A remarkable day. As today is officially a 'rest day' we had a lie in and breakfast was not until 8.30. We looked optimistically at a range of clouds over breakfast but there was little blue sky and even less sunshine. By 9 o'clock we were walking! As we passed a nearby taxi office we arranged with a woman in an upstairs window - or so we hoped - to be collected when we telephoned later around midday from "Honto". We then left town through the Porte d'Espagne and started up a typical morning 'route out of town'.
Des - and all credit to him, it was the right choice - very much wanted to do the "Route Napoleon" option: there are two alternative routes to Roncesvalles, one along the main road and the other over the top "to see the eagles". So we duly followed the markings out of town for the Route Napoleon.
By now there was a steady drizzle.
The books paint a fairly daunting picture of the demands of this uphill walk but frankly if you can cope with the demands of the Rocky Valley and the Long Hill up to Calary (as opposed to the uplands of Croghan) it is entirely feasible. It was steady but not excessive and we were on tarmac. The inclinations were of reasonable length and severity interspersed with decent flat bits and even the occasional downward slope. The scenery was increasingly breathtaking.
After a couple of hours we arrived at Honto, a large gite complex of chalets overlooking gardens and with a great view. Until fairly recently these would have been the last accommodation available in France before going over the mountains. We stopped for a quick coffee and decided to press on. The signposts said 5k to the Refuge d'Orisson so we set off for that to see how much we could do before calling our taxi. The girls led the way and we took plenty of breathers. After 10 days walking your recovery rate is much faster and you can be confident of being ready for more after a minute or two.By now the rain had stopped so I was even able to take a couple of pictures that did the potential view little credit. We stopped briefly at a Viewpoint complete with table top plan of the view,
but as is so frequently the case with these things it was hard to know what you were supposed to be seeing. While there I rang our taxi. It was answered by the driver who was expecting our call, but not our numbers: when told we were four it was "pas possible" but with that nod to the specifics of his licence he almost immediately agreed to come. So on we walked to the Refuge. This is a new facility and provides food and accommodation in a large wooden chalet building.This is now a much more attractive point to break the journey for those wishing to spend a night between St Jean and Roncesvalles.I went inside to get the creanciale stamps and to confirm the availability of provisions for the morrow. They would do exactly what we wanted: breakfast from 7.30 and filled baguettes to take away. It was only as we concluded our conversation that the young man behind the bar identified himself as English. C'est la vie.
By then the yellow taxi had arrived and the amiable driver brought us safely back downhill. It was agreed that he would again collect us from the hotel at 7.30 in the morning. In the sunshine the town was transformed and a lot more buzzy and cheerful. We were pleased with ourselves having successfully completed part one of what we had feared and we had a jolly lunch in the same place we had chocolate the previous day.
While the girls took off round the weekly market of Basque essentials
Des and I again visited the Pilgrim Advice Centre to make use of their Internet facilities. We then climbed up to the top of the Citadel to enjoy the view before going back to the hotel to sit in the sunshine reading. For dinner tonight the hotel was filled with a large party of Belgian cyclists who are doing the Camino by bike. And very knobbly their knees look in their Lycra shorts.