Day 3 Chazeauz

Monday 19 September starts with a typical French breakfast of tartine; French bread cut length-ways and eaten with either butter or jam but never both together. The routine in France is breakfast from 7am with a view to start walking at 8am or soon after. This makes for a relaxed start but early enough to catch the cooler morning. With the altitude still around 1,000m and blue skies there is hoar frost as I set off but this soon gets thawed by the warming sun.

As you can see the clear signage continues to be good. 

I remember that a challenge on the Camino Frances across Spain was the lack of toilet facilities meaning pilgrims used the nearest bush. So far on the Via Podiensis I have seen a relatively large number of WCs directly on the route and as these all appear new I suspect it is part of a wider plan to support walkers and protect the countryside. 

Last night was another 4 course meal, simple but very good with the cheese course coming before the desert. A fruity rose wine was served as an aperitif and red wine with the meal. It was an all French affair and I struggled to (by which I mean I didn't) follow the conversation. They kindly included me as much as was feasible. By chance I met up with a few for lunch at a farmhouse and enjoyed a mixed language conversation with them and a Belgian couple. With no menu I asked for a coffee, tart and cheese sandwich to go.

An American couple I have met a few times stop by and chat. On the camino each pilgrim has a credential or passport that gets stamped on route. The American woman unsuccessfully tries to ask the waitress for a stamp so I bravely intervene and explain in French that the woman wants a "tampon"; as this is correct French the waitress was unperturbed but the American was slightly concerned. 

I am keeping on top of my wellbeing and stopped to clean out my boots and re-tie the laces when the temperature had risen. Stopping at one of the many small hamlets I saw another cattle crush.

This hamlet has a story to tell of its beast which I was quite taken by and I noted a book dedicated to the beast in that night's gite.
I will leave you to translate at your leisure. 
Like most people I have oftentimes wondered why the colour puce is commonly used to help describe injuries. Rather than just posing a question you'll be relieved to hear that I have the answer together with a graphic example.
Puce is more of a colour range covering as it does the spectrum from dark red to redish brown with a healthy dash of purple in-between. I stubbed my toe.

After that ugly picture I will try and regain your support with a cute calf snap.
And a limbo dancing cow, as today is only 14km and I have time to kill. It is common farming practice to limit grass and other growing fodder so the animals eat up what is provided before they get to 'level-up' and get a new patch of food; a classic case of gameification. In turn, eaten pasture is restricted so it has the opportunity to fully re-grow. This cow is taking a gamble as the simple wire fence is electrified; a good example of risk and reward.

The German couple and their dog are at tonight's gite so my concern about company on this route was unfounded.

It being a short day I obviously go for a run once I had settled into the gite. This is 4km mostly uphill then the 4km return trip. Given all the talk of the local beast, and given my state of fatigue it is maybe not surprising that I eventually saw the beast itself. 


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