DAY TWO
LE CHEMIN – SAINT RÉVÉRIEN
Although I planned to take as little as possible with me in my backpack and was well
prepared, I was not prepared for the heat. The villages I passed often seemed
abandoned with no grocery store to buy water. Sometimes, I rang the bell in a
private house to ask to fill my water bottle.
Medieval stone cross signifying the crossing of two roads – the ancient Roman road and the road to Santiago de Compostela
Mercilessly, the sun burned down on the asphalt road. Every old oak tree giving
shade was a relief from the heat. I had taken the wrong shoes with me – heavy
hiking shoes where my feet could not expand. My feet were burning.
However, despite my problems, the walk was pure joy. White cattle were grazing
on the meadows, palaces where greeting from the distance and huge fields of soya
and wheat were stretching to the horizon. In the often-abandoned looking villages
with deteriorating stone houses, swallows were flying in and out of their nests and
up in the sky.
Former public washing place which I found in nearly every village
Passing a cemetery
I decided to stay overnight in the town St. Révérien and was lucky to find a place
to sleep. At the refuge of St. Révérien, I met two pelerins (pilgrims), Emeline and
Emily. Emeline planned to walk all the way to Santiago de Compostela,
approximately 1000 miles.
L’Église and Mairie (church and town hall) of St. Révérien
Emely, Emeline and myself in front of the refuge located in the town hall
Saint Révérien is a little town founded by the Romans. All the shops, cafes and hotels
in this town were closed and abandoned. It made a sad impression.
Saint Révérien showing the past life
Romanesque church of Saint Révérien with the cemetery in the foreground
– Text and photos contributed by Garyo –