Chasserades. —  Le  Bleymard.

Yet again we gazed out from breakfast at torrential rainfall, don’t know where it is all coming from. A delayed start avoided the worst. A small boulangerie was hanging on in this small hamlet, we gave support by purchasing some bread and fruit. It was whilst packing my sack outside that the dog attacked my ski sticks and refused to be parted from them. We dragged him out of the village and on down to Mirandol and below the famous railway viaduct. A local man wanted nothing to do with us so on we went with dog attached, any attempt to part him risked him attacking my overtrousers!  We made our entrance into L’Estampe and were relieved when a man in a garden recognised the dog and our problem. He announced that the dog was only hungry and tied it up promising to phone the owner. In a more relaxed state we were able to spot the first dedicated gite d’etape on the GR 70, sadly now defunct.

Into forest now with lots of climbing and descent to reach a deserted village and chance to sit and picnic. Other walkers arrived with the same intent, several of them carrying bags of wild mushrooms they had gathered. We had noticed lots in the woods but which can you eat?

Of interest further on was a close encounter with the source of the River Lot, a river I am more familiar with at Puy L’eveque. By  now the day had brightened and hopefully we have seen the last of the wet weather. Entering Le Bleymard we immediately stumbled on our hotel, the comfortable La Remise. They made an attempt to produce some classy French cuisine.