Day 36 - Pilgrim Wisdom and Walled Cities : Arthez-de-Bearn to Navarrenx

We got up around 5:30 am and made our way downstairs in the dark. We couldn't figure out the coffee maker, so we made some instant coffee of our own, and helped ourselves to bread and jam. As we ate we were joined by several other pilgrims, and eventually the baker arrived with a basket of baked goods. A bun with strawberry and apple jam swirls was a nice addition to breakfast. We set off around 6:30 with a couple of German ladies whom we saw on and off all day.

Arthez is a fairly long town, so the first few kilometres were spent in a residential section. The downtown area, which we didn't visit last night, was quite nice looking too. We also passed a couple horses on the way out of town, and we fed them an apple. The view out across the valley revealed a large industrial park, which made us wonder what is produced in this area.

We spent the first couple hours of the morning walking around the industrial park in the valley. Finally we reached the town of Argagnon, which we hoped might have a coffee. It was too early, but there was a very nice little chapel, although it was located on a very busy road.

The first larger town we came to was Maslacq. The trail did not actually go into the town, but we decided to explore and see if we could find coffee. Both the advertised bar and the bakery were closed, so we decided to have a picnic in the park beside a picaresque looking ruined tower instead.

From there the trail crossed over the Gave river and a very busy highway, and then returned to countryside.

There were some steep climbs today, which could have offered some stunning views of the Pyrenees. Although it is sad not to see the mountains, we were grateful for the cloud cover, because today was a lot of very exposed road walking!

Around 10:30 we reached the Abbaye de Sauvelade. The abbey looked very impressive, but it isn't open to the public. A notice said it was owned by the state and used for community functions. We stopped at Le Petit Laa for a coffee, which isn't a bad gite, although there is not much in Sauvelade. As we were getting ready to leave, two fellow pilgrims arrived in town and convinced us to join them at the biogite cafe on the other end of town. This turned out to be a very nice place, and the lemonade they served was fantastic.

After Sauvelade there was another steep climb, and then a flatter stretch. We were lucky enough to find ourselves walking through fields of blooming sunflowers!

The walk from Sauvelade to Navarrenx seemed long, but it was very beautiful. There were also increasing signs of Spanish and Basque culture. Some of the road signs began to appear in Spanish, and at one point we passed a resting place for pelerins that was filled with interesting quotes.

Around 2:00 pm we found ourselves in Meritein, which is on the outskirts of Navarrenx. It has a town hall and church of its own, and is quite beautiful.

 As we walked through we came to a automatic bread dispenser, and Sean couldn't resist buying a baguette for 1 Euro to try it out. It was a very fresh and tasty loaf.

Our first view of Navarrenx was of the city walls. Somehow I had expected the town to be on a hill, but it is a very large fort located in a valley beside a river. It has been designated as one of France's most beautiful villages, and the stores are all done up very nicely. There are a lot of old stone buildings and a beautiful church as well. The church has a side door that was reserved for poor wood workers, who were considered second class citizens.

We didn't have a reservation, so we walked through town to check out the possibilities, and then decided to opt for a room above a restaurant. It is very nice and spacious, and they offered to do our laundry!

After checking in we explored the town, and walked up onto the ramparts. Outside the church a lively Basque game that is similar to squash was being played. We then returned to the town square for a pint, and again met up with several fellow travelers. At the side of the square is an automatic pizza dispenser, but despite the novelty, I objected to getting dinner from a vending machine, and we went inside the store to order our pizza.

After dinner we heard music playing outside our window, and it seemed to be getting closer.  We went downstairs to investigate, and found a procession of people winding their way through the streets.  Some of the adults were carrying lit torches, and many of the children were carrying round coloured paper lanterns lit by candles.  The procession was led by two musicians, one playing a tin whistle and one playing an accordion.

We followed the procession, which included local villagers, some of whom were in traditional Basque costumes, and fellow pilgrims.  The procession wound its way through the streets to a spot beside the town wall.  There a huge bonfire was lit, and the villagers, including children, danced traditional dances to the music.

It was a magical evening, encountered completely by chance, which reminded me a lot of the lantern walks I did as a child.  Once again on this trail we were surprised by an unexpected moment that turned out to be wonderful.  It has been a long three days (99.5 km hiked!), and we are sad to be nearing the end of our road, but it was a good day!

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Practical Information:
Distance: 31.9 km

Cumulative ascent: 763 m

Cumulative descent: 846 m

Max Temperature: 22˚C

Accommodations: Hotel-Restaurant du Commerce