Staying at Ancien Carmel was such a special way to experience Moissac and something different for everyone. Whipping down the tents in a pretty slow time means we shouldn’t have a lot of time for coffee but Alissa’s habit knows no time pressure. Being in a city means there’s plenty of choice.
It’s not a hard trail to follow today, a pretty straight shot along the Tarn and the Garonne rivers. Dead flat and no cars, what more could a tired pilgrim ask for.
At our halfway point in the tiny town of Maleuse we arrive a few minutes too late for the epicerie and our standard picnic lunch, (it closed at 12:15 of course and won’t open again until late afternoon). A mutiny is once again almost upon us as spirits sink in the 35 + degree heat. However the boys rejoice when the only option we have is a pilgrims lunch at the excellently named Chez Willy. It’s delicious. They even have a vegetarian plate, which inevitably includes some seafood, as is the French way.
Back into a long, long hot march across the plains, with nuclear cooling towers in sight the whole way we eventually arrive in Espalais and our rather impressive gite for the night ‘Le Par Chemin’. The generous spirit of our host and welcome of cool drinks brings tears to the eye for some. This place is something else and full of, in Alissa’s words, the Camino magic. Muriel is so generous and offers us her donativo accommodation instead of camping and washes everyone’s clothes. The boys happily accept the offer on our behalf and immediately gorge themselves on her library. New books make everyone happy.
It’s such a great place to finish the day and hide from the heat in her massive vaulted outside area. A beautiful place with that signature ‘je ne sais quoi’. You must stay there.
