This morning saw us bright and reasonably early at the Lourdes train station. And look who we found??!!
Sarah Legrand has joined us from London (via Toulouse) to share a week’s walking with us! We’re so delighted to have the chance to share this experience and know that many of you from Benedictus will love to know Sarah is part of our adventure too!
After a first cafe and a few housekeeping things attended to, we made our way back through Lourdes towards the basilica and grotto.
We contemplated but did not purchase any additional vessels for holy water.
Immediately we left the town along the river, however, the water seemed holy indeed - running clear and a distinctive chalky green-blue colour.
It was a gentle walk - mostly flat along the river, though with a couple of hills to keep us on our toes.
These guys look pretty chilled!
After about 16km, we came to our lunch stop - a town which had once hosted a very large seminary and monastery in monumental buildings.
The church interior was more in Spanish than in French style - much bedecked by gold, though with some lovely colour in the ceiling.
The way leading up out of the town was marked by an highly ‘built’ Stations of the Cross - each station housed in its own little quasi-chapel structure. At the top, a chapel dedicated to the resurrection.
After a relatively easy final few kilometres, we walked into Asson and our hostel for the night. It’s a quiet village but with a good supermarket, and we’ve just cooked up a yummy meal for the four of us.
Sarah L has fallen immediately into the pilgrim rhythm of handwashing and stockpiling food, and we’re so enjoying her company!
Tomorrow promises similar walking conditions (perhaps a few more inclines) and we look forward to getting a feel for this next phase of our way.
With our love, S & N & S
👣 🧡 👣 🧡 👣
🐾
🐾
🐾
🐾