We had a 20+ km day in front of us and the rain was pouring down. Christine offered to drive us all the way to our next destination and after much hemming and hawing we agreed for her to drive us about 8 km out to Couture and we would walk from there.
We are the blue dot in the middle of that dark green rain system. Bring out the brolly! But it actually wasn’t too bad and the rain stopped after a couple of hours.
The lovely Christine.
Always sign the guest book.
The chickens were hiding under the hedge to escape the rain.
You meet people on these pilgrimages, and spend so very little time with them, but you remember your Camino angels forever. Christine is certainly one!
Our chariot.
Are these gargoyle-ish enough, Ruth?
Ken doesn’t quite fit into the confessional. Just as well.
The bell, made in 1861, was cracked and had to be replaced a few years ago. I didn’t get to ring this one 😕.
Ken found a new hat in the ditch. He didn’t seem to notice the top was full of holes. He is so…dapper.
We followed this oil slick for several kilometers. Ken left his footprints in it but they soon filled in.
Ken held an oak leaf up to the sign to make a Canada flag – he couldn’t find a maple leaf. It’s interesting how his mind works. But I also think he is getting a little homesick.
I have one of these arum lilies in my sunroom but it has never flowered. This one is just growing randomly in a ditch. It would probably cost fifty bucks at home. Beautiful!
Trailing abutilon. Never saw it before. My plant ID app has come in so handy on this trip.
We found a bus shelter where we could sit and have our lunch (hard boiled eggs, apples and carrot sticks…and maybe a cookie or two.) We were laughing so hard at a video Scott was showing us that when two people with small packs walked by, they looked at us askance and scurried up the hill like scared rabbits. I don’t think they were pilgrims or they would have stopped to talk. Ken tried to say hello a little later when he caught up with them but they ignored him and sped up.
Big dog. Little ferocious yappy dog.
The chateau and church are essentially attached, reminiscent of the old feudal days.
We saw quite a few of these water bladders on the Via Francigena but not so many this trip. They are used for fire fighting in towns without ready access to water.
Look at the size of this worm. I watched him lift his head, slither half an inch, then lift his head and repeat. I moved him off the road so he wouldn’t get squished.
Another very steep hill. Oddly enough, I do better on the hills where the footing is very uneven. You are concentrating so much on not slipping or tripping that you don’t notice the climb.
Ken finds an opportune chair beside the cow shed.
Moo.
Look at the view. We are high up on a ridge…that we know we are going to have to go down.
Twins.
Judging from the picture, I thought this meant “beware the bull” so I told Ken to wear his red jacket 😁. But troupeaux means herd, not bull. There were no cows, though. I should mention here, though, that the hunters also concerned me because Ken’s fleece is the same colour as the deer (and a forest slug, as you might recall from an earlier post).
Very strange to see this kind of modern subdivision here.
Why oh why did I not take pictures of the art they call pastries in this patisserie? Had some time to kill waiting for our place to be ready so had lunch here.
Not sure what this giant topiary is supposed to be.
The street where we live.
A pleasant walk today, if a little damp at the start. But thankful for the ride given to us by Christine, as i think we would not have arrived in such good spirits. And tomorrow is a rest day. Yay!
VF Britannica Via Campaniensis Voie de Vezelay 2025 