This was posted a day late because I had weird internet service last night. At first, it worked fine. I got three-quarters through writig the blog and I couldn't get back on for love nor money.
This is Lucia, the beautiful owner and chef extrodiniare of La Baraque. We had honey for breakfast from her neighbor's black bees, which are very rare. The miel (French for honey) was the consistency of smooth peanut butter, much thicker and less sweet than our honey. I think I prefered it. She gave me directions on how to get back to the Camino, and I was afraid I would get lost because that section wasn't marked. Her directions were spot on, and I had no trouble. The B & B is just short of two miles from the trail.
I had to cross her neighbor's farm, and Lucia warned me that the neighbor had a dog but he was friendly. Thank goodness because he was Saint Bernard sized.
There is much farmland in this area. This is the canola plant, common on my walks in Spain.
I couldn't read the French words except for poison, but this is most definitely the snake that I saw a few days back.
Once again, I walked along a canal.
And I learned the name of it.
The were two draw bridges and once I passed the larger one, the canal widened.
Several old boats in disrepair were parked along the side.
Don't ask me. I don't have a clue.
The walk was lovely beside this canal, and I had a cool breeze blowing. Perfection.
Perfection never lasts on a hike. The very last part of my day was straight up the mountain to Montferrand. I was hot, sweaty, and hungry. I hissed and spit, like mad wet cat and and huffed and puffed like a steam engine until I mmade it to the top. I was holding out on picnicking, hoping there would be a restaurant for a proper lunch but no luck. I had to call for a pick-up at my hotel, and while I waited, I ate all the cookies in my backpack. I had cheese, but I think the cheese was getting a little old, plus it just didn't sound good to me.
I picinicked on a bench at the Mairie (mayor's office) when I spotted this intriguing sign. After much research on line I learned that by 1120, Count Guillaume VI of Auvergne had amassed a great deal of wealth and power in the region, but Clermont, the biggest village in this part of France, was ruled by a Catholic Bishop. Count Guillaume, feeling left out, launched the building of Montferrand, a fortified village just down the old Roman Road from Clermont. For my CCUM friends, I wish Rick was around for so many reasons but normally I would be in a hurry to see him to tell him this story of his ansestors and about the food on this trip. Rick and I spent twenty years ushering together and talking about restaurats. RIP Rick - I miss you more than you will ever know.
Even more interesting to me: according to Deep Heart of France, "Montferrand grew quickly as a commercial center. One of Guillaume’s successors, known to history only as “the Countess G” (no one knows what the “G” stood for) cemented its position as a market town beginning in 1196. The Countess
reinforced the town’s walls and the chateau that used to stand here and welcomed merchants and other new arrivals by making available lots for them to build on. More importantly, she gave the town a charter that was remarkable for the rights it gave to the people of Montferrand to administer their own affairs. Considered a model for other “liberal” charters across France, the one given by the Countess G encouraged great markets and merchant fairs to set up shop in town and drove its prosperity for decades. The Templar and Cordelier knights established bases here." Of course it took a woman to start democracy in France!
I had a funny thing happen. I bought some hand lotions and body balm and used my credit card. The woman asked me for identification with my signature on it since my credit card is not signed. I didn't have anything with a signature and my passport was back in the room. I offered to go and get it but she shook her head and said, "Not like you are the FBI or anything." I just smiled.
Dinner was extraoidinary. I started with tomato tartare which was chopped up fresh, flavorful tomatoes and basil with a squiggle of a mayonaise type dressing.
But the real star was this cassolet. Now anyone who has followed me on my trips knows, I do love me some beans and cassolet is one of my all time favorite dishes. I don't have words to describe this unbelievable cassolet. They gave me enough for four people. Looks burnt don't it? Yes, I know that is bad grammar but something about beans brings out the Southern country girl in me.
Here is my first helping, not burned at all. It had these local white beans - not as big as great northerns but not small either. It had pork, duck confit, sausages and God only knows what else but I now know what heaven tastes like. This was the best meal of my trip. I ate more than half of it. It must have been cooked for hours if not days for this much flavor. The meat was fall of the bone tender. Surprisingly, the beans were not mushy for such a long cooking time. And I am positive they were not cooked seperately amd then added. It was a near magical experience, just me and that cassolet. YUM! I was way too full for dessert and I may never be hungry again.
Counting walking around yesterday after I got to my hotel, my mileage was 19.1
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