The sky was overcast on Monday morning with rain in the forecast and my knees (and body) were still sore from the 140 floors I had climbed 48 hours earlier so I was open to any excuse to chill for the day at my nice spa hotel in Aumont-Aubrach.
I felt guilty for having cheated myself out of walking Stage 4 when the sky cleared a couple hours later but I had a great relaxing day in town, nonetheless.
I visited the cathedral and other sites of interest, went to the pharmacy for muscle pain cream and ibuprofen, studied my French, worked on my blog and had a masssge.
And that night I had my first taste of the region’s famed Aubrac beef. There are only 4 possible ways you can order steak in this country (or maybe only 2). Most people have their “piece de boeuf”, “bleu”, which means it’s placed on a very hot grill for no more than one minute on one side and then flipped on to the other side for 30 seconds or so. Then there’s “saignant”. It’s left on the grill a longer than bleu but it’s still pretty rare.
Next, there’s “a-point” which means medium-rare, still rare for American standards but I challenge you to get the waiter to allow you to have your “piece de boeuf”, a-point. I tried but my server wouldn’t let me.
And last there’s “bien cuit”, well cooked, but I think they would call out the gendarmes and have you taken into custody before they’d let you have their Aubrac beef cooked “buen cuit.”
I figured it’s their patrimony and their Aubrac beef so I agreed to have mine “saignant” and it was really delicious. I love frites with my steak but frites aren’t readily available here in Aubrac. Here in Aubrac you get one of their regional potatoe specialties, either aligot or truffaude.
Aligot is mashed potatoes whipped up with cheese, often served from a copper pot, table side, the stringier the better. Truffaude is sliced potatoes au gratin. I had truffaude and it was really delicious but I still enjoy a nice plate of frites.
The next morning, Tuesday, I was feeling great. My knees were 100%. I was up early, packed and left my bag for the forwarding service and made a bee line for the Boulangerie where I stood in line with my fellow pilgrims. Interestingly most of them were French, many of whom told me that this was the best part of the Chemin and many return to walk it every year.
I ordered a patisserie and “un sandwich au fromage et au jambon à emporter” (ham and cheese sandwich to go), they slather the best butter on these things, and off I went to tackle the 28.3 kms of Stage 5 from Aumont Aubrac to Nasbinals.
It was such a beautiful morning, I was moving at a good pace, leaving my fellow pilgrims behind, with Nasbinals in the rear view mirror, when I suddenly realized that I was standing by myself by the side of a busy highway with no signs of any other pilgrims and no way markings for the Chemin anywhere in site.
Somehow, somewhere, I had missed a turn off? I thought about retracing my steps, but that’s characteralogically difficult for me, so I flagged down a couple of construction workers and asked them, “quelle chemin pour l’Chemin Saint Jacque?” (Literally which way to the Way of St. James?)
They talked among themselves, shook their heads and pointed down a road that led across the highway telling me in French that in less than 800 meters, I would come to a “chapelle.” That I understood but I was unsure if they were saying that at the “chapelle” I would join the Chemin or if they meant, I should go in the “chapelle” and say a prayer.
In either event, I crossed the highway, headed in the direction indicated and sure enough within a kilometer I came to the most delightful little chapel that you’ve ever seen and on the path to the left, I saw pilgrims approaching, having left from Nasbinals on the correct path.
So I was back on the Chemin on Stage 5 walking across the Aubrac plateau in all its glory, according to my book, “one of the finest stages of the Chemin.”
And it is incredible, vast beautiful pastures, divided by stone walls of volcanic rock, that stretch in every direction as far as the eye can see, filled with wild flowers and herds of grazing Aubrac cattle. And so tranquil and peaceful, I saw no more than a handful of walkers all morning.
And then I came to a small quiet cafe of a nice couple and, at the suggestion of the husband and chef, ordered a regional omelette with local mushrooms, best omelette ever!
The wife smiled appreciatively when I told her “c’est la meilleure omelette que j’ai jamais mangée de ma vie” (best omelette I’ve ever eaten) and she chuckled agreeably when I continued “mais elle est assez grande pour une famille de quatre personnes!” (but big enough for a family of four).
I had several more kilometers to walk across the Aubrac plateau when I felt the first few drops of rain and then more drops and then rain showers.
With no options and no shelter anywhere, I put on my jacket and hood, covered my backpack with its fancy rain cover and walked on until I came to a small farm where two women I had met earlier in the day were sheltering under a tree. They told me the rain would stop soon and and that they were going to wait there until it did.
Waiting under a tree for rain to stop is another thing that’s characteralogically difficult for me and besides how could they know that it would stop soon?
So soldiered on and sure enough they were right within a half hour the rain slowed. And by mid afternoon the clouds had broken and the sun was shining.
It was a beautiful afternoon, people weee stopping they cars by the side of the road and gathering wild daffodils. I was still soaking wet but it was 6 kilometers to Nasbinals and when I got there I was dry as a bone, although not as fresh as a daisy or wild daffodil.
It was a solid day of walking, over 38,000 steps, almost 16 miles.
Nasbinals is a delightful town that, it is said, was actually visited by Julius Caesar, with an impressive 11th Century Romanesque church in its center. I had another Aubrac steak, again tried to order it “a-point” and again relented and had it “saignant.”
The next morning’s walk from Nasbinals takes you higher into the hills to summer pastures for cattle and sheep and then into the town of Aubrac which was founded in 1120 as a place of refuge for pilgrims
Aubrac is a lovely place to stop for a snack. I had a bowl of soup, a coke, a glass of white wine, some cheese and a banana.
Next week (always on the weekend closest to May 25) the region will celebrate the annual Transhumance Festival when the townspeople escort the cattle to the higher summer pastures. The town of Aubrac only has about 50 full time residents but I’m told that last year 5000 people were in town for the celebration.
From Aubrac you descend several hundred meters through forests of beach, chestnut, oak and walnut to the town of Saint-Chely-D’Aubrac where I stayed the night. About 30,000 steps, 11.8 miles for the day.
The next stages take you out of the Aubrac to the Lot River Valley and through the towns of Saint-Come-d’Olt and Estaing both of which are considered among the most beautiful towns in France. Indeed, the stage from Saint-Come to Estaing is considered a world heritage site.
I’m really looking forward to these next stages, the weather has warmed just enough to make it perfect for walking and no rain in the forecast!
À tout à l’heure mes amis!
