Stage 12: The RLS Trail Ends in Saint Jean du Gard, France
A major electrical storm during the night and it was still raining early this morning. Wavering back and forth, I decided not to fight ex-Marine on the subject. He had walked for days on those chewed up feet in agony and, hey...we're 68 and 67 years old respectively. Good enough and jumped in the taxi all the way to St. Jean du Gard. It's very depressing to have come so far and not walked the entire Chemin Stevenson but the will is getting weaker. A consolation was the constant rumble of thunder and rain for the entire morning.
The Chemin Stevenson route description for the last walking day is.... 9 km/5+ miles to the first real village, Saint Etienne Vallee Francaise and then the hamlet of the Martinet (really just a guesthouse). Up to Saint Pierre pass, from 255-596m/836-1,952', not exactly an impossible gain, and down through the woods. Lots more hamlets until you reach the old bridge of Saint Jean of Gard.
Saint Jean du Gard (pop: 2,563) is ancient. There is another old humpback bridge spanning the Gardon River, partially destroyed by floods in 1958 ...View image...with an old clock tower dominating the town.
The taxi dropped us off at Hotel Oronge with its beautiful courtyard and a parrot that imitated ringing telephones, etc., so beautifully that we were always jumping up to answer the telephone. That bird never stopped talking, whistling, imitating every sound perfectly, from early morning until late at night.
A great Tourist Information Office and stocked up on maps, brochures and timetables for the bus ride to Ales tomorrow where we'd catch an hourly train to Nimes. Stash the bags in Nimes, walk around for a few hours and then take a TGV to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for one night. At least, that was the plan. There are quite a few interesting festivals in this area throughout the year. A few really sound unique:
- 4,000 steps walking race, Valleraugue in June
- Provencal Donkey Day, Uzes, October
- Truffle Day, Uzes, January
- Roman Grape Harvest, Beaucaire
There is a little tourist train (doesn't run all year round) operating between Saint Jean du Gard, Generargues and Anduze. The station also had a small museum with old telephones in it. Walked by the old clock tower remaining from a 12th century Benedictine priory. A water fountain memorializing Robert L. Stevenson and Modestine. Modestine was considered "unfit for further travel" in St. Jean du Gard and RLS sold her to a farmer where she spent the rest of her days. Over the Gardon River with the Pont Vieux (old bridge) in the distance and a visit to one of the nicest local supermarkets I've even been in. Lapin (bunny-foo-foo), duck, mussels and many other interesting foods available. Investigated and bought food in the local boulangeries, boucherie/charcuterie, some delicious apple tarts and we were in food heaven.
The boucherie (butcher's shop) had wonderful old photos of his family on the wall. A family business handed down over the years.
The sun came out in the afternoon and there was a Thursday night market to wander through after dinner. Hope tomorrow is wonderful for the time scheduled in Nimes with its ancient Roman ruins... Sounds like a great place to visit...
