PRACTICAL INFORMATION EAT & SLEEP
Nights
We hike from gîte to gîte and, for two nights, bed-&-breakfasts. These are small-scale affairs, run by families who are trying to eke out a livelihood in these difficult regions. Just like the other “refugios” (hostels) on the St James Pilgrims Way, they consist of rooms with 3 or 4 beds, with plenty of bathrooms and common areas.
They’re obviously not three-star hotels, but all-in-all they offer a good night’s rest, and a peaceful and relaxing moment in very beautiful settings. The surrounding villages are picturesque, and the views often exceptional. The oldest hostel was built 800 years ago (but is very well preserved), the most recent, less than 15. They all meet the standards required for “establishments open to the public” for their category. Most are booked exclusively for us.
Meals
Lux will do his utmost to ensure that your hike is also a gourmet experience!
The breakfasts are nourishing: coffee, tea, different kinds of milk, organic bread and home-made jam, plus eggs if you want them, will provide the energy for the morning.
The valiant Gepetto will also carry snacks to keep us going along the way: fresh fruit, cereal bars, mixed dried fruits, etc.
The midday meal is a gourmet picnic: mixed salads, quiches and tarts, the local pan bagnat; local delicatessen meats and cheeses, fruit and desserts. There’s nothing frugal about these picnics, and so much the better!
The evening meal, provided at the hostel, is generally delicious and convivial. A salad to start with, an original and tasty main dish, then cakes or other sweets for dessert, washed down with the local wines, some delicate, some more full-bodied.
Although Scar does all the cooking, he appreciates a helping hand, so we will share the dishes and peel a few vegetables for the evening meal, as well as setting and clearing the table.
Transport
The hikes start from Saint Guilhem le Désert, in the Hérault département, on Saturday 29 May 2021 or you can set the date of your choice if you are a group of 6 or more
As it is off the beaten track and difficult to get to by public transport, we can take you there:
- from the Ferme d’En Gout on Saturday at about 1 pm (you can leave your vehicle in the parking lot at the farm)
- or from Montpellier (South of France ) at about 6 pm
The hikes end at Anglès (Tarn département) on Saturday 05 of June 2021
. Anglès is also an isolated village, so we can transport you to the Ferme d’En Gout if that’s where you’ve left your vehicle, or to Castres (Tarn), the nearest city with a train station.
Luggage
You’ll need the same equipment as for any hike: light but robust clothing, raincape, walking shoes already broken in, evening wear for the hostel, two walking poles, and not much more.
All necessary information will be sent following your booking. This will include a suggested list of equipment and clothing.
Price
The all-in price for this hike is 800 €
This includes
- All my services as Guide: initiation in botany, local history, geology, history of the Saint James Pilgrims Way, geobiology and telluric energy, and more.
- Accommodation in rooms with 3 or 4 beds.
- Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch, hot meal in the evening, snacks during the hike
- Baggage carried by donkey
- The presence of a Steward for assistance in the preparation of meals, taking care of the donkey, transport for sections of any stage, etc.
- Shuttle between Montpellier & Saint Guilhem, and between Anglès & Castres
The price does not include
- Your own transport to Dourgne or Montpellier, and your return home from Castres
- Your personal consumption
- Access to a single room (extra, and not always possible)
Participation in the costs of transport from Dourgne to Saint Guilhem and from Anglès to Dourgne