Up at 6:30am in our spacious apartment. Towel spread across night stand for breakfast table. Hard boiled eggs and some Mueslix. Stuff Sally’s pack with stuff not needed for the day and tag attached for transport service. Down the stairs and onto the street. Picture taken by the landlady and we are down the hill, through the gate and on the road.
We are in a steady river of people, never less than 10 in sight, as high as 20. We pass some and are passed by some. Today is all up hill. Gradually at first, steep for the last 2.5 miles.
Beautiful scenery. As we climb the view expands and soon we can see back down to St. Jean.
According to the FarOut map, we arrive at the Orisson Refuge. But it is a private residence. The actual Refuge is another 0.5 miles up the hill.
We follow the road to find the refuge. It is tucked away on the side of the road. Stone building. Food service and dining room on first floor. Rooms with bunks on the top floor. Spent the afternoon talking with the hundreds of people passing through or staying the night, showering, washing clothes. Dinner was soup, pork and vegetables with a pastry for desert served to all 36 of us at once in the dining room. I sat across from Grista from Germany, a very quiet and demur woman with two children, one in Nashville teaching at the university and another near her home in Munich. Sally had a lively conversation with two “kids” from California. Food was great and plenty of it. After the meal everyone took turns standing, stating their name and why they were walking the Camino. Very impressive group of people.
We retired to our dorm room that we shared. 6 bunks. Sally, Becky and I plus three other women, two from the Netherlands and a woman airline captain from Minnesota who carried herself with such poise, grace and kindness you couldn’t help but feel her presence in the room. Amazing day.
Ready to start walking. Our starting point in St. Jean-Pied-de-Pont, just outside our hotel.
Starting point
One last look back at St. Jean as we walk out of town.
Our destination for the day, Orisson. 2300’ of vertical gain in 4.5 miles
Sally climbing up the road with all the other pilgrims.
A couple miles out of town. St Jean in the valley below.
Getting way up there. St. Jean below.
Orisson Alberge. Our place for the night.
Dinner in the dining room. Italians, Germans. South Koreans. Finnish. Dutch. Brazilian. Canadian. English. American. French. Norwegian. and more.
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