Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port
34.57 miles
We arrived in Bayonne about 9:00am. The bikes and bags were soon unloaded and everyone was getting set up for a days ride in the nice warm sunshine. Malcolm disappeared behind some bushes to strip off and get his cycling gear on! We only knew he was there because we could see the smoke from his pipe. We got chatting to Chris from Kendal who was also going our way and he tagged along with us for the day and then later for the next two weeks.
We did eventually get away (we were the last to leave) and there was instant disagreement about where we were and the best way out to St Jean. Our route involved crossing a six lane highway to cross a bridge which we managed to do without incident. The ride out of Bayonne was a steady rise but eventually the road quietened as we headed to a lunch stop on the A64 at Cambo le Bains. For some reason, perhaps the mountain terrain, it became very windy and there was lots of small branches littering the road but it nevertheless stayed pleasant and the roads became ever quieter as we followed the river gorge. There were large birds of prey circling in the sky and I saw a chap with a bird cocooned in some fabric as we rode on.
One unusual aspect of the ride was noticing a new type of road kill – snakes!
We arrived at St Jean mid afternoon, had our Pilgrim credentials validated and booked into the aubergue by the Pilgrim’s Office at the top of the old town by the Citadel. Later we went back down into the town to attend the Mass for Pilgrims before setting out on the Pilgrimage proper. Hardly surprising that the service was in French but the sharing of the peace was recognisable and there was some final words in English encouraging Pilgrims to enjoy the experience and to allow the Camino to affect their lives. After that it was food from the Pelligrno’s menu and bed, lights out at ten ready for a six o clock start. 
No comments:
Post a Comment