Strolling Along The Camino Via Podiensis in France – Day 23

Date: Friday, 23 May 2025
Day: 23
From: Eauze                    To: Nogaro
Start Walking: 652am   End Walking: 132pm
Time: 5h34m
Distance (Planned): 21km Distance (Garmin): 21.6km
Progress: 590.4/765km
Ascent: 353m                   Descent: 377m
Weather: Cool to start, a few clouds and then un-forecasted bucketing rain late in the day.
Stayed At: another Booking dot com apartment (bonus washing machine – Yay!).

General Comments:
• The ol’ body was a bit stiff and sore this morning, and the legs were weary. Yesterday was a pretty hard walking day and, despite being much, much fitter than when we started on this trail way back on 28 April, 35km takes it out of you. I’m not as young as I used to be, you know!🤣And some days I feel much older than others!😳🤣
• Thankfully today was much shorter and rated ‘easy’. Again, I think some people would get a bit of a surprise at this classification, but it certainly was easier than yesterday, also rated ‘easy’!

• It was yet another farm day. We cut through vineyards, past geese farms, alongside newly-planted corn paddocks and generally got amongst the French agricultural sector. We even wandered past a large aquaculture operation although there was not a fish to be seen.
• Odd sights for the day included the French equivalent of a bull ring, called a Course Landais. Apparently they don’t actually fight the bulls in this country, just dodge them, jump over them etc. Now, I bet that wasn’t something you knew about France!? Or maybe you did, smartypants!

• Mud remained our constant companion again for much of the day. Some sections of the trail will take weeks to dry out, especially the forest paths as they would never receive any/much direct sunlight. Needless to say, this afternoon’s impromptu downpours will not help in the slightest!⛈🌧 Although I did manage to rescue the washing before the worst hit.
• And, believe it or not, we now only have 7 days of this stroll to go! Time flies and all that…

Top Tips:
• No flashes of insight today. Just keep on truckin’ along!

Bon Chemin.