Camino - Moissac to St. Jean pied-de-port

MOISSAC TO ST. JEAN PIED-DE-PORT IN 14 DAYS

Give yourself 14 days allowed for walking (if it were me this is how I'd do it for the third
time).   Take some cup-a-soup with you in your packs for those times when you can't find a
store at night. Remember shops close from noon to 2pm or 3pm, and usually all
Wednesday afternoon in smaller places, and all day Sunday. Very few bars along the way
that will be open in the day to get cafe/food, so be prepared. Make sure to use a 32 oz
water bottle and fill whenever you get a chance to fill. Ask in each village the night you get
there if there is a market the next day - they usually start around 8-8:30am and are worth
seeing.

In Moissac, stay at: Gite d'etape du Carmel/Centre d'accueil Gite de groupe, 5 sente du
Calvaire - up the hill and to the left of the Cathedral. (tel 05-63-04-62-21) bed 9.50 Euro,
petit dejeuner 4 E, repas (dinner) 11 E (didn't include wine last year and wasn't very
edible, so I'd recommend going out or buying food for the night), demi pension (bed,
dinner, b'fast) 24.50E   If you wanted to fax them from home before you leave to reserve a
room (I would): fax 05-63-04-62-22 There are lots of shops in Moissac, grocery store
opens at 7am down the main street from the Cathedral and on the right hand side.

Day 1 - Moissac to St. Antoine = 26 km - pretty easy walk and flat from Moissac to
Auvillar (19km), bit hilly after that but nothing too bad - when you leave Moissac you will
follow the GR 65 signs (red and white stripe) past the railway station and over a bridge,
then the trail takes you along a path past LeFarge and from that point onwards you are
walking alongside the river/canal for the next 14km or so - there is a variante that takes
you to Boudou, DO NOT TAKE IT - it's the long way. You will end up crossing over to the
North side of the canal for the last few KM of your walk along it, watch the signs very
carefully once you have crossed over. There will be a concrete bridge that you go up the
side and then cross back over to the South side and end up walking primarily on the roads
(quiet) to Auvillar. It's not difficult, but do pay attention as some people do get lost and go
too far along the canal. Remember that if you walk 10 minutes and haven't seen a GR 65
sigh, then you've probably missed it! You will go through a small village called Espalais at
about 18 km, there is a very small epicerie but it does close at noon. You exit the town
and cross a blue bridge and immediately turn left. There is a small gite in the first house
on the right, but it's usually booked and closed until later in the day. The village of Auvillar
is at the top of a steep hill, your walk has been completely flat up to here - Spend some
time here to look around and see the sights, tourist office is in the centre and very
informative, speaks English too. Most Tourisme Offices allow you to leave your packs there
while you are sight seeing. There is a Casino (not gambling, but food store) on the road
that you take to leave Auvillar - there isn't another one until later tomorrow at Miradoux
(8km into your walk from St. Antoine). So, if you don't want to go for the demi pension at
St. Antoine (excellent food and lots of wine), then buy food for dinner and breakfast. From
Auvillar the road is a little bit up and down, but nothing severe or too strenuous. Lots of
walking on quiet country roads. Very scenic. There is a small church at St. Antoine, check it
out! Get the people at the gite in Moissac to call Madam Dupont in St. A for you and make
a reservation - I'd stay in the dorm as they're big (2 of them) and I think the rooms are
small and claustrophobic. (tel/fax: 05-62-28-64-27) 10E a night/dorm, pd 4E, repas 12 E

Day 2 - St. Antoine to Lectoure = 25 km - quite an easy walk, although some ups and
downs but nothing severe. When you leave St. Antoine it's a nice walk along country
roads and through some fields most of the way to Lectoure. We picked up a wonderful
chestnut liquor in Lectoure. Only place to get food during the day is in Miradoux at the
Casino before noon, or there is a bar/restaurant as you are leaving Miradoux. Pretty much
a day of rolling hills. Phone ahead to the gite in Lectoure and reserve a bed
(05-62-68-76-98) Gite d'etape, rue Saint Gervais, Lectoure,   7.50E a night, possible to
cook - I haven't stayed here as it's always been full, but I did stay with the nuns at a
Convent - by donation and it's quite nice and private - Accueil chretien au presbytere, 30
rue Nationale, Lectoure. Directions from the Cathedral are to go East along the main
street, keep to the right hand side of the road, past the park, cross over a main road and
walk straight ahead to a walled building. Big green gate is what you're looking for and ring
the bell. Ask people for the Convent. There is a kitchen where you can cook, they don't
speak any English so I was quite challenged, but if you go to the Tourisme Office next to
the Cathedral they can help and do speak some English. Lectoure is a nice size town up a
hill, ah just remembered that you have to climb a steep hill past the cemetary as you enter,
there's lots of shops, bars, restaurants, etc... You can either cook tonight or go out for
dinner. There aren't any shops along the way tomorrow, so buy food before you leave and
head out to Condom.

Day 3 - Lectoure to Condom = 27 km - another easy walk - make sure you don't go to Le
Romieu or that will add on another 11km. Easy to do that and miss the road to Condom as
I found out the first time! If you are on the GR, sometime after Marsolan you are walking
past farm houses on a dirt road and there is a sharp right hand turn along another dirt
road - if you take the right turn you will end up going totally out of your way to La Romieu
(and in my never to be humble opinion; not worth it!), so don't turn right, continue straight
ahead or find a road to the left that takes you to the D7.   You can check internet in
Condom, ask at the Tourisme Office for location and map. Leaving Lectoure, if you're tired
follow the road signs (D7) not the GR to Condom, you'll be on the road most of the way but
will save yourself a couple of km's. It's a day of rolling hills, lots of vineyards and relatively
quiet roads.   You probably won't need to reserve a bed at the gite, groups almost always
go to hotels, but if you feel better about doing it do so: The Gite is in the centre of Condom
and only a couple minutes walk to the Cathedral and the shops. Gite d'etape, Centre
SAlvandy, 20 rue Jean Jaures. Outside the building is a big fence and sign for Nordic Club
(or something sporty), It's on the 3rd floor - to the left and down the hall as you come off
the stairs (Madame Adoue 05-62-28-23-80), 2 or 3 small dorms here - 7 or 8 E a night - if
you take a bed next to the window, make sure you close them before going to bed as I
can almost 100% guarantee there will be a storm overnight and all the beds near the
windows get soaked (I know these things for a reason), there is a kitchen or lots of
restaurants. FYI - if you're in any of the rooms after dark with the lights on and the
windows open you will be visited by bats!!!

Day 4 - Condom to Montreal = 18 km - nice walk, relatively easy - make sure you go out
to the 12th Century Roman Spa Excavation Site - it's about 2km out of town but a must
see - you can even stay out there on the site at a gite in the grounds. Did this the first
time and loved it. From Condom it's a nice, easy, quiet walk, but no shops or food along
the way. If you're feeling energetic along the way and wanting to do a few extra km's
then Larrassingle is ok to take a look at, but nothing spectacular. You'll see signs along
the way, and can decide if you want a diversion, or not. If you want a wonderful lunch
when you get to Montreal-du-Gers have the Cassoulet at Restuarant Chez Simone (right
next to the Epicerie in the town square, directly across from Office du Tourisme),
Fantastic!!! See what you want here and pick up any food you might need for the
evening/breakfast - there is some great foie gras and wines, etc., at the epicerie. If you
are going to stay at the Gite d'etape, Villa Gallo-Romaine de Seviac (I'd highly suggest that
you do), there are cooking facilities there but nowhere to get food or drink. Phone ahead
in the morning or previous evening to ensure space (05-62-29-48-57) 8 E a night. You will
go down a hill leaving the village and not really want to go back up. If you decide not to
stay there or it is full, there is a hotel at the bottom of the hill as you are leaving Montreal -
Gite/restaurant Le Relais Saint Jacques, Madame Tramont and her young son - she's quite
the character and we couldn't understand a word she said but the food was excellent as
we had the evening meal for 11.50E, Bed in a double room is 12.50E each or dorm room
with about 6 beds is 10E each. If you can't stay at Seviac, walk out there, 2km from town
and see it, you won't be disappointed - I think they close in the afternoon around 2pm for
a couple of hours, but ask in the village.

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