A Blog by Dermot Dolan

A Blog by Dermot Dolan, all work is copyright of Dermot Dolan.

Sunday, 20 July 2014

Le chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.

This is a pilgrim route normally walked from Aumont-Aubrac to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. On July 7th I decided to leave Maubec in Provence and head for St Guilhem. I was finding it difficult to get afffordable accomadition in Provence,there were not enough of gite d'Etapes and a major theater festival in Avignon meant that accommodation was scarce and expensive. My journey from Maubec to St Guilhem was interesting . I had to walk two and half hours to Cavallion to get a bus to Avignon then a train to Montpellier then a tram to the outskirts of Mountpellier a bus to Gignac then hitched a lift to St Guilhem.

I then walked to Saint Chely d'Aubrac and onward on the gr 65 (the camino route) to Espalion. I was also looking forward to seeing old friends in Sainte-Enimie on route. This is now the first section of those photographs, more photographs and caption will follow.



Comments are very welcomed and can be made at the bottom of every post.


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I think this is a Carline thistle seen on many door in France


Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert a  medieval village in Sothern France


Part of the Gellone Abbey of Saint -Guilhem-le Désert


Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert a  medieval village in Sothern France


Part of the Gellone Abbey of Saint -Guilhem-le Désert


On the outskirts of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert


On the outskirts of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert


Two Pilgrims, the Parisian Lady is walking the Arles Camino and the Spanish man is cycling from Rome to Saintiago


On leaving Saint Guilhem early on Tuesday July 8th 2014


On leaving Saint Guilhem early on Tuesday July 8th 2014


The gates of a Hermitage high in the mountains.


It's amazing the way these Trees cling to the rock face.


More of those trees.


Beautiful Plateau


That beautiful Blue


Looks like a human Torso


These are abundant on this section of the chemin.


The long and winding road.


On the way To Navacelles


Looking into the Gorge la Vis


Walking through the Gorge la Vis


Towards Navacelles

















Circque de Navacelles


A rough uphill path on leaving Navacelles going North.


The Circque de Navacelles


Patous is a dog that lives with the sheep, they look a bit like a Labrador  but are a guard dog for the sheep.


I did not take the Chem de sMorts


This was taken on the approach  to Le Vigan, what looked like an approaching storm never came.


No it is not a riverbed it is the pathway.


The river on the approach to Le Vigan


The river on the approach to Le Vigan


The pathway on leaving Le Vigan is a river of Mirabelle plums, they are delicious.  A bit slippy to walk on.


My Rucksack.


Anne Sophie looking well, her English was as good my French. She laughed at my attempts at pronouncing the town of Myrueis. Hello to all in the very friendly and helpful gite d'Etape, Le Pont du Moulin, Saint-Sauver- Camprieu. Well worth a stay.


An interesting toilet, please feel free to put a caption on it in the comments section.


Typical French shutters.


I have no idea what they were, between Camprieu and Meyrueis.


Butterfly. 






Lunch in the town I had difficulty pronouncing -  Meyrueis .


Meyrueis.


Nice house front.


A high church on leaving Meyrueis.


Notice the broken white line, which means that overtaking can be permitted.


Near Drigas


Near Drigas




Église de Hures


Local mushrooms I tasted them raw and they were nice.


This is the exact same butterfly as the one below.


Same one with wings open


I wont bother putting a caption on the next few butterflies, just enjoy them.








The Trees along this path look like some form a tapestry.


A wild Lilly. Small but beautiful.


Near Sainte-Énimie


Near Sainte-Énimie


Near Sainte-Énimie


Light as reflected on a cobweb in the roof of one of the little"caves"


I think it is a Pine flower.

The marking you follow while walking any "GR" in France.


Beautiful Poppy field near the village of St-Germain-du-Teil


Beautiful Poppy field near the village of St-Germain-du-Teil


A Vulture (I think)


Poppy Field








Close up of butterfly


Between Col du Trébatut and Saint Chély d'Aubrac


 The Moon ,between Col du Trébatut and Saint Chély d'Aubrac




A typical cross on the Aubrac.


Patchwork roadway and leaning fences on the very beautiful Aubrac.




Wild Pansies 








Wild Pansies 


The Aubrac

The next set of photographs from now on are taken on the Le Puy Camino the GR65.  I photographed this man two years ago. Could not resist photographing him ago.

The twisted spire of the Church in Saint-Cóme d'Olt.

The cheese boards in France have great local cheese. This was a selection as part of my lunch in Saint- Cóme d'Olt.

I asked permission of this family to take a few photographs of them. They were very nice polite people. As far as I could  ascertain they were part of a Christian group going all the way to Santiago.


At the roundabout in Espalion.

Add caption

Possibly "Different Worlds"


The old bridge Espalion

Inside of Eglise de Saint-Pierre-de-Bessuéjouls this is the 1st flower reach by an incredible  narrow series of  stairs.
Two nice pilgrims. Taken on July 18th. He started walking from Germany on April 1st.The young lady is from Brittany and started in Le Puy a week previous. This was my last food stop of my five weeks walking. It was nice to have shared it with these two people.


 Eglise de Saint-Pierre-de-Bessuéjouls, one of the oldest churches 9th and 11th Century credentials. on the Le Puy route, near Espalion.

Notre Dame Cathedral Rodez.

 Window, Notre Dame Cathedral Rodez.

Notre Dame Cathedral Rodez.



2 comments:

  1. Stephen - New Zealand29 July 2014 at 11:31

    Hey Dermot - you have a lovely lot of photos - most are very artistic as well - thanks for the selection - I walked LePuy to Moissac in July/August 2013, and had great fine weather like you seem to have had as well - I loved the French countryside, and I hope to complete the rest of the GR65 to St Jean - then onward to Santiago ...deo volente - I am also tempted by the Chemin from Arles - Stephen in NZ

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Stephen, you will enjoy beautiful Francee and the great food.

    ReplyDelete