Our exit from Aire took us past the ancient church of Ste Quitterie
with its splendid Tympanum and then through some miles of suburban villas. We had an encouraging beep from the road by the friendly taximan who had collected us from the airport some days ago. The route then takes a gratuitous if pleasantly shaded loop around a new reservoir which provides a decent walk but doesn't get very far. But that greenery was nice to recall as we then embarked on miles of grain prairies, carved out of the fertile river basin in a style of agriculture best described as 'bio-fuel brutalist' - mile after mile of rolling acres planted with maize to replace whatever was there before, hedges, woods, individuality. I am sure it is all very efficient and in accordance with the current diktats of Brussels but it is not of great beauty other than to those who see dollar bills. The process was called ’remembrement’. Grids of deep drainage ditches have been installed in parallel with underground water pipes for irrigation to maximise the available space in a quasi-industrial way. The ditches have been blitzed with Paraquat to permit cultivation up to the edges. Most remaining trees have been felled to look like the set for 'Armageddon' although the occasional bird can be heard from the few surviving copses to provide some uplift. And then ironically much of the available space has been handed over to 'set-aside' for a different agenda.We also saw ducks being reared in large commercial units for
the local gourmet specialities. But it seemed that incarceration in a fenced compound of bare earth the size of a football pitch was simply treating them as 'this year's crop' for that particular piece of land. In a nice domestic touch it was noticeable as we approached the village of Latrille that wherever cherry trees were fruiting near a house it was customary to leave a ladder up each tree for regular harvesting. Latrille was just as neat and orderly as the surrounding prairies and there was a huge and picturesque corn-cob drying unit nearby for seed production. The church was well cared for and decorated with some of the lilies that seem to grow locally in great profusion.We arrived at the pretty little village of Miramot Sensacq by 2.30. The local history society documents a population of 900 in the 19c which following ' the flight from the land' in line with the 'rationalization' of agriculture has declined to 370. The maintenance of local schooling is just as much an issue here as elsewhere. In a remarkable feat of pragmatic local planning the charming medieval church has been joined and thus overshadowed on its hilltop by a huge 20c water tower constructed a few meters away. One of the few commercial features of the village is the splendidly restored boulangerie artisinale with the kitchen operating in public view and with a fine line in patisserie viennoise.
We had apparently arrived too early at our hotel but we were granted admission. Our bedroom, which is actually featured in the web page, had somewhat spartan furnishings: 2 single beds, one chair, one small wardrobe and one breeze block (painted white). Des and Clare's room was more from the school of Louis Quinze but also featured breeze-blocks.The village is not strictly speaking on the main pilgrim route and and many walkers will press on for nearby Arzacq-Arraziguet so although the hotel has been there for generations volumes of trade cannot now be huge. However we were right to have stopped as shortly afterwards there was a huge cloudburst which would not have made for pleasant walking. The temperatures plunged. Our bags had arrived safely and this is to be the last day we have the luggage moving services of the taximan who first collected us from Pau. However he has left us his card with the bags and it may or may not be some comfort to learn that he is available to provide an ambulance service and indeed "transportation of the body until the placing in the coffin".
Supper was a revelation. How do the French do it? An excellent broth with vegetables was followed by tasty hors d'oeuvres with local ham and fresh vegetables, choice of confit de canard or fauxfilet, a choice of 3 deserts, cheese, a carafe of red wine and coffee included, and all for 11 Euros. We were 13 eating and friendly Nicole prepared cooked and served the lot in a feat of culinary dexterity.
