Canfranc

 Hilaire Belloc, Tarantella, 1929

Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
And the tedding and the spreading
Of the straw for a bedding,
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
(Under the vine of the dark verandah)?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda,
Do you remember an Inn?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteeers
Who hadn't got a penny,
And who weren't paying any,
And the hammer at the doors and the Din?
And the Hip! Hop! Hap!
Of the clap
Of the hands to the twirl and the swirl
Of the girl gone chancing,
Glancing,
Dancing,
Backing and advancing,
Snapping of a clapper to the spin
Out and in --
And the Ting, Tong, Tang, of the Guitar.
Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?

Never more;

Miranda,

Never more.

Only the high peaks hoar:

And Aragon a torrent at the door.

No sound

In the walls of the Halls where falls

The tread

Of the feet of the dead to the ground

No sound:

But the boom

Of the far Waterfall like Doom.

To Jaca

Walks downhill are rarely pleasurable. This one from the Col du Somport was not as good as the climb in France. The track was often uneven and strewn with rocks. The first part was late in the afternoon on the day that started in Urdos. Then this day's walk from Canfranc Estacion, Canfranc nearby on the way, to Jaca. Just a day mostly of grinding it out.

Canfranc

Canfranc Church

This is a pilgrims crossing of the Rio Aragon. Those with a keen eye will see the white on red balise on a concrete pillar.

Col du Somport

 

As some of you who know me, there is nothing better than a good walk up a big hill. Some years ago I crossed the Pyrenees from St Jean Pied de Port. That was a good day in perfect weather. And this time the hill is the crossing of the Pyrenees at the Col du Somport. To avoid the forecast day of rain I cut a day of walking out of the schedule and so the bus 15 km from Accous

to Urdos

Then the beginning of 1,000 m of climbing to the Col du Somport.

The maps indicated the 2nd half would be strenuous. Whilst it was, the first half was arduous with variable track conditions and grades, whilst the 2nd half was one of the great sections of walking.

And then the top (the road and abandoned border crossing) somewhat underwhelming 

Spain, downhill for a while.

To the day's destination of Canfranc Estacion. The ghost town with its also ghost of a long disused and over-built station

Uphill of the station is the abandoned rail tunnel to France

 

 

 

Sarrance to Accous

The track continued along the earliest track into the Valleé d'Aspe. You will notice the Alpinistas had been engaged to provide safety ropes for the casual walkers.

Sarrance

A few of us stayed at the Church, Apparently it was closed to religious activity after the French Revolution, and only re-established 4 years ago. The few residents live a different sort of life. The guy in charge was most ebullient over dinner. This is the river Aspe, obviously of special significance to this church.

to Sarrance

Leaving Oloron

On the way the track was a bit challenging 

An inn from when this track was the only way into this valley.

 

The view from my hotel room at Accous

Oloron Saint Marie

This town is famous for its Cathedral.

  Specifically its stained glass windows and the adjacent interior which put it in some elite group of Cathedrals.. This is a sample:

On the way to see these, it was early in the morning, I stopped for coffee in a hotel. The rest of town was still quiet. The hotel bar was an active place, all regulars having their morning rituals. All friends of some sort. As each person arrived there was a kiss or handshake with everyone already there, including the woman behind the bar. Most convivial. It doesn't happen in my local cafe in Melbourne.

To Oloron Saint-Marie

It was a long tiring day, but I had entered the 3D world. About 8 hrs and over 30 kms. En route.

At Oloron Saint Marie.

It is well known that living in a 3D world is good for the soul. There will quite a few more days to get across the Pyrenees and then the Valley of the Aragon river in Spain.

Pau

• I hastened my journey a little and took the train from Tarbed to Pau via Lourdes. The view from the train window of Lourdes was stunning, unfortunately no photos, so just Google if interested. I had left the flatness off SW France and arrived at the edge of the 3D  world of the Pyrenees and the builders of Lourdes had done well.
• Then Pau. It features a promenade named "The Boulevard of the Pyrenees".
•  
  
  
• And the usual Funicular for this type of landscape.

• And a dog shitting ring. Paris could do with a few thousand of these.
  

 

Stages of Pilgrimage

C

to Marciac

• Above is an image from a few days back.
• Not much happened today- just rain on and off, with mostly on-road walking although there was sections of good damp forest tracks.
• The balise - horizontal white and red bars - mark the route. They are your friends and if you haven't seen one in a while action is required.

 

A sign of things to come

Some images just strike you.

It's a disused corn drying rack. A sign of a former time when this farm produce Foie Gras. A little while later, well, next day:  

It is said the Egyptians first noticed birds gorging themselves prior to long migratory flights. This gave birth to a seasonal delicacy, with farmers then just upping the production.