Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
Edibles from the Garden
I follow a blog called Denzil Nature and, every Wednesday, he invites other bloggers to participate in a Nature Photo Challenge. I thought it would be fun to start joining his challenge as a way to get involved and motivate myself to broaden my photographic subjects. This week he requested participants take to their vegetable gardens, local botanical gardens and fields and forests in search of edible plants, vegetables and fruits. My photos are all from my personal garden. With all the rain we’ve had this summer, my small garden has been extremely productive. I cannot complain!
A Blue Gentian
My friend Bill called me over to his place today so we could take a walk to a wet, boggy area near his property that has some impressive bottle gentians in bloom. Such a cool wildflower! A unique characteristic of the flowers of the bottle gentian is that they never completely open. This wildflower prefers very moist, fen-type environments and is found throughout the entire northeastern portion of the United States and extending into the upper mid-west.
Queen of the Meadow
We’ve not mowed our back meadow much this summer and, as a result, the wildflowers are putting on a nice show! Queen Anne’s Lace is gracing our back country roadsides and meadows giving credence to the fact that summer will soon be winding down.
Burgundy Clematis
My clematis vine has stopped blooming for the season but I had captured some blossoms last month when it was in full flower. It thrives in a corner of my garden even though it is seriously neglected by me!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Saugues to Chanaleilles
April 3 , 2023
After getting all settled in at the Gîte d’étape Le Par’ici, my sister-in-law and I took another stroll around town to find the church and maybe a little café to enjoy a snack and a glass of wine.
Saugues is a commune located in the Haute-Loire department of Southern France. It is also in this area where the renowned Beast of Gévaudan terrorized the countryside in the 1760’s. There is a museum in Saugues called the Museum of the Beast of Gévaudan devoted to the history surrounding this beast. Legend states that over a hundred people were killed by this wolf-like beast until a local farmer managed to destroy it. I wish that I known about the museum when I was in the town. I might have chosen to stop in. Next time!
We stopped in to see the church and also a small chapel called the Chapelle des Pénitents. It is one of the few remaining chapels of penitents remaining in this region. The Penitent Christian movement dates back to the 4th century. Apparently, these chapels were built by penitents – those who confessed to serious crimes and were offered redemption upon the completion of a penance. Many of the brotherhoods of penitents constructed or repaired churches. The original chapel here was built in 1681 by the Brotherhood of White Penitents. The Chapelle des Pénitents in Saugues was quite ornate! Please excuse the iPhone photos – not sure why they are showing up blurry here but not on my phone!
We eventually found our way to a small café (one of the restaurants that was full when I first arrived in town) and it had cleared out nicely. Le Petit Chez Soi was a sweet little restaurant and bar. So glad we stopped and gave them some business!
Another bit of information I learned about Saugues (once I was back in the states) is that it is known for woodworking. In particular, the craft of making “esclops” or clogs is associated with Saugues. This explains why I noticed clogs while walking in this region. I wondered why people decorated with them. Now I know!
Once we got back to the gîte, I had some time to rest and write in my journal. The accommodation was full for the night so we had a large gathering at the dinner table – several young walkers (one with a small dog) and two middle-aged ladies. Laure also joined us again and would be ending her journey the next day. She had only a limited amount of time to walk and so we would say good-bye to her in the morning.
Our hosts prepared an awesome dinner of squash soup, vegetable lasagna with salad and dessert. It was exceptional!
April 4 , 2023
The next morning, it was kind of chaotic getting ready to leave since there were so many people trying to exit at the same time.
While we were waiting to take our turn in the hallway to don our packs, Laure picked up a guitar that was in the corner of the common room and proceeded to play and sing Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry. It brought tears to my eyes for some very sentimental reasons. I had a nephew who passed away at the young age of 26 due to melanoma cancer. His favorite artist was Bob Marley so anytime I hear a Marley tune I am reminded of him. I shared with her the reason for my reaction to her singing and she was so touched. She also then shared with me her reason for this journey (which I will not divulge) but it was equally touching. What a beautiful person she is!
The young woman with the dog and another young man decided to travel together for a spell. We would see them again further along in the day.
The morning started off very chilly but as the day progressed the sun did warm things up a bit. We had a 15.5 kilometer walk today to get to our next destination. Some photos leaving town…
Most of the walk today is through the countryside – a combination of paved back-country roads and dirt paths. The way passes by some interesting sights too!
The landscape here is harsh with granite outcroppings, stream-filled meadows and groves of Scots Pine trees. One of the main enterprises in this region was the cutting of granite stone for construction of many of the dwellings. This route traversed through farmland with a few scattered small villages. Often, there would be impromptu “pilgrim” messages along the trail.
Just opposite this meadow view, there was an old farm – check out the granite corner stones in the wall of that barn!
On the other side of that barn, there was a stone stairway leading up the hill and the ever-present “Camino” shell at its base.
In a short distance, the small hamlet of La Clauze came into view. The most prominent feature of this town is the ancient tower that still stands as a reminder of the feudal castle that once stood here.
It was here in La Clauze that I ran into the young man and woman who had the dog. I did not write down their names in my journal – so that is the only way to identify them!! They were wandering around the tower when I arrived there. Near the tower there was a small picnic table and I took off my pack and had a snack before moving on.
Eventually I came to a place where a sign indicated I was entering the area known as Chanaleilles.
Soon after passing by this point, the small village of Le Falzet. I saw a sign that indicated a farm where pilgrims could stop and picnic and, if desired, get a beverage or snack. La Ferme aux Fromages is operated by Daniel and Murielle Delcros and it was by far the highlight of the day. They make 5 different types of cheese here and sell to local restaurants and gîtes.
The farmhouse complex was absolutely breathtaking – the buildings and architecture. I had a nice cup of tea and ate my packed lunch at one of the picnic tables. I was joined by a French couple who spoke some English and we had a nice conversation. At another table, there was a large Australian group and the atmosphere was quite festive.
The second floor of the structure in the background is a large open area for gatherings – I’m guessing a great place to have a wedding!?
Leaving the farm, the path passes by the village and through the countryside to the next little village – Le Villeret d’Apchier. It had a small park with some interpretive signs describing the geology and history of the area.
Along the way, you will often find restrooms for the pilgrims. I took a photo of the one below as an example. This was one of the nicer ones. Some are more rustic. Unfortunately, this early in the season some of these were not open yet. But, it is handy that these accommodations exist. In the guides, these are well-marked.
Below are the interpretive signs in the park in Le Villeret d’Apchier.
As I passed through Le Villeret d’Apchier, I turned around to get a view back towards the town. It’s always a good idea to stop and look back the way you came! A different perspective!
The rest of the walk this day was sunny and peaceful with farms and open land.
As I was getting close to our destination for the evening, I stopped to look at my guidebook. Our gîte for this night was not right on the GR65. It appeared we would be taking a slight detour into the town of Chanaleilles. I was hoping for some signs and because I was looking – I saw one that pointed in the direction we needed to go. In the guidebook, there are directions that state “à Contaldès (repère A) prendre à droite sur 400m”. But, it is not obvious where the Contaldès crossroad is! Because my sister-in-law was somewhere behind me on the trail, I was concerned she might miss this turn-off so I improvised with a little sign in the middle of the GR65 in the gravel! 🙂
I made the right hand turn and walked into the town of Chanaleilles. It was a little confusing as to where the accommodation was located and the map pointed to a small café that was closed. As I was wandering around trying to find someone, another pilgrim appeared also looking for the same place – Gîte du Pont. And, much to my surprise – I met the first fellow American on the trail – Thomas from Miami. Together, we found the gîte and connected with our host, Evelyn. We learned that this was the first night her gîte was open for the season and she was expecting more guests than she had planned for due to other places ahead on the trail being full. She was concerned that she did not have enough food to feed everyone. Thomas and I assured her that whatever she had would be appreciated and not to worry – we could manage.
Next time… our evening in the Gîte du Pont! And journey to Saint Alban-sur-Limagnole. Stay tuned… 🙂
Lavatera after the Rain
It was another soggy morning here in Vermont but that’s okay. It gives me the opportunity to photograph raindrops on my flowers! I’ve been able to keep the Japanese beetles at bay for now. For some reason, they love the white Lavatera flowers and leave the pink ones alone!
Lavatera – Tree Mallow
I love testing out new plants for the garden. I planted a section along my picket fence with a grouping of annuals and the Lavatera is finally starting to bloom. What a pleasant surprise! It makes a nice back of the border specimen with the fence as its backdrop. I bought the plants in a 4-pack and it appears I have two pinks and two whites. The dreaded Japanese beetles have discovered them but so far they are not impacted too much.
Summer Phlox
A staple of the mid-summer garden, my phlox has begun to bloom and looks pretty good despite all the rain we’ve had in the past month. I’ve still lots to do to bring the garden back from neglect but I’m making progress!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Monistrol d’Allier to Saugues
April 3, 2023
As mentioned in the previous Camino post, we got a slight jumpstart to our walk today thanks to Andre. He dropped us off at the trailhead leading to the Chapelle de la Madeleine. It was a steep 3.7km climb from the trailhead up to the village of Montaure.
Built within the overhang of a grotto on the side of the mountain, the chapel is dated to the 17th century. It is described as a “troglodyte oratory” – a fancy way of saying chapel in a cave! The chapel has been historically considered an important stopover for pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago. One reference I found refers to these pilgrims as “jacquaires” – referencing Saint Jacques. The chapel is named after Saint Madeleine who lived during the turbulent times of the French Revolution. She was a staunch advocate for the education of girls and founded the Society of the Sacred Heart. Through this organization, she established schools for the poor in addition to boarding schools for well-to-do women. Her organization was recognized by the pope in 1826.
The chapel is not open to the public but I was able to hold my camera up to one of the window openings and capture a shot of the interior of the building lit only with natural light.
Leaving the chapel, we ascended the steep trail and had some great views to the valley and Monistrol d’Allier below us.
There’s a small village just above the Chapelle de Saint Madeleine called Escluzels. It’s really not more than a cluster of houses scattered about a couple of small streets with a village fountain near the center of town.
The trail leaves Escluzels and climbs steadily through a series of switchbacks through a semi-forested hillside until reaching the tiny cluster of houses known as Montaure.
The trail follows a dirt road through the countryside and past some small farms before reaching Roziers and the small village of Le Vernet.
As I was walking through this foggy, misty landscape, I wondered what scenery I was missing in the distance and was somewhat dismayed that I was not able to enjoy the long-range view. But, as I continued, I realized just how quiet and peaceful the atmosphere was and the mist became a blanket that enveloped me and gave me comfort. There is beauty in the fog.
I stopped for a snack and a break at a trailside picnic table and some other pilgrims offered to snap my picture. So – a rare photo of me along the trail!
There are always little things along the way that catch my eye. I got a kick out of this statue of a rooster on the stone pillar and also loved the bright blue shutters that really brightened up this scene.
Nearing Le Vernet, the trail veered left past this picnic area – which would have been appealing if the weather was better. There was also a café advertised in this village called the Buvette La Coquille – but sadly it was not open. 😦
Past Le Vernet, the route turned into a single-track trail once again before entering the settlement of Rognac.
Rognac is the last village before taking the descent into Saugues. There were some small farms along the way. I was particularly taken with this small estate.
My maternal uncle, Uncle Roland, was enamored with owls – his “totem” as I like to say. Along the Way, owl representations always caught my eye. I like to believe it meant that he was watching over me from above. The estate above had a carved owl in their yard that took on an eerie ambiance in the mist. I loved it!
Just before reaching the intersection with the D589 roadway, there is a grouping of eccentric wooden sculptures that appeared out of the mist – giving them an air of mystery and intrigue – “Le Chemin des Statues de Bois”
From these wooden sculptures, it was a relatively short walk into the village of Saugues. I arrived in Saugues pretty early – around 1pm – and could not check into the gîte until 3pm. So, I wandered around town looking for a small café to get out of the weather and enjoy a hot cup of tea. I could not believe how busy the town was with traffic and people. Unfortunately, it was Monday and many stores and restaurants close in France on Monday. So, the restaurants that were open were full since it was lunchtime. 😦
I found a small market, bought some food and went about looking for the gîte hoping they would allow me to arrive a tad early. We had reservations at Gîte d’étape Le Par’ici. It is operated by Andre’s daughter and her partner. They welcomed me early and I settled in with my normal routine – shower and change of clothes. They had a really nice communal space for dining and relaxing. As it turned out, Barbara indicated that they intended to be full for the night! I relaxed for awhile in the dining room and ate my lunch and they kindly brewed me a nice hot cup of tea!
Next time – our travels around town, dinner in the gîte, new friends and old – and the trek to Chanaleilles…
Sunflowers
With all the rain we’ve had in Vermont over the past month, I thought I would post something with the word “sun” in its name!! 🙂 Sunflowers hold a special place in my heart and they are putting on quite a show in my garden despite the lack of “sun”! They brighten up even the dreariest of days!
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 