I concelebrated the 7 o'clock Mass at the cathedral in Le Puy. Every day following this Mass they bless the pilgrims starting their journeys. There were six of us, all eager to get underway. One young man ("Florian") had already walked 1,000 km from his native Austria. That was impressive.
Getting out of Le Puy is no small feat (pardon the pun!). You have to keep going up hills until eventually you get to a muddy path, that you follow for a long time. The trail is very well marked with two stripes (red and white), every 200 or so yards.
After 3 miles I stopped in someone's home to get some hot tea (there was a sign on the house). Of course there was this growling dog whom the owners described as "very gentle." Within seconds I barely avoided having my thumb bit off (I felt his tooth on my thumb).
I had decided to make Saint-Privat d'Allier by the end of the day. I didn't anticipate getting lost. I took a wrong turn (on a variant, so the markings were the same) -- I must have been walking backwards or something -- and was heading north instead of west. After 1.5 miles I saw a man walking in the opposite direction and asked him how far the town of Romourouscle was. He told me that I was on the wrong road. This was, no doubt, an angel sent by God. So I had to retrace my steps and get back on the path. This cost me 3 miles of energy and a full hour of time, but meeting an angel is worth it!
I remembered much of the route from my previous foray in January. The only things different were the lack of snow and the temperatures being about 15 degrees warmer.
As the day progressed, I still was a ways from Saint-Privat. In fact, it was getting dark and I was running out of energy. I didn't even take a lunch break (which in France can be lengthy!). I just kept on going and eventually made my goal.
Arriving at the gîte (hostel) at almost sunset, I was warmly received by the husband and wife proprietors. He got me settled in in the dormitory, where there was a wood-burning stove which made me want to stay there forever.
In the dormitory, I was surprised to see two of the pilgrims from the morning Mass there ("Florian" from Austria and "Daniel" from Lyon, France).
Dinner was at their dining room table, with the three pilgrims, the host couple and their son. The meal was comprised of a red-bean salad, spaghetti with meat sauce, cheeses, fruit, and wine. The couple told us that they met on the Camino, and they weren't even doing the pilgrimage for spiritual reasons! Wow -- God works in every way!
I hope every overnight is this warm and joyful.
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