Day 80 – to Mandailles

Central southern France seems to have a similar weather pattern to the south of England at present, with heavy showers and thunderstorms sometimes merging into longer periods of rain. I found a gap this morning though, and, with Roja, took on a circuit on the little dumpling behind the aire, climbing enough to give a good view of Bruniquel village, and of the gorge.

A lot of rain has fallen in the last day or two, so underfoot it wasn’t so easy, with a clinging clay mud that took some time to clear from the shoes.

We then completed the journey up to the southwest corner of the Rhône-Alpes region on slow winding roads, much of it very scenic driving. We were slowed again in Aurillac as it was the end of school when we passed through. I filled up with fuel (1.60 euros a litre) and took some cash out, before completing the last half hour. In Scandinavia this autumn I didn’t use any cash at all, for four months, but here, and in Portugal and Spain, when buying bread or a beer rurally, it is only cash accepted.

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is relatively new, formed in 2016. The region now has the fifth largest economy in Europe. I’ll be chiefly in the old Auvergne region, but the new border extends all the way east to Switzerland and Lake Geneva, to Lyon in the north. Its highest mountain is Mont Blanc, so these Puy hills, the Red Queen would call valleys *.

I was headed for the village of Mandailles, and the small road wound its way up the Jordanne river to 930 metres above sea level. I should be well-placed for some walking tomorrow.

There are surprisingly few visitors around, that may be due to the weather, as well as the rain, it is well below the usual average temperature, currently at 10C. I’ve just called Roja in from his wander, as another storm shower has just started.

Reference

* “When you say “hill,”’ the Queen interrupted, ‘I could show you hills, in comparison with which you’d call that a valley.’”.

Alice Through The Looking Glass

My movements, from the last week..