The day started off just perfect and continued on that way. I had quite a bit of uphill, always the case in the mountains. I am starting to see just tiny green shoots peeping out of the brown stumps of the vineyards. Just hints before spring declares its arrival.
I like these little alleyways of trail - hard to make a wrong turn.
The olive trees are green and lusty in the shadows of the Great Pyrenees.
This area is very popular with rock climbers and I had lunch - same old cheese sandwich - sitting on a big rock. At least I had really good french bread.
Rock stacks are called cairns and were originally built to mark important turns. Now I think people just like to see how high they can stack rocks. It is actually illegal to make make your own cairns in our Southwest.
One of my favorite snaps ever. I rounded the corner to see this and it took my breath away.
This made me laugh. Clearly, a psychiatrist or psychologist lives here and accepts clients. There have been hiking days when I might have rung the doorbell.
Maybe the biggest cairn I have ever seen.
I am in Lodève whose name means swamp city. It didn't look swampy? It is only 1:30 when I got here. Whoohoo! I stopped in a little bar for a Coke Zero and to ask for directions. The bartender called out to his friend for directions. His friend was an Englishman named Brian. Brian had a wicked sense of humor and immediately began teasing me about being from America. Brian who has sailed all over the world has been a resident of Lodève for many years. He walked me almost to my hotel because it was difficult to explain where it was. I would have never found it.
We passed by the sculpture in front of the movie house.
Brian also told me that La Roseraie, my boutique hotel used to be a brothel. He pointed out a long row of buildings that were/are barracks for the gendarme and there used to be a tunnel leading directly to the brothel for the officers. The owner of the hotel confirmed it. There are all sorts of photos on the walls of the girls who used to live here.
Saint-Fulcran cathedral of Lodève
The outside was rather unimpressive but the inside, small for a cathedral was surprisingly beautiful.
Such an unusual color for a cross. I rather liked it.
The Cathedral had some of the most vibrant and interesting stained glass I have seen I probably would have posted more photos but it was taking five minutes for every photo to load. Whew!
The Organ Pipes.
I was the only one at dinner tonight so I probably ate what the family ate. The madam of the house, Ariane spoke English and told me this was "green soup" with cheese. It was very light and clearly made from a variety of green vegetables none overpowering the other. Excellent.
My main course was chicken breasts cooked with mushrooms and onions and topped with a delectable white sauce. Much lighter than an alfredo sauce and more flavorful. It was accompanied by real fried potatoes like my grandmother used to make. Not at all greasy and probably cooked in duck fat or something with character.
But the best and I mean really best was the dessert. Ariane, the owner proudly told me she made the cheesecake. She had a right to be proud. It was a light fluffy cheesecake in a cookie crust topped with the most mouthwatering tart raspberry sauce. I ate every bit. And to think - I almost told her I didn't want dessert. That would have been a crime!
So tomorrow looks like a really long tough day. Today was 13 miles counting my walking around Lodève.
Bon Soir and may your meal be half as good as mine!
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