Day 37 - Foothills of the Pyrenees : Navarrenx to Aroue

Foothills of the Pyrenees

Via Podiensis GR65 Hike

How perspective changes ... today we only had to hike 19.5 km, so we slept in until 6:30 AM, and had a late buffet breakfast of chocolate croissants, coffee, and baguettes with jam in the hotel. We then headed out across the square, through the old city wall, and across the bridge. It was sad to leave Navarrenx behind because this was a very nice town.

Castelnau 

Almost immediately we came to the village of Castelnau, which was very beautiful and had lots of nice looking gites. There was a church as well that was open, and we stepped inside. One of the interesting aspects of this church was a stained glass window dedicated to Saint Jean-Paul II.

After Castelnau, GR65 climbed a little into the hills and then descended into a forested stretch. It was very beautiful, and the path crossed a stream, but unfortunately, there were some very large black flies that bit viciously (like horseflies). This worked wonders to speed us up!

Hunting and Logging

As we hiked we came across Andre, a German hiker we have been traveling with nearly since the beginning. We don't have any languages in common, but he has saved us from getting lost twice, and he is a truly patient and nice man. He was plagued with very bad blisters, and a head cold, and we hadn't seen him in a few days. It was great to see him again and a real inspiration to see someone trekking on in the face of so much adversity.

Somewhere in the forested area, we came across what looked like two giant tree houses, way up in the trees. The two gentlemen who had been hiking ahead of us throughout the day said they were hunting wild pigeons! They really put the deer blinds we have back home in Ontario to shame since they are perched in the canopy of the trees.

We passed an area where some logging was taking place and encountered a new kind of warning sign.  Apparently, there is a fear of trees chasing after you here :)

Once we emerged from the forested area the trail again took us through rolling hills dotted with patchwork fields, small farms, and the occasional tiny village. It was very peaceful, and we could start to really see the foothills of the Pyrenees through the clouds.

Along the way we encountered a couple donkeys who seemed to enjoy the apple and the ear massage we offered very much, and later we encountered a couple horses that also appeared to appreciate our stock of apples.

Approaching Aroue

Around 10:30 AM we arrived at the crossroads of Lacorne, where Jean Haget has a snack bar stop. This consisted of a few picnic tables under a shelter, a large stock of hot and cold beverages, and many homemade pates and preserves. We stopped for a coffee and visited with two very friendly dogs.

After Lacorne there was a pleasant walk through the countryside. We passed through the villages of Charre and Lichos, both of which were very tiny. Then it was a pleasant climb up again, and eventually, we emerged onto a busier highway. After around 500 m of road walking, we came to La Ferme Bohoteguia, where we are staying tonight.

The gite is a working Basque farm just outside the tiny village of Aroue, and the owners are extremely friendly and nice. The place is very clean and fits quite a lot of people. It is beautiful, and we spent a pleasant afternoon sitting on the patio outside, enjoying local beer and sheep cheese. 

See you on the Trail!

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Practical Information:

Distance: 19.2 km 
Cumulative ascent: 455 m
Cumulative descent: 477 m

Max Temperature: 26˚C

Accommodations: Gite Accueil a la Ferme Bohoteguia