Enjoying the Pyrenees' Splendor and Making New Friends

August 24th
Well, while I was sad to leave the wonderful Perigord Noir and my lovely visit with Ginger, I was off early Saturday morning to meet up with Pascale and her friends in the Pyrenees. They had already spent a week in a five bedroom home in the very small town of Berberust-Lias(Pop. 18) 20 minutes from Lourdes. It was an uneventful trip over there.  I went directly to the little low-budget place where I was spending the night in Lourdes to leave my bags. (Think nun's cell with single bed, no TV, no internet!) For one night, it was fine! I dropped the rental car at the airport, and took the bus into town. I had about a half hour wait at the airport, so I had time to watch the busloads of pilgrims coming to visit Lourdes.
With no hotel internet, I headed to McDonald's with my laptop in hand. The Lonely Planet describes Lourdes as a "Catholic version of Las Vegas". There are really two parts to Lourdes; one is the "normal" downtown with stores and restaurants; the other is the Grotto itself, but before you go into the actual religious part, you have to walk by maybe 50 stores selling ALL sorts of Lourdes related items.
On Saturday morning, after the hotel breakfast and a return trip to McDonalds' (internet only-no more food!), Pascale came to pick me up with her friends Olivier and Anne, both of whom I had met two years before, when we had our "Luncheon of the Boating Party" in Paris at the actual restaurant where Renoir had painted this painting. It was great to see them again; everyone was very pleased with the house and their first week! After a go-round at the local market for veggies and fruits, we got some groceries and headed to Berberust-Lias. The narrow little road up into town is a challenge for any driver; Pascale honked at every (numerous) blind corners in case anyone was coming.  It is certainly very beautiful country; we passed a sign for a cheese farmer, which I never did get to visit.
The actual house used to be two barns

which had been connected and turned into a house. Pascale was lucky to find it this year, as the owner had sold it, so it will no longer be rented. It was spacious and comfortable PLUS it had a delightful heated pool! And I DID love the view!!

The verandah/dining room

Also there that day were Claire, Bertrand, and 8 year old Simeon. They were going to local Parc Animalier des Pyrenees, "fantastic animal park" (LP) with many animals native to the area, many of which are extinct or close to it. Anne, Pascale,and I drove separately, which was fortunate, as it was 14 euros to enter, so we opted out.

View from Argeles-Gazost

  Instead we walked around Argeles-Gazost, a very pleasant town; we followed a walk which Anne had wanted to do. We came upon a young man walking on a tight rope! Unfortunately I was so intrigued watching him, that I forgot to take a picture until he was through! (Well, when was the last time you saw someone tight rope walking in the woods?)
On Sunday after Claire, Bertrand, and Simeon left, Pascale's brother Jerome and sister-in-law Kyio with their son Paul and friend Valentin. (I had met Jerome and Paul the day I arrived in Paris at Pascale's house.)
Pascale had mentioned in an email to me in the spring that they would be doing some climbing or hiking. I forget exactly how she stated it. She said it would be nice if I joined them. Now as a former Girl Scout, when we climbed Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, I found going up NOT so much fun. Coming down I liked! And then I "met" the Pyrenees! Every hiking day we would head out with food for lunch on the walk. Pascale and Jerome and others-NOT me- conferred to decided which trail to take. The difference from my (very limited) Scouting experience is that these hikes were often more like walking around the top of a bowl rather than the up and down I remembered in New Hampshire. And I really enjoyed every one!! Each area that we climbed was quite different from the other!

Olivier on our first hike

Anne was kind enough to loan me her walking sticks!

Before we left this area, some of the group took the "luge" run.

We had taken two cars, and Jerome and Kyio wanted to stop at  Lourdes on the way back. So Olivier and I joined them....VERY INTERESTING!! Some time in the spring, there were dreadful rains in the area, so there had been much flooding! As a result, some of the hotels along the river in the town of Lourdes were badly damaged. We parked along the river, had a snack, and went to what is now known (officially) as Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes, "one of the holiest sites in Christendom". (LP) We were there about 6, and a mass was being said. However, we could still walk in front of the grotto.  In 1858 14yo Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary in a series of 18 visions in this same rocky grotto. The Vatican confirmed the vision; Bernadette was beatified in 1933.
Olivier, who is VERY gregarious, learned from one of the people he talked with that fewer visitors have been coming. Many Italians do come. They are hoping that the Pope will come to increase visitors.

Actual church in front; grotto is around to the right.

Grotto we filed back of the candles

There was probably 20' of places outside where people could light candles.

Small sample of what you can buy when you go to Lourdes....

 Monday afternoon Melodie and 5yo Timothee arrived from Paris. They spent a lot of time visiting the cat and kittens in the barn down the hill across from the house. While she considered taking one home, she did not, but shortly after they arrived home, they adopted Jessie!

Here are some more pictures of the (very cool) house to show how the two barns were connected.

You can see the verandah on the left.

The next walk took us to Pont d'Espagna. Each day we hiked, it threatened rain. It would go from coolish to warm-of course, from the walking! Jerome's dog Frais, a big gentle Malamute, joined us on the walks. While Timothee had the leash, many times, it was the dog walking the boy!

What are these lines????

 On this walk we walked up and then seemed to walk around the top.

And as if we had not had enough excitement with this great walk....We stopped for crepes and coffee at the end. Frais somehow got into the rushing water near the restaurant. FORTUNATELY he just sauntered up on the bank, so he was okay. It turned out that a man taking pictures last year fell off a rock and drowned there.

Kyio and I

Au revoir to Pont d'Espagna

The final walk-and we did other things, like eat, drink, swim in the Pyrenees....-was to the Cirque de Troumouse...again, very different terrain from the other two walks.

Notice Frais is on his leash, although it was because it was National Park (no dogs allowed)!

ANOTHER GREAT MOUNTAIN LUNCH!!

And unfortunately this meant that my time in the Pyrenees was quickly coming to an end.
Friday Pascale and I left late afternoon to beat the horrible Saturday-end of vacation-traffic. We stayed in Limoges, but arrived about midnight. We had stopped maybe an hour away, because it was almost too late to get any food. That meant that we had to drive to the unknown to find an unknown restaurant, but WE DID!! Then, we needed desperately to find a gas station, which we did! Saturday morning we were on the road by 8:15 for about a three hour drive. The traffic was amazingly non-existent; Pascale was amazed. I was delighted!!

It was such a wonderful experience to spend this time with Pascale and her friends!!! Thank you all! Please let me know if you plan a trip to Boston in the future....

My next stop will be Bussy le Grand in Burgundy. I hope you will join me as I settle into this 200 year old house for the month of September!