Conques

The start of a relatively easy day, just 16km to Conques. While the kms were low we had many hills to climb and lots of steep downhills to negotiate. It was a lovely sunny day but rain is forecast for tomorrow.

There are many uses for crosses along the way including being the repository for the farmer’s daily bread delivery.

A good place to rest along the way.

Another place to rest provided by the local community.

Tonight we say goodbye to our Canadian friends, Heather and Susan who leave us here at Conques.

We are staying at the Conques Abbey tonight – a beautiful place where we will enjoy the Friars company over dinner in the Great Hall.

Here is the Abbey renovated to attract walkers offering rooms with ensuites. Since the middle ages the Abbey has been totally renovated thanks to the contemporary French Governments desire to maintain its historic buildings.

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The well worn steps by 12 centuries of monks led to our room for the night. We are sure the monks did not have ensuites!!!. Our room had a 2 metre wide fireplace blocked off at the top as well as efficient hydronic heating.

The Friar welcomed pilgrims from all over the French speaking world, blessed their pilgrimages and blessed the dinner that followed.

We felt inadequate that our French was so poor – it limited our opportunities for deep conversatioln. We are in their country but we can only converse fluently with English speakers. We’d like to be able to do better than that!!!!