We had a very pleasant walk from St Alban to Aumont-Aubrac. The trail is never flat and this section is more undulating with only short section of steep up and down. We have left the haute Loire region and we have started to enter the lozere region. Know for its beef (boeuf d’aubrac) as well as its cream and cheese. We are now on the milk route. We passed many many farms that make artisanal cheese, you can buy them farm fresh.

We took a break at a farm and watch the farmer’s wife sold her cheese.

We got into Aumont-Aubrac fairly early but we were very very tired. The sun was out and it was just too hot for us. When researching the stage, it is recommended that we stayed at Chez Camilou. The problem with this was we had to walk way out to the other side of town, pass the train station to get to our place to stay for the night. I was so tired. It was a long day and we were still walking trying to get in to our place to rest for the night. As we walked pass the train station, I was wondering if we could take the train tomorrow. Something new? Something different? May be we should try the train to see what it’s like? It was so tempting. For walking pilgrims at the end of the day, anything that do not involve pounding your feet on the ground is tempting.

We checked in. I ask the young man is there a train to Nasbinals tomorrow? He smiled. No sorry, the train does not go there.

Then he said: but you do have other options. Oh, there are other options than walking the camino? Are you curious to know? He told me my 3 options. Ah,, these clerks are so clever. There is always a way to cheat a little and not have to put in all the hard work. Well, I will keep it a secret but if you really really want to know how to do the camino without having to walk, you will have to email is and ask and Ed will tell you the secret. As for us, no such luck. We are committed to walk so we will walk it all the way to the end.

One thing I must say about the camino Le Puy: it’s more rugged, that’s for sure. It’s beautiful and its more remote than the camino Frances in Spain. 7 days had passed and we still have not had a sit down lunch at a reasonable place through the town. Best way is to pack your own picnic and eat in the fields. We are starting to get this down. We walk like the French pilgrims. Baguette in our backpack in the morning. The bakery opens at 6 am in most town. An apple or a peach is the best for a snack. We see along the way many signs for snacks only to get into town and find most places closed and not serving anything.

Another very very tricky thing is the timing when you get into any village for lunch. Lunch is served strictly from 12 to 2:30 pm. You miss this window you are out of luck. They will not serve you. They are closed. That’s it! So timing is important.

For pilgrims on foot, you can’t really time these things. You get in when you get in, so often time, it’s best to just much on some bread to keep you going to the end of the day.

In Spain on the camino de Santiago, we found food all day long, at many breaks. There were coffee shops every 3 or 4 km where you can get drinks and snacks. Not here in France!

Another thing we noticed, this camino is 95% French. We met very few non French pilgrims. In Spain, it’s an international pilgrim body. Italians, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korea, German, British, American and many more nationality make up the pilgrim population in Spain. Here, mostly French people.

We walked throug he mostly farmlands, lots of cows in the fields and hay barns. And the name of the Aumont-Aubrac is derived from the Latin altum montem meaning “high mountain”.

Saint-Étienne church was a former Benedictine priory dating back to 1061. Above the Place du Foirail is the monument of the Sacred HeartLogo monument historic which is a statue of Jesus, known as the statue of “Christ the King”. In 1946 by the village priest erected a statue to commemorate the fact that the Second World War had not resulted in any casualties in the village. Every year in summer there is a mass at the foot of the statue.

The Way of St. James has an essential stage here for crossing the Aubrac mountains.

Tonight at dinner we were joined by 6 other French pilgrims. One of them brought along the book titled “wild” ( translated into French of course) to keep him motivated. The book is about an american young woman who hiked the pacific trail. They asked me about the Pacific trail. I told them about the triple crown trails in American, the Appalachian trail, the Colorado trail and the pacific trail. I told them story about our hike on the Appalachian trail and the john Muir hike. I explained how we had to carry our tent and all our food on our back, drink water from stream, filter water with iodine and a small water pump, no hot water, wash ourselves in the cold river streams, and of course carry dry food to cook our meals until the next food drop, often time 30 to 50 miles apart. The French pilgrims went from surprise to disbelief. What about food? What kind of food do you eat? They don’t understand the concept of dehydrated food that is being reconstituted. Dried oatmeal for breakfast. Dried soup. Everything dried so pack weight can be kept down. No baguette? No wine? No cheese? No pate? That’s a catastrophe! Like the French would say. Them no hot shower? No way! Then I explained about the bear canister and the bear spray. That did it. They threw up their arms in the air. You run into the risk of meeting bears on your walk? No thank you very much. For once we American dominated the dinner talk. The French were in awe of our tales of hiking in the wilderness! The walk in France and Spain are way too civilized, warm beds and cooked food, cheese and wine .. This is more like a dine-around for us. We do put in long distance walk but at night when we come in, it’s way too luxurious than backpacking in America!

After getting a lot of respect and awe from the French pilgrims, U.S. two American got a round of cheers and applause from the French pilgrims! We had a good time. We were glad we were able to entertain them tonight.

We got up to our room and Ed dutifully read the petition prayers that were sent in for him to read.

Tomorrow we have a long day. The longest walk awaits us when we wake up in the morning!

Bon Chemin!