Monistrol to Saugues – 12 kms

Steps: 33048

My three sisters were up and off just after six this morning, missing out on breakfast. We had a more leisurely start and waited until 7.30 for breakfast.

We’ve become used to relying on Susan to speak French for all of us, so as she wasn’t at breakfast today I asked the lady next to me to pass me the milk in my best French.

‘You speak French?’ She says.

‘Non,’ I replied.

‘Yes you do. Without your sister here you speak French!’

I had to laugh.

We’d been warned of the two hour steep climb out of Monistrol, but we’re from NZ and found it easy. It was a lovely walk with stunning views.

As we neared the top, a man came running down the hill with a wheel barrow full of stuff. At first I thought it was burnt croissants, then I thought it might be some sort of weird horse meat.

The man sliced a piece for Mike to try. It was a fig thingamy. I don’t like figs so I declined and so did Mike. Hopefully the man will have better luck selling to someone else.

My ankle today was not so happy. I think the downhills from the previous day have upset it a bit, so a short 12km day for us.

We arrived in Saugues around 1pm, but our gite didn’t open until 3pm.

Being a Monday, most things were shut. Luckily we found a nice little bakery where we sat and ate bread and quiche and sipped coffee.

When we felt we’d outstayed our welcome we found a bar. Then they kicked us out so we hung around outside the gite like hobos, until it opened, hoping the Beast wouldn’t get us.

The region around Saugues was terrorised by the beast of Gevaudan, a man eating wolf, in the 1700s. We’d been warned to be careful.

Tonight we have a large private room to ourselves.

We had an amazing paella for dinner. Check out the photo.