward leg was uphill so an easier return.

I think I am still in the Haut-Loire department in the Auvergne district though tomorrow I enter the Occitanie district. I am having trouble finding a clear map showing regions and departments and am going by a mobile app naming of districts.

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