The Aubrac Plateau

 

Day 7 - Lastrade

We had breakfast at the hotel across from the gite.  A loaf of bread, an assortment of jelly, great coffee and an apple fuel us up for the morning.  Our morning walk took us across the summit of the Aubrac plateau.  The trail is a popular hiking destination for many vacationing French families, sometimes using rented donkeys to carry the camping gear. Open hillsides were dotted with cows and granite rocks.  Lunch found us in Saint Chely d’ Aubrac on the western edge of the plateau.  Since we had a long afternoon ahead of us we found a sandwich shop and enjoyed quiche and pizza.  The afternoon was difficult as Esther’s blister was hurting and there were some rugged uphill sections.  The gite was in a remote hamlet but is strictly run by a high energy matron.  Thanks to my lack of French in making reservations, the matron was only expecting one person.  As a result Esther and I are sharing a room with Tomas.  Dinner in the Gites is an all evening affair with many courses that last from seven until well after nine.  Tonight there weren’t any English speakers, or at least none that wanted to engage us in conversation.  You can’t imagine how awkward it was for Esther to not engage but listen to lively discussion without a clue of what is being said.