Le Pontil to Alès & Alès to Ners

We walked 14 miles yesterday the 22nd with an unexpected amount of elevation gain. And getting into Alès, several tricky descents that were steep and on unstable ground. Worst part was the 2 Mike walk through the city of Alès on pavement. For some reason my right foot has decided that it can’t abide pavement and hurts hurts, especially after a long day. I was asleep by 9 and slept til 7. I was out.

Photos from Le Pontil to Alès…

Mushrooms are big here. Not a large as the sculptures, but the ubiquity of the sculptures tells the story.

This water looked mighty inviting. I don’t know if it’s accessible.

Aphylantes – seems like a perfect NM plant.

Euphorbia – another plant suited to our dry NM

Handy man special – but really, too close to Alès.

Although quite bucolic, this property, too was too close to Alès.

It truly is jarring and jangling to suddenly be in a city after spending days among villages and walking through hamlets. Sometimes going for miles without seeing anyone except men in tractors. Will miss the Cevennes mountains and trails, but not the rocks.

Have I mentioned that every little town has a boules court? It’s generally men who play, though at times a woman or two will join.

We had a pleasant surprise today, the 23rd, with the medieval town of Vézénobres. Part of its fortifications still present. The trail took us along the ramparts.

We are lucky to have a place here in Ners for the night. Our host Mdm. Gras has 25 people staying across the street at her dorm style Gîte. A big birthday celebration. We are staying in a building near her home. It has 3 bedrooms, kitchen/living. It’s farmhouse funky. She is generous. Welcome beer. Free use of washer n dryer, though we couldn’t get the dryer to work and so used the dryer rack. Great dinner. Salad with olives, corn, onion, green pepper, black and green olives. Galette de Bretagne with courgettes. Flan. Bread – of course.