As we still had full bellies from the night before we only had a light breakfast and it turned out to be a bad mistake. I think mine host charged us double to pay us back for eating dinner in the restaurant across the road the night before. We also only stocked up on water from the supermarket as it was only a 17 k day ahead and likely that we would be at our destination for lunch. The first 2 hours were misty and perfect walking conditions across rolling hills and passed acres of sunflowers and ploughed paddocks with thick mud which had an almost fermented smell. We came across a road side pilgrim shelter with bottled water boiled eggs for a donation. I ate one and thanked the girls clucking in the yard next door. By mid morning we were at Saint Antoine a beautiful village of 100 people with paved narrow streets and flowers everywhere. There was an ancient hospice for people who suffered ergotism, a disease from eating contaminated grain which caused gangrene of the hands and feet. We just had coffee and left the bread products alone! We chatted with an English couple who seem to be one of many buying up part of the small villages. She reminded me of mrs bucket done up in her Sunday best and very bad makeup. On to our village of Miradoux by 1pm but of course the supermarket and bakers shut at 12.30 on a Sunday. The bar was also shut but due to open at 3-30. We found our accommodation only to discover it was a dormitory and not having a sleeping sheet or PJs it was a no go. Back into the streets and a wait until 3 pm for the hotels to open meanwhile watching the locals play boules on the local pitch. Our incredible fine was the hotel. A huge renovated country home with the front on the village street the back with sweeping view across farm land. Our rooms (yes we have our own lounge room) have 5 mtr ceilings. We were served coffee and fudge and scoffed the lot as we had to call it lunch. Then it Ewan’s off to the bar to join the locals in watching a game show on the TV while a huge German Shepard sat at our feet while the bar man feed it peanuts. Home to dinner which the owners served and ate with us and the 3 other guests at a very grand table in an even grander room. It was 4 courses of mushroom bruschetta, tomato and olive salad, rare roast beef,potatoes in rosemary, ratatouille with slices of preserve lemon and apple and peach crumble. Breakfast will be served in the huge kitchen and I will be stocking up as not only do the shops close on Sunday at midday they stay through to Tuesday. Thankfully our host has booked us accommodation for tomorrow where they will provide us with dinner as she said its unlikely we will be able to buy lunch anywhere.
I can’t get these photos attached in any order but the one with the woman in the blue clothes is our hotel. I will try and get some inside shots in the morning
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