Day 32 /Limoges -Châlus / 41.54 km

April 03, 2018

Day 32 /Limoges -Châlus / 41.54 km

Although Antonio’s snoring is not around I wake up at 6.15. After a buffet breakfeast with plenty of coffee (and were I briefly consider to rob all the available cheese) I depart for Châlus at 8.00. On the way I buy lunch in a bakery. Todayntraffic an people are busying their way to work and the volume of traffic is in line with Limoges size.

After 1 hour, mostly walking, I exit the city and it’s suburbs. The switch form urban is to rural is quite sudden. One moment I’m walking/running in a suburb full with new housing, next Limousin cows are dully grazing.

When I have run 11 km I have a small celebration as I passed the 1000km. The photo reflects that “historical” moment. Today I’m 32 days on the road. A month. Deducting the resting days, I ran a total of 1031 km, averaging 35,5 km.

Monsieur Agricole predicted quite some rain today but it remains dry. At a certain moment the left side of the street has rain the right side is dry and sunny. I’m feeling lucky when the wind blows away the greyness and rain. A sun and blue sky appears, remaining my companion well into the afternoon.Beausoleil indeed.

I pass a number of villages. No shops. Except for a hairdresser. I didn’t notice yet but when I look back most of the villages seem to have at minimum a hairdresser, sometimes even multiple hairdressers, mostly unisex open for all sexes. They vary in name but often the names end with “coif”. Beau-coif (men’s), Bellcoif (women), selectcoif (bigger villages) , Jackycoif and even coif-sympha.....often a hairdresser seems to be the only non-agricultural economical activity in a village. I probably exaggerate. Maybe.

Around 14.30 I arrive in Châlus. You probably know Châlus because king Lion Heart besieged the local castle and eventually died here.

I booked a room at l’Escale Gourmande, when checking in I’m proudly informed I will sleep at the “cote D’azure”. The room comes with it own “strand cabin” and “view”on the ocean. The toilet can be found somewhat further on the beach. I must mention the owner and his wife are very friendly. They have only recently taken over the hotel-restaurant which takes a lot of guts to do in today’s rural France. The hotel serves dinner in buffet-style for 13€. The food is more then acceptable. The economical viability is completely unclear (read none-existent) to me.

I’m sharing the table with Maria and Rutger, a couple from Amsterdam who life parttime in the neighbourhood. We talk about life, 200€ cars and living in the countryside. Great to be able to talk dutch. A nice couple and evening.Again I forget to take a picture.