Day 21 La Romieu

Friday 7th October and I move onto a week that includes some slightly longer days after three easier days though setting out I feel a bit stiff and tired. Today I just trip the 500km mark and am now feeling confident of keeping to plan despite the fatigue that is creeping in. Tonight is a booking.com Chambres d'Hotes and I think I must have got tired of no email responses from gite d'étape in this town as it is expensive compared to the gites and doesn't include an evening meal. It's a change though and I welcome being able to switch off in the evening and have some space to stretch out aching limbs. It's an uninspiring morning walking through arable land but I get to the first town of Lectoure in time for their Friday market which means an amazing sourdough wholegrain loaf and a selection of three strong cheeses.
This sign says "Pilgrim, you are lost" and I expected some profound answer.

The answer is more pragmatic as it goes on to say "Follow the D7 towards the town of Condom and re-join at the bridge", which is far more useful.

During my pre-departure checks this morning I noticed my phone was missing. Usual checks on bedside table and so on followed. It may have been on my bed as I stripped the bed and got caught up in the laundry. I asked our host if my phone was in the laundry. She replied that it couldn't be because the laundry was already in the machine; I imagine my phone on a 40 degree cycle. Well, with my best Sherlock Holmes thinking cap on I deduced it was with me when I started putting my boots on, so unlikely as it seemed the only place it could be was ... and there it was hiding under the dresser. But that's not the story. The real story is that after she had taken a photo of me in the street which is her custom, she shepherded me to the nearby church to light a candle in thanks for a lost item found. €2 well spent. 

I sometimes write up notes during the day and the words above definitely reflect the morning mood. However, with a clear sky the temperature soon gets up to 25 degrees and it feels like a long hot slog, much like hiking across the high plains in Spain with dust being kicked up with every step and the relentless sun beating down and bouncing up off the white crushed limestone track. With 10km left to walk a village emerges out of the haze and I get some respite by sitting on the shade next to the church. 

I am staying in a fine hill town which again has a feel of Tuscany with its square towers. 
I make it to the Chambres d'Hotes at 5pm and though I find the road there is nothing to indicate my bed for the night. After asking around it turns out I am on the first floor apartment and the competition who run a separate Chambres d'Hotes on the ground floor kindly lets me walk through her house to get to the rear access for my bed. Very kind and she didn't leave until she had tracked down my missing host. No dinner tonight as the heat has got to me and I spend the evening drinking water and eating bananas and biscuits. 


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