April 27, 2023

It was a long (19.8 km) trek today but also a relatively flat walk along the Canal Latéral de la Garonne between Moissac and Auvillar. It also turned out to be one of the hottest days of our travels.

Some final scenes from Moissac:

An example of the many small épiceries that we encountered along the Way. This one specializes in local products.

We reached the canal very quickly and and commenced our journey – happy for what would be a fairly easy, level walk even with the distance. The weather was good and the canal walk afforded plenty of shade due to the massive sycamores lining the path.

The path hugged the left side of the canal for much of the walk. There were several bridges that spanned the canal and led to small villages along the route. This was definitely one of the most relaxing days on the Way.

Some of my favorite photos of the canal:

Before crossing the bridge that leads to the final 5 kilometers of the walk, I popped into the Église de Pommevic, located in a small village along the canal.

At the village of Pommevic, the GR 65 turns left and crosses over the Canal Latéral de la Garonne and it’s sister Canal de Golfech. At this point, the path is more exposed and it was a hot crossing through some agricultural farm lands.

I took a short break once I reached the town of Espalais. There was a nice park with some shade and I desperately needed a water break and relief from the sun. Reaching the point in the day when you know you are “almost there” is a gratifying feeling and I felt that sitting in the park. The final stretch involved crossing the Garonne River and climbing the steep road to the center of Auvillar – a city built on a hill overlooking the valley below.

Auvillar is another one of the towns in France that has the distinction of being “one of the most beautiful villages” in the country. And it does not disappoint.

Auvillar is known for it’s unique brick and limestone architecture. The town dates back to the Roman Empire as evidenced by archeological findings. Into the nineteenth century, Auvillar was known for its ceramic pottery. One peculiar aspect of the town is the many ceramic figures throughout the town – mostly in celebration of the pilgrims who stop here along the Camino de Santiago. They are hard to spot – you need to look up as you walk through town to discover them! Many are located on the corners of buildings – what fun!!

As I was walking around in search of my accommodations for the night, I started down one street and noticed a nice flower display in front of one of the townhouses. When I got closer, I realized it was our lodging for the night – Accueil catholique Les Amis de Saint-Jacques! Unlike most of the other places we stayed, the hostess here required that you show your pilgrim credential – no exceptions! She was a former pilgrim who is a devout catholic and opened this pilgrim lodging as a way to help other pilgrims.

Monique – our host – has a beautiful accommodation with a nice landscaped backyard with flower gardens and we could also do laundry for an additional 5 euros. At 40 euros for the night, we had a nice dinner and breakfast included in our rate. A great deal!

The rooms were on the upper floor of the house and there was a really nice balcony patio with views over the surrounding rooftops.

I’ll finish up with Auvillar in the next post. We spent a small amount of time in the morning before heading out on the GR65 and visited some of the interesting landmarks in the old part of town.