DAY TWENTY
LA SOUTERRAINE – BÉNÉVENT-L’ABBEY
In late morning, I started the trek to the Bénévent-L’Abbey, a town fourteen miles
away from La Souterraine. With each step I took, I felt better. Walking in nature is
meditation for me; it connects me with something bigger than myself – with the
bigger Self.
Curious Limousin cattle
Picturesque Gothic window decorations and an old, deteriorating mill greeted me
like old friends.
House façade in the village Le Bec Moulin de Châtelus
Moulin de Châtelus
Millstream of the Moulin de Châtelus
In the west, dark clouds had formed and soon I was surrounded by thunder,
lightening and heavy rain. It was like the tension of last week was taken over by
the sky and released by this powerful thunderstorm. I loved the soft sound of the
raindrops falling on my red rain cape, the warm drops on my face and the walk
through the rain puddles on the ground.
At 6pm, I arrived at the refuge in Bénévent-l’Abbay. The refuge was a charming
house owned by Yves and his wife Thérese. Yves was a retired psychiatrist and
Thérese worked in the psychiatric hospital in La Souterraine. Both share a love
for donkeys. Their refuge is called Adosdanes. It refers to the donkeys they provide
with a kind of retirement shelter in old age. The seven donkeys are named Nana,
Spirou, Romeo, Bijou, Chocolat, Margarite and Capucine.
Refuge Adosdanes
Pilgrimage sign in front of the refuge
In addition to the warm welcome and the fantastic meal Yves and Thérese cooked,
I also met two Belgium pilgrims here, Eddy and Rohan. We decided to walk together
the next day, as the way Yves was suggesting was different from what was suggested
in my book.
Yves and Thérese serving wine mixed with cassis as aperitif
– Text and photos contributed by Garyo –