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We set off early to the Boulangerie to get provisions for tonight as we are staying in my first Gîte etape( like a Refugio/ Albergue) at La Chamba. There is no town and the Gîte is on the way of the Randonnée ( hiking route) and also the Chemin Saint Jacque(Camino). The walk is really pretty through lovely farms and forests, but it is all uphill. On the roadside I was delighted to see a puddle full of tadpoles! Frogs are very present in France and the area we are walking in is very environmentally conscious. The constant up hill started to take its toll on Peter and after a while he was falling behind and we were getting anxious about him. Eventually with about 7 kms to go Karen was able to flag a car down and ask for help. The wonderful young woman turned around and drove about five minutes back picked him up and then stopped again to ask where he needed to be dropped off, and would we like to give us our packs? We told her La Chamba at the church and then we were too proud to give up our packs. Silly girls. It turned into a steady going up hill and then the last three kilometres seemed endless though Peter came out to meet us and had paid for the Gîte etc.

This is the Gîte near the church and the kitchen.

We were so glad to get there and then discovered that the showers were basic and really there was no room to put your clothes and every part of the floor got wet as well. I didn’t want to wash my clothes so I had nothing to stand on! But being clean is wonderful and the water is hot! So really no complaints.

We ate our gourmet meal of instant soup and Uncle Bens microwave rice with Champignons, to which we added peanuts! It was pretty tasty and the peanuts made the dish and lightened my load for the next day.

This town La Chamba is an Etoilé town. They turn off all public lighting at 11 pm so the stars can be seen. Unfortunately the skies were cloudy so no stargazing for us. Instead we played cards.

I was extremely successful at losing! It was good fun. The next morning as we were having breakfast I went to get something from the bedroom and met an extremely tired walker who was staggering down the stairs to the kitchen. She was very distressed and it turned out she had got lost in the forest on the way from Chabreloche and had not arrived till nearly 9.00 pm. She was very sore and burst into tears telling us. We gave her a hug and then rushed to find medication and strapping for her leg. It transpires she is walking the Chemin St Jacque and had started in Paris. It seemed to settle her to be able to tell of her ordeal. I think she is very courageous to do this walk on her own. What we have done is very strenuous and the last few days quite challenging so doing it on her own is very brave.

It seems that a post I thought had been published failed. That is why the dates are out of sequence.

We are staying at a gite here at Chabreloche. The weather is freezing but the gite is warm with good wifi. Peter is feeling better after a couple of good meals and a rest day again. He won all the card games tonight!

Today felt weird at first because Peter and Andy set off to walk to Gimouille, about 8 kms out of Nevers where Karen and I would be waiting with our trusty black Nissan Micra. Gimouille is on the canal but no bar or cafe so we met the guys at the church, a simple 15th century Romanesque style.

We have hired the car to assist us between Nevers and Vichy due to the distances. I wanted to rest my leg another day and Karen is just starting to feel rested. A 30 km day was not an option. It gave us the chance to visit one of the prettiest towns in France, Apremont-sur-Allier. We are now travelling alongside the Allier river which is similar to and a tributary of the Loire.

Apremont was beautiful (perhaps in the Cotswolds style) situated on the Allier River with manicured gardens and a spectacular Floral Park, chateau and carriage, bicycle museum. The little cafe overlooked the river, the chickens pecked around our feet, the sun was out. All was right with the world.

This is on the pilgrimage route( nearly every place is it seems!) the 15 th Century village was once home to stonemasons but once the Chateau was bought by Eugène Schneider heir to the Le Creusot dynasty in the 1890s, the village was restored and embellished to be in perfect harmony with the Chateau and the estate. His great grandson was an inspired landscaper and created this magnificent, floral park. We spent ages strolling amongst the flowers and lawns. It has three follies in the vein of the 18 th Century gardens, a Turkish Pavillion, a Chinese bridge and a Belvedere. The house situated amongst the gardens are so picturesque. And no tourists and in fact not very commercial at all. There are adventure canoe activities but that was the only obvious commerce. Just good taste and harmony.

After checking out the ramparts of the castle we took to our black steed and drive through the town we would have stayed in if we were walking and onto our next place- a spa town.

It was a really cold night and by 4am I was looking for my thermals! Peter has not come with enough warm clothes and was freezing last night. He was taken ill and by morning was not up to walking uphill for 23 kms. After discussing the options I volunteered to stay with him ( Pete’s French is even worse than mine plus he needs company) and I will arrange some sort of transport to the next village where we are booked into a Gîte. My bad French plus google translate are being utilised to find a lift or bus or taxi. Karen and Andy are walking on and will meet us in Chabreloche. After a freezing hour and a half in the town square speaking to people, a taxi finally appeared. Peter was so cold the taxi was the best option even if somewhat pricey. The warmth was so welcome and we had an interesting discussion with the driver. He was very friendly and we had a halting conversation about these country towns. The work is mainly sawmilling timber and the traditional agriculture is diminished. The young people are going to the larger cities, the local uranium mine which was mined for medical purposes is closed so work is limited. It is the same the world over.

We passed Andy and Karen on the road and they texted to tell us the next town had an Auberge that was open and they were having coffee and tissane!

The taxi dropped us at a cafe where we have set up a base. The owner is very generous and has let us charge the phones.

We have had a lovely walk out of Vichy into the hills. Looking back we were surprised how high we were. The path took us into many beautiful forests and past picturesque farms and hamlets. No coffee or lunch anywhere though! We had anticipated this so we had a pile of provisions to keep us going.

Before we left Vichy we divested ourselves of some extra gear and left it with Karen’s Mum. It made the packs lighter but then we stocked up with food!

We wound past lots of Charolet cattle who are so curious they follow us in their paddocks along the road. They come right up to the fence to look at us. There were lots of horses too. This is really starting to get into the country and soon we were deep in forest and beside bubbling streams.

As always the last few kms are tough especially up hill but eventually we arrived in Ferriers. The camp site has just opened but the showers were not open and only one toilet. I felt so yucky I got changed in the toilet and then went around to the laundry tubs and had a bird bath wash, I felt better and we just rested in our tents for awhile. Peter was really doing it hard today but revived after a sleep. We had thought to stay in the Auberge but they only had one room for $80, they weren’t open and we had to go back at 6. When we arrived hoping for a meal the owner was aghast that we had not booked for dinner and refused to give us a meal. As luck would have it a mobile pizza van was parked up the road so we rushed up there to grab a pizza. The young girls said they wouldn’t be ready till 9.00 pm because they had so many orders, but when we said we were camping she took pity on us and cooked us two pizzas right then. We took them back to the Auberge where we had bought drinks while waiting for the pizza to cook. The owner came out and said we couldn’t eat them there! We finished our drinks and then we walked down by the river and ate them at a picnic bench. Old stuffy France versus young vibrant France. The girls are the future and the guy is the past. It is a small town but on a major road and a friendlier person would have had our business. We were not impressed. The camp ground is very pretty and the amenities are good. I only hope he is friendlier in summer. We think he wouldn’t have given us a room either.

In the way into town we passed a riding school and these young riders had just finished their lessons. Bluebells growing wild amongst the other wild flowers.

Early to bed because it is cooling down quickly. No internet either.

We had a pleasant drive to Vichy spotting a heard of Bison no less and several chateaux and grand houses. The farms are larger here and seem more mechanised. Herds of creamy Charolet are the beef cattle of choice though the herds are hardly more than 30. It is calfing season and there are lots of Plat de Jours (plate of the day) offering calf heads!

I have tried the charolet steaks twice now and while I find them tender they don’t seem to have much flavour.

Getting rid of the car to Avis was a tedious ordeal. The car needed to be left in the station car park; after taking a parking ticket you leave the keys with the station information desk. None of that was clearly explained and we left it twice before finally getting the correct information. We were quite cross with the Avis rep but when we passed the office and saw him inside we decided to check with him. He was so pleasant we lost our ill humour. Still the explanation needed to be clearer.

Our AirBnB is really charming and well situated though we were disconcerted to discover our hosts were living here with us.

We stumbled on the most unusual and beautiful Art Deco church. We were all blown away by its stained glass and the decorative touches.

The river Allier which runs through Vichy has beautiful parks and sports areas along its banks. It also has a beach and beach boxes. There were several slippery dips from the higher level of the park. I had a go and it was so fast I landed in a patch of wet playground.

We returned to our house for a home cooked meal after booking a massage at the Spa for Tuesday afternoon. We are meeting Karen’s mother Sue and her two French friends Denise and Nicole for lunch.

They are the loveliest of women. So very friendly and asking us to come and visit. It was a wonderful day topped off by us showing them the Art Deco Church! They admitted they know the Vichy ships best! I showed them where u bought my swimsuit for the spa and they agreed it was a good choice but expensive. The spa was too upmarket for me to go in my underwear!Then it was off to the spa for which Vichy is famous.

Because it is May 1st, a very serious public holiday hardly anything is open.

There are flower sellers everywhere selling Lilly if the valley which are always sold in the 1st if Mat and symbolise a happy home for the year ahead.

After the spa we looked for a place to dine having exhausted our provisions the day before. I was starving and couldn’t believe nothing was open. Eventually with the help of the internet we found an Indian restaurant 19 minutes walk away. Disaster averted!

We visited Moulins this morning and managed to see most of the town which was the centre of the Bourbon Ducal Dynasty. There were beautiful old streets, a tower that was a prison during the Second World War. This was the edge of the German occupation with Free France across the river Allier. Today was a significant day for some of the families whose members had been incarcerated by the Germans in the prison tower. Wreaths were laid outside and a special tour took place so it was closed to ordinary tourists.

The cathedral was full with beautiful singing from the choir, the Sunday market was bustling but otherwise France, in the countryside anyway, closes down on Sunday (except for the boulangeries, and a few cafes.) We are so used to 7 days a week trading in the UK and Australia it comes as a shock. We did get some garlic at the market and a large hot flat bread from a stall.

The merry-go-round is a common sight in Paris and other towns. This one in Moulin was busy with children.

After the rain returned in earnest we adjourned to Le Petit Maison (our Gîte) and played cards the rest of the afternoon. A very satisfying day really.

Even the chickens and the rabbits were looking for shelter.

The next two days have been hard going as tiredness crept up. The villages are quaint but often closed with no amenities. On the 22nd we were looking at a further 7 kms after a 25 kms walk without coffee stops and despite pretty country lanes it just seemed endless. Eating energy bars when you long for coffee just doesn’t cut it. In the end we flagged down a Good Samaritan who kindly took us to the camping ground st Cosne. We were all flat but the lift was wonderful. Camping ground pretty on the river but a walk into town for dinner was required. We fortunately found the lively part with restaurants close by. There are lots of pizza places in these towns! We opt for the more upmarket place and I have a hamburger. I was phased by the request for the meat, rare , medium or well done!

When it arrived it was real meat that had been ground. It was a bit bland I thought but still tasty. The local wine Sancerre was a very light white. Delicious. Karen was not well , just exhausted so we didn’t linger.

I thought we should get a taxi halfway to Charité-sur-Loire to give us a break but Andy believed the best part of the walk was the morning and it would be cooler.

There are lots of dogs who bark when we pass and they are allowed in the campsites, those are very well behaved. Dog ownership is high and one place we passed like a manor house had about 10 or so! I thought it might be a refuge.

We set off the next morning as planned but again few towns that were inhabited and no cafes or bars. By 1.30 Karen was struggling and I had developed a sore shin.

We decided to catch a train from Pouilly and Andy would continue. Karen and I pushed to get to the station to find it unmanned and like a bus shelter. We retreated to the only place open a small bar with no food but it did have coffee! While we considered our options I approached a young couple to see if they would be heading our way. I nearly kissed them when they said they would give us a lift. 15 kms in 20 minutes. The car is a god sometimes. They took us to Charité-sur-Loire where we set up my tent and waited for Andy. He arrived st about 5.30 exhausted and fully in sympathy with Karen now that he had to push the last 5kms. We all decided to stay in the morning to visit the town and catch a bus to Nevers. I would prefer not to walk 30 kms with my sore leg. A rest is needed for us all and this gives us three days. Charité-sur-Loire is a lovely town that is OPEN.

Today we explored Bourbon-L’Archambault closely, visiting the castle and the old mill, as well as the winding streets and the supermarket. It started to rain heavily and was bitterly cold.

Well shopping was a revelation. Had most things you need like bikes, mowers, wine food stuffs and the usual grocery items but all in the most ( to me, and Peter) disorganised arrangement. I was desperate to identify some logic but it was beyond me. The cereals were in ‘ breakfast’ aisle which included biscuits , jams, etc, but wine was in three places, oil was in three places, laundry was in an aisle next to gardening, bread was great but somewhere else and you could slice it yourself which I thought was great. We are so used to vegetables all the time at home I was shocked to find few leafy vegetables, but then thought they are coming out of winter so probably they are not available. I am on cooking duty tomorrow at the gÎte where we are staying and I had elected to do a stir fry for the vegetarians amongst us but also to satisfy my craving for GREENS. I managed to get broccoli and a Chinese cabbage at least.

We drove from Bourbon to St Hilaire through verdant forest and fields in a yellow green we rarely see in Australia. It is almost iridescent. The Chateau we were going to visit was closed, only this day(!) for a wedding. It was so pretty and Medieval. Chateau de Peufeilhoux is open as a Chambre d’hôtel so maybe another time after I have nabbed a rich boyfriend. Disappointed but not deterred we headed off in the rain through the forest, glad of our bubble car ( Nissan Micra) and not to be walking.

We followed a road Andy had selected as interesting. It was but also very narrow with no indications of where it was actually going. It meandered through more forest finally arriving at what looked like a door in a wall. We slowly drive through thinking we were in a private residence, only to see yes a house, but also a castle under restoration with massive crane and scaffolding all down one side. With relief we realised the road continued to the right and led us eventually to a very narrow mossy bridge over which the Micra just managed to fit, and onto a real road!

Our next interesting stop was Hérisson, French for hedgehog. What a charming ( if slightly mouldy) place with its winding streets, ruined castle, mirror like weir and a fabulous little restaurant. I had seen the door of what looked like a bar was ajar so I had stepped in to ask if they were open. The two women laughed and said no but directed us to the place that was, saying come back next season. They were renovating an old hotel which will look fantastic when it is finished. The town is the first we have seen with a retirement or old people’s care facility.

Lunch was delicious and full of salad and vegetables before we moved on to St Hilaire where we are staying two nights in a gîte. This is a private small house like a holiday stay. It is very cute and means we don’t need to put up tents in the next four days of rain. We will use it as a base to explore Moulins. Despite the 70 kms we covered we are actually only 15 kms from where we started this morning! We could have walked, but glad we didn’t. We saw two walkers looking decidedly miserable. Playing cards as you do on rainy days.

Postscript

Souvigny is the correct spelling of today’s little town and for those who are not as mad as me to walk( attempt) to walk the ridiculous 800 kms. We have discovered that many of the little towns have quite pleasant circuits you can do. So car travel plus walking is definitely a possibility.