Day 79 – to Bruniquel

In light rain Roja and I walked into the village this morning, took coffee and watched the morning lives of the locals for a while. There were no visitors except for a table of four ramblers sat opposite me on the terrace, but they were only from nearby Pau.

Looking at my next moves last night at one stage there had to be a reasonably long drive, so I thought it may as well be today. The rain in the Pyrenees seems more set in for the next few days.

I opted not for toll roads via Toulouse, so made my way more rurally towards Montauban, then a further thirty kilometres further, generally heading northeast.

It was four hours in all, with a stop at Mauvezin rugby club for lunch. World Cup fever is apparent if you go looking for it, no doubt when it gets to August the excitement will be heightened. At the rugby club school kids were being coached tennis and the grass being mown – low, so I’m guessing they like to run the ball.

My destination was the medieval village of Bruniquel, which has an excellent aire set amongst the forest and green fields looking up at the castle.

In medieval times Bruniquel watched the valley, the track from Quercy to Albigeois. It dates back to the thirteenth century. Evident now is the newer version, rebuilt after fire in 1484, though it has been added to since.