Monday - walking from Valuejols to St Flour

Today was an easy walk into St Flour through pleasant countryside

The table below gives some statistics for the day gleaned from the GPS and the map. The map gives the starting and finishing elevations and the GPS the rest.

 

Statistics for the day Distance walked 13.63 miles Total time 5 hours 41 minutes Moving time 4 hours 44 minutes  Stopped time 57 minutes  Moving average 2.9 mph Overall average 2.4 mph Starting elevation 1064 metres  End elevation 772 metres  Total ascent 336 metres  Maximum elevation 1067 metres

 

 

My illustrated diary for the day - Monday 4th June 2007

 

I got down for breakfast at 8:30 and found it was bread, butter, jam and coffee. Thank goodness the coffee was good. John was setting off just after I got down. He said he was going to take all the shortcuts as he wanted to get to St Flour as early as possible. He intends to spend 2 nights there. I did not see him on the walk.

The cost of my stay at Valuejols was €47.50.

 

A rather sophisticated GR sign, Turn right after this sign	Another sophisticated sign. This one means "Stop, you are no longer on the GR."	An old building at Nouvialou

An old building at Nouvialou	Cat at Nouvialou	Walking across the Planeze

 

I left at 9:30 and got to St. Flour at 15:11. Nothing very untoward happened on the walk. There were a lot of yappy dogs about.

 

The French obsession with wood, Liozargues. This place seemed to be a supplier of firewood. The French, when they have the opportunity, cover their houses in firewood.	The French obsession with wood, Liozargues	Donkeys. Liozargues
Walking in the woods, Liozargues.	The valley of the L'Ander, below Mons.	Horse and foal, above Mons

 

At one point, between Liozargues and Mons, I think the GR4 has been rerouted and I was following the old route - the signs were old and sparse and the path terrible. Still one battled on through the brambles and nettles and eventually got to Mons.

 

View from my lunch stop.	The path of the GR4	The railway line above Le Saillant
The Chateau at Le Saillant	The Chateau at Le Saillant	Andelat Church

 

I fear I have a blister! It came on very suddenly after lunch. I suspect a small stone had sneaked into my boot. I stopped and put on a Compeed but did not cover all the area as I had to do it by feel - I could not see the blister. Its on the outside of my right foot near the heel. It is now well covered and I hope it is better tomorrow.

 

The Belfry at Andelat Church	St Flour from Andelat	St Flour
St Flour	St Flour	The back way into St Flour

 

I had been walking all day without my waistcoat as it was reasonably warm. But with just a mile to go it started raining. So I put the camera away and got out my raingear. I found the hotel easily and while I was settling in the rain really came down. Despite this I will go out shortly to get some sun tan to protect me from the blazing sun of tomorrow!

Got the sun protection, had a couple of beers in the hotel, to the room then down to dinner - tinned asparagus!! and steak. Finished off the day by a walk along tomorrows route to the edge of St Flour.

 

The Route

 

Here is the cross-section of the route

 

 

Here is a larger view of Mondays route with some of the photos taken en route, at the spot they were taken. Click on the photo and see a larger version of the picture. The route is taken from the GPS and is an accurate representation of my route. Zoom in to see the detail!