Via Podiensis
Day 2 Saint-Privat d'Allier to Saugues
17th April 2015
| Distance |
Time |
Elevation in meters |
Km |
Elapsed
Hrs-Mins |
Moving
Hrs-Mins |
Gain |
Loss |
Min |
Max |
| 20.26 |
5H40 |
5H05 |
824 |
731 |
598 |
1,102 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This second map shows how the route zigzags to account for the descending and ascending terrain around Monistrol
Mist hanging in the valley at Saint-Privat d'Allier early morning
Climbing out of Saint-Privat d'Allier
Rochegude
Chapelle Saint-Jacques, Rochegude
| |
On the road to Margaride
The Allier River is the gateway to the territory of the beast of Gévaudan. It forms the western boundaries of the Margaride, a mountainous region covered by forests. The river winds its way between the ancient lava flows of the Devès plateau and the huge blocks of white granite. This preserved ecological passageway flowing along the mountainside covered with beech trees and pines is the natural habitat to salmon, otters and the Jean-le-Blanc falcon. |
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| First glimpse of Monistrol d'Allier, with the significant descent and even bigger ascent the other side! Basically, you drop from a height of 938m at Rochegude to 585m in Monistrol d'Allier, to climb back up to the plateau at 1,096m the other side i.e. 353m down followed by 511m up! |
| I was to see these two people pulling wheeled-carts many times on my trip; is the effort of struggling with a wheeled-cart worth it, compared with carrying a rucksack or sending bags with a courier service? |
Monistrol d'Allier
11.8km from Monistrol to Saugues
The climb out of Monistrol d'Allier
Looking back to Monistrol
The wheeled-carters.... forced to take the road out of Monistrol
Wayside cross
The climbing done, I am now on the high plateau
Rain in the air
Approaching Saugues
My destination, the pilgrim office to the right of the red awning run
by Jeanine Trémouillère, a lady in her 90's who welcomes pilgrims
and records their details.
The pilgrim office in Saugues
Mick with Jeanine, "La Maman du Chemin"
Saugues Church
Accommodation Notes
| The accommodation that I had booked for the night was a room in Les Pierres d'Antan in Venteuges, which is about 7 km north-west of Saugues. After 6 hours of strenuous walking there was no way that I wanted to walk another 7km, and in any case I doubted whether I would find it easily. So I had arranged to be picked up in Saugues. Jeanine kindly made a phone call to Les Pierres d'Antan, and whilst I was waiting she even made me a cup of coffee.
It wasn't long before Pascale arrived and drove me back to Venteuges. Les Pierres d'Antan is a beautifully converted granite barn with three double bedrooms available to guests, run by Pascale and Serge Pays. You would be hard pressed to find better accommodation anywhere on the Camino, and the hosts could not have done more to have made my stay more comfortable and enjoyable. I was the only person staying there, and I had an evening meal with Pascale and Serge...... the conversation for the evening being by courtesy of Google Translate! The main course, Le Chou Parsi, was delicious. |
Les Pierres d'Antan
The room that I had
The upstairs double room
The downstairs double room
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