I started at 9:45AM and ended at 2:30PM. Definitely short but filled with satisfying moments.
I am continually amazed how churches built over 500 years or more ago have weathered the physical environment and cultural earthquakes that surrounded them such as the religious wars and the French Revolution. But they stand from a small village (Montréal-du-Gers) to the Cathedral in Eauze.
The first half of the walk took me on a tour of vineyards and farmlands. The vineyards produce the grapes for Armagnac, of course. I walked through hectares of what appeared to be lush vines. However, upon closer inspection, many of the vines had shriveled grapes or none at all. I have already mentioned that southern France suffered unseasonably high temperatures and no rain during the summer. Even old vines with deep roots can’t draw water from what looked like dry hardened soil. It will be interesting to read about the 2026 harvest and its impact on Armagnac production,
Interspersed among the vineyards were vegetable fields. The most popular crop that I could observe was kale.
It was about noon when I reached Lamothe — the approximate halfway point. A lone but popular bar, La Mille Bourne, appeared to serve all of the walkers on the Chemin. Among the customers was Serge with whom I had shared a beer two days ago. Sitting with him were the two fellows who were eating lunch at the base of the d’Artagnan sculpture in Condom. They laughed when I showed them the photo. As far as I could tell, I am part of a group of 20 hearty pilgrims who have said that St Jean Pied du Port was their final destination. Only a handful started in Le Puy and they will all end after me.
The path completely changed after Lamothe. For the final five miles, I was on a rails to trail. The path was flat and smooth and in the shade. I love this surface. The pilgrim ahead of me preferred the dirt surface next to it.
I made great time reaching central Eauze by 2:30PM. I went into the cathedral where Pope Leo celebrated mass a few days before. Eauze must be a big deal because Leo celebrated mass only in Paris, Lourdes, and Eauze. As noted before, he made an appearance at St Etienne in Cahors.
Literally around the corner from the cathedral was my Hotel Henri IV. My room was on the 2ème étage across from the tall tree to the right. Should be a quieter room than those above the outdoor dining area and the streets.
Eauze was once a major Roman town. The artifacts from excavations are housed in a museum nearby. Taking photos was prohibited. The museum did have some superb small pieces of sculptures that I would have shared with you. Before I left the hotel, Newton, part sheep dog, wanted some petting. I certainly obliged. Later, he kept nudging me to play with him. This dog needs a job.
Eauze central occupies a very small circular area. I did not see any ramparts but centre ville is clearly different from the rest of the town. Streets have limited vehicular traffic and are laid out in a warren-like way with many dead ends except for very narrow pedestrian paths that provide access to other streets.
On my tour around town, I spotted this cart of Armagnac at a restaurant in the main square. Hotel Henri IV has an excellent collection as well. I availed myself of a glass after dinner.
As the cathedral bells signaled 7PM, dinner service began at Henri IV. Pâté canard, Demi Magret de Canard with a different presentation than the Hotel Continental in Condom and a wonderful cup of ice cream with prunes soaked in Armagnac. Canard and Armagnac — the premier products of the Gascogne. Glad I am walking the miles.
