Day 6 / Nouvion-en-Thiéarche - Plomion / 34.22 km

Breakfeast. Empty most of the stuff out of my backpack since I will sleep at the same place this evening. Step into the car of Monsieur Frigo (That’s the way I started to call the owner of the Chambre Hotes). “Enjoyed” a silenced drive to be dropped at Nouvion. Receive a short grunt of Monsieur Frigo. Got another grunt from Mr.Frigo as I did not operate the boot lid as expected. I change the man’s name mentally from Mr. Frigo to Mr.Dixxxxxd.

Today my destination is Plombion. Roughly 40 km away. The weather is dry with rain expected in the late afternoon, not something I worry about as normally I will have reached my destination by that time.

Nine o’clock. The first kilometres are slightly ascendant. Ideal to warm up the slightly sore legs. On top of the hill I enter a forrest. Normally I should continue to take the road but an alternative path through the forrest is available which is 4km shorter then the initial path planned. The path is great and runs around 10km through the forrest. The path is both dry, mostly flat and without my backpack I feel like I’m flying. Not more then 50 minutes later I’m out of the forrest and entering the small village Buionfosse.

Just outside the village, near a RN, if find a bar-restaurant and decide to have a drink. I’m welcomed by 3 people who are chainsmoking their lungs away (can’t imagine I did the same until 2 years ago). Quickly finish my drink and step outside. I noticed the billboard across the street. Luckily I don’t lack love so no reason to go to the love-shop.

On my route to my destination of today I will pass the village where my Chambre Hotes is located - Sorbais - and decided to have my lunch there. 5 km or 30 minutes later I arrive. It’s not yet 11 o’clock and have run 17.5 km. Originally I should have done 22 km without the forrest shortcut. 

Whilst I’m eating my sandwich it starts to rain. Merde. After lunch I put on my rain gear, stepped outside and started running the last 18 km to my final destination. It started to rain harder. You know, It started to rain harder, It REALLY started to rain harder. I hope the message is clear now. The rest of my running time I running in a shower. 

In the village La bouteille I take shelter in Le Marie as by then I was soaked. Strangely the door is open although nobody is around. After some time a lady enters who is the village secretary. I explain I’m a pelgrim and she quickly offers me a coffee. I propose to take a picture of her and her workplace but she opts not to be in the picture. After I told her I was  heading to Plomion she calls her colleague to have some coffee ready. Overhearing the discussion the lady on the other side seems not as hospitable as the lady in front of me. Finally I’m informed to present myself at “le Mairie” in the next village, which is my final destination. 

I step outside in the rain once more to run the last 5 km. Again I take  a shortcut reducing the distance with another 2 km. I’m lucky to have taken the shortcut otherwise I would not have seen the famous artist Antoine’s work  (the unknown sibling brother of Christo) in the village Landouzy la Cour.

I must say that despite the weather the landscape is beautiful. Blame the dark weather for the picture quality.

Finally I arrive at Plomion. 

A very nice, but also mostly abandoned, village with a lot of vacant houses. I don’t take a picture as I want to be somewhere warm asap. I present myself at Le Marie.Which is closed. After knocking on the door the secretary colleague opens the door and points me to a restaurant which I thought was closed. She had arranged for coffee and “gourmandises”. The owner , Bernard, was is friendly and we talk about his restaurant and life. Bernard and his wife have the restaurant for 36 years and are planning to retire within 2 years. Although a lot of people moved away, they still can  make a living from the restaurant but similar to the grocery owner yesterday it is difficult. I think once Bernard retires the restaurant will close definitely. I call the Chambre Hotes to pick me up and start mentally to prepare another confrontation with Mr.Dxxxxxxxxd. Luckily for me it’s his, rather friendly, wife who comes to fetch me. Love moves in mysterious ways. 

By the time we arrive at the Chambre Hotes the rain had stopped. The sun started shining. I grunt to whatever controls the weather. 

Lessons learned :

- Water impermeable is relative

- We should have more village secretaries in the world - at least the kind which offers coffee to rained down pelgrims.

- Though shall not press the wrong button when open the  boot lid. 

- Love moves in mysterious ways.

Song of the day : Whatever turns you on -Daniel Norgren

Tomorrow my destination will be Chateau Porcien. Another 40 km trip. Weather forecast is rain in the afternoon.My rain gear is drying.

T.

Tomorrow I will be sleeping in a room managed by a local Compostela organisation. Possibly I will not have WiFi to send a blog update. No need to call Child Focus.

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