Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Béduer to Cajarc

April 18, 2023

Before departing Béduer today, our host kindly showed us an alternate path that would be a short-cut back to the GR65 heading towards Cajarc. This meant we would not have to back-track and would save us a few “steps.” Our walk today will approach 19 kilometers – so a bit further than the last two days. After leaving Béduer, we quickly entered open territory with the trail meandering along mildly rolling hills and occasional homesteads.

It was along this stretch of the “way” that we encountered our first “cabanes.” Most of these stone huts date to the 17th century and I read that some of the oldest preserved huts were built during the reign of Louis XIV. The cabanes were used as temporary shelters where they were built away from homesteads and out in agricultural grazing areas. Depending on the region and need, these shelters had many functions – serving as animal shelters, tool storage, human habitation and at times places to store food.

Typical cabanes used native stone from fields that had been cleared for agricultural uaw – both for the side walls and the roof.

We passed by some very cool homesteads that all had a similar architecture of the region – stone and clay tiles.

I was thrilled to discover some early spring blooming flowers as we walked and identified a native orchid called Early Purple Orchid – Orchis mascula. My plant finder app clearly shows this orchid to have a native range in this region of France but it is also common throughout Europe.

Much of the landscape today was open with little shade so I much appreciated it when I got to a spot where there was some tree cover!

There is one small village along the route between Béduer and Cajarc and it boasted the presence of a great little market called the Epicerie Au Petit Bonheur. The town of Gréalou is where I planned to take my lunch break. The architecture of the village buildings conveyed a feeling of a different era – long passed. When I arrived in the village I was happy to see that there were picnic tables outside the market – perfect!! I took a long break here and even removed my boots and socks so my feet could get a little air and sunshine!

Directly across from the market was the Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption. I read that this church dates to the 12th century with a few older sections remaining from that time period. The church is framed by some large sycamore trees – one of my favorite trees!

Some interior photographs – I believe the statue of the lady to be Joan of Arc.

On my way out of town, I was overtaken by some folks on horseback – hey, can I have a ride?!!

After leaving town, the landscape opened up with vast fields of green and more interesting archeological structures.

Between Figeac and Cahors, there is a unique parc régional that was established in 1999 and recognized in 2017 as a UNESCO Global Geopark – the Parc naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy. Shortly after passing the structure above, I came upon the sign describing this preserved land.

The sign explains one of the unique features of this park – the dolmens – stone burial tombs that are dated to 3500 years ago and represent some of the earliest preserved structures built by humans in the area. The sign indicates that – to date -over 600 dolmen have been inventoried in the Lot department. The writing says “the Lot department is one of the richest in France in megalithic tombs.” Wow!!

I came across one of the ancient tombs that sits right along the Camino. I believe this is the Dolmen du Pech Laglaire 2 – and a UNESCO site. Visit the following website for more details about this special place and the communities in the region that support it.

After passing by the ancient tomb above, the path follows a long stone wall. At various places along the wall, there is some colorful artwork! I loved walking this section of the Way.

Because the walk today was about 19 kilometers, I stopped occasionally to remove my boots and socks and dry out them as well as my feet. Plus, it was nice to just get the pack off my back for a spell!

As I walk, my eye is always drawn to unique features such as fences, shutters, cool buildings, etc. I thought this was a quirky but effective privacy fence!

The descent into Cajarc was steep and before heading down the hill I was able to get a glimpse of the town from above.

Our lodging for the night in Cajarc was at a “hotel” – Hôtel-Restaurant La Peyrade. It sat on the edge of town at the base of a steep hillside and I would compare this accommodation to a “motel” in the United States. We paid 70 euros for our room and meals. It was certainly adequate and the room was clean and spacious. Each room had its own “balcony” where we had access to a clothes rack for drying our hand washed items after a day of hiking. I arrived at the hotel and checked in and had plenty of free time to wander around town.

I have to admit I was quite smitten with Cajarc. The downtown area was lively with lots of shops and cafes. It felt like a vibrant community. The buildings and narrow streets reminded me just how old these villages are that we pass through!

As dusk started to fall, the streets had minimal lighting and it gave off an interesting effect.

It was a pleasant evening, a good meal and a good night’s sleep. My walking partner decided to take a rest the next day, sightsee around Cajarc and take a taxi to the next destination. I would meet her there later in the day. I started off early in the morning for it was another lengthy walk – 18.5 kilometers to Limogne en Quercy.

As I was weaving my way through town on the GR65, I passed down a narrow street with all of these old bikes decorated as garden ornaments. What a great way to start my day!!

Heading out of town along the river…