Le Puy en Velay

2010 GR70 / Chemin Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson published "Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes" in 1879, after a hike from Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille to Saint-Jean-du-Gard. I tried to retrace the route (today "GR70"), but had to modify it and from time to time walk the road. It was way to early in the year. Snow in the higher regions - closed hotels all the way. I could only do the hike, as I was accompanied - and was in…  (read more)
Le Puy en Velay

Le Puy en Velay

01 Mar 2010 193
..reached Le Puy en Velay in the late afternoon. The Virgin on the left - the immense cathedral on the right. Noticed some snow in the mountains in the background...
Monastier-sur-Gazeille

Monastier-sur-Gazeille

01 Mar 2010 178
The facade of the former abbey-church Saint Chaffre du Monastier-sur-Gazeille. Due to a misinterpretation of the "balisage" (on that rainwater pipe) it took me an hour or so, to find the point, where Stevenson started together with his donkey Modestine in 1878. It was only about 200m away.
Monastier-sur-Gazeille

Monastier-sur-Gazeille

01 Mar 2010 173
.. found the commemorative plaque. Here Robert Louis Stevenson and his donkey Modestine started 22. September 1878. Well, let´s say, here they left Monastier-sur-Gazeille and walked down into the valley of the Gazeille. Today it marks (as well) the entrance to the parking lot of a little supermarket.
Goudet

Goudet

01 Mar 2010 158
..the valley of the Loire. It´s pretty steep and slippery downhill to Goudet.
Goudet - Château de Beaufort

Goudet - Château de Beaufort

01 Mar 2010 179
... the ruins of the Château de Beaufort. Out of the really great number of châteaus lining the Loire, this is number 2. Number 1 is in Arlempdes, about 5kms upstream.
Goudet - The valley of the Loire

Goudet - The valley of the Loire

01 Mar 2010 154
Looking back to the valley of the Loire. On the right side Goudet is visible, the bridge over the Loire - and right - the ruins of the Château de Beaufort.
Costaros

Costaros

31 Mar 2010 141
..a car-wreck - and the village of Costaros in the back...
Landos

Landos

01 Mar 2010 164
..had a snowshower underway, so I changed from the "Chemin Stevenson" to the "Voie Régordane", the old pilgim´s way to St. Gilles. Taking this shortcut I reached Landos via Amargiers.
Arquejols - the horses

Arquejols - the horses

01 Mar 2010 172
Three horses near Arquejols.
Arquejols - the viaduct

Arquejols - the viaduct

01 Mar 2010 162
..walking down the valley - there was a gigantic railroad viaduct. Meanwhile I learned, that the "Viaduc d'Arquejols" has a height of 45m and is 209m long. Completed in 1908. So when Stevenson passed through, there were just the horses...
Approachung Pradelles

Approachung Pradelles

01 Mar 2010 145
...the storm Xynthia, that hit this area end of February 2010, had done great damage to the forests in the Auvergne. The aftermath of the storm forced me to some detours..
Pradelles

Pradelles

01 Mar 2010 145
Actually I could not find out, why Pradelles is one of the most beautiful villages in France ("les plus beaux villages"). Maybe I was just too tired. Here is a view from the back of the (19th century) church facing south. On the right is a part of the "Lac de Naussac". A couple of minutes later it started to snow again.
Langogne

Langogne

01 Mar 2010 156
...looking out of the window early morning. Bad surprise! It was snowing again. After a long breakfast mood and weather had improved...
Langogne - St. Gervais et Protais

Langogne - St. Gervais et Protais

01 Mar 2010 191
...the very interesting romanesque church, built within the 12. century, and clearly visible altered a couple of times over the time..
Langogne - St. Gervais et Protais

Langogne - St. Gervais et Protais

01 Mar 2010 180
.. inside the church are some fascinating capitals. One of them shows "Luxuria", feeding the snakes.
Langogne - The market hall

Langogne - The market hall

01 Mar 2010 143
Langogne has a nice covered market hall. More than 200 years old.
Saint-Flour-de-Mercoire

Saint-Flour-de-Mercoire

01 Apr 2010 160
..a very modern version of Stevenson´s donkey Modestine. Seen outside a theatre (!!) in Saint-Flour-de-Mercoire...
Near Fouzillac - Menhir Pascalou

Near Fouzillac - Menhir Pascalou

01 Apr 2010 143
..still some frost in the shadow of the Menhir Pascalou. 1878 Stevenson stayed here a night "à la belle étoile" - under the stars. He had bad weather conditions that night..
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