Sunday 10th July 2005 - Day 1

 

I set out at 10:15 from Langogne after saying goodbye to Chris. We had spent the previous night in the Hotel Haut Allier which proved to be a very good hotel . The food in particular was very good - very modern.

 

Chris's photograph of me setting out from Langogne.	My photograph of Chris as I set out from Langogne.	The hotel of the night before.
As I set out the prospects did not seem too inviting. But this was as bad as it got.	My first GR sign! One soon gets to spot the red and white flashes from a great distance.	Looking back at Langogne.

 

In Langogne I bought a small cheese for the protein for my lunch. I was already equipped with HobNobs. And then I set off.

 

A railway viaduct on the outskirts of Langogne.	A typical GR path.	Onwards and upwards - on the way out of the Allier valley.
Following the trail.	The church at Plagnal.	At least I am on the right track!

 

Route finding was easy with all the way points I have put on my GPS unit showing their worth. They are very good at reassuring one that one is not lost. The red and white marks are sometimes not where one would like to find them and towards the end of today’s walk the route diverges from the map. But nothing serious.

 

Above Le Plagnal.	Lunch.	Walking after lunch. I was at the highest part of the walk here.
Flowers in the forest.	The path across the Cham de Cham Longe.	The path across the Cham de Cham Longe.

 

The last slog before lunch was a killer. It was steep and the path was poorly defined. It had recently been felled and was covered with the debris of logging. I had to step over discarded limbs and branches. If I had not known I was coming to a summit I would not have been able to continue. Actually I would have but knowing I was coming to a pause was a great comfort. I certainly enjoyed my cup of tea.

 

The weather was misty and damp all morning until 3 but it never actually rained. After 3 the sun started to come out and it became quite pleasant. But it is still cool with a chill breeze.

 

 The pack is too heavy but there is not much I can do about that. I am proving its usefulness at this very minute! - see below! Hopefully I will become more used to the weight as the walk carries on.

 

Horses	A horse	The path across the Cham de Cham Longe.
The path across the Cham de Cham Longe.	The path across the Cham de Cham Longe.	The path across the Cham de Cham Longe

 

Once the sun came out the numbers of grasshoppers increased greatly. There were explosions of them every time my feet came down. The country rock - what I saw of it - seems to be granite gneiss.

 

The tops are undulating grasslands alternating with pine plantations. One can get the miles in quite quickly but, in particular the path across the Cham de Cham Longe seems never-ending.

 

This day was an awful lot of uphill slogging which really took it out of me. The end result was that I did not make it to Loubaresse, struggling into le Bez at 6 and not capable of going on the extra couple of miles to Loubaresse. This was a pity as the restaurant had no chambres left and the Gite d’Etape was "complet" - it had been let to a group of walkers and there was no room for me. The Madame of the restaurant has told me I can set up my tent next to the chapel and that is what I have done. I will eat at the restaurant and enquire whether I can use the ablutions in the morning. More of this anon.

 

 

Coming off the Cham de Cham longe.	Camping at Le Bez. The benefits of carrying all one needs.	My tent.
The Chapelle at Le Bez, with my tent.	The Auberge at Le Bez.	The Gite at Le Bez. We are on the watershed.

 

That’s all for now.

 

	Route walked on Day 1 Here is a larger version. and Here is a huge version.

 

 

 

Here is the actual GPS track superimposed on Google Earth

 

shows where today's photographs were taken.