Today the walk restarted. First of all, I had a quick breakfast, then departed from last night’s lodging. The room was fine, but the couple running it were disturbingly unfriendly. I checked with a Frenchwoman I met on the road who had stayed there, and it wasn’t just me. Why run a hospitality venue if you give your guests the strong impression that they are an imposition? Ah, well.

I walked in to Bazas and sat in the cathedral square for a few minutes. It was here that I hit a brick wall of exhaustion last September, so it was good to sit there and feel well!

I wound my way through the back streets out of town, and about two kilometres later arrived at the start of a “green way” – formerly a railway branch line that would take me to Captieux. It was then the heavens opened, and the next two and a half hours were walking in heavy rain. At least the walking was easy and flat. This time I had bought a poncho big enough to go over me and my rucksack, and I am delighted to report that it performed beautifully.

I met one other pilgrim going my way and two other walkers coming the other direction, but it was otherwise a good straightforward solitary nineteen kilometres.  Eventually, the rain stopped, and the sun ventured out a bit.

Captieux doesn’t look like much on the map, but, perhaps because here in the Landes centres of population are well-separated, in fact it had bars and shops and everything one would need. I reached it about 1pm, and had a sandwich, a beer and a coffee in town. Several other pilgrims then started to arrive, and customary greetings were exchanged.

At the gite tonight there are five of us, which is as many as Madame can take. I’m surprised to find so busy so early in the season.

A good first day’s walking. My feet are happy, and so is the rest of me.