A certain melancholy descends with the realisation that I have reached the end of this part of my journey and that today is the first part of my journey home.

As to the walking, the grind is behind me and what I believe to be the best part starts from here and lies ahead. I hope to be back in a year’s time.

After a good sleep I was up early because everyone else was. Over a bit of breakfast I enjoyed a long chat with a civil servant from Strasbourg and learned more a new GR path that runs south to here called the St Guilhem Way. I believe that this runs over the Aubrac and part of the Cevennes to here and is quite challenging and remote. Although only recently developed there is accommodation along the way.

Apart from my visit to the organ restorers it has been a dull morning and is raining. I’m very pleased to not be walking but nothing was open. Eventually I went for a coffee to a restaurant that someone had given me password for their WiFi so I topped up my caffeine and hot blogs etc. up to date.

Then back to the Carmel, packed up and down to the bus stop to wait for the bus and part one of the journey home.

Wow, that was exciting!  The bus just did in eight minutes what took me two and a half hours yesterday admittedly by a longer route. Tried to pay the bus driver who said pay on the next bus after changing; tried this and the driver said that his ticket machine was broken. I tried to force money on him but he refused.

Now back in Montpellier. Train ticket bought for the morning so time to get cleaned up and ready to eat my last proper meal. Which proved to be an excellent finale to the trip.

Back to the Café Leon where I had very good lamb chops last week and decided to go freestyle and try unfamiliar dishes from their menu du jour.

Started with a St Marcellin cheese roasted in honey which is a new one on me but surprisingly good. Next came lamb crumble, yes lamb crumble. Lamb noisettes with vegetables in a savoury crumble, with a tomato stuffed with gratiné leeks and some salad; my mouth is watering as I write. Finally Charlotte des Marons, which all left me feeling like my rucksack, stuffed full and in danger of bursting

Sixwheeler
26 September 2013