Pilgrim's Progress – Long Distance Walks in Europe and the UK

Shortly before the monsoon, the heat becomes very intense. It is said that the more intense it becomes the more abundantly it will draw down the rains, so one wants it to be as hot as can be. And by that time one has accepted it — not got used to but accepted; and moreover, too worn-out to fight against it, one submits to it and endures.

Heat and Dust – Ruth Prawer-Jhabvala

The decision to reduce my daily stages from 35-45km to between 20-30km proved a sensible one. I shudder to think what would have happened if I’d stuck to my original schedule. I probably wouldn’t be writing this blog now!

I set off from Céreste shortly after 7am in an attempt to beat the worst of the heat. The village bakery in Céreste looked as though it had been closed for years so hopes of a croissant to speed me on my way were dashed. It’s an all too familiar story in small rural French villages like Céreste.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as I headed out of Céreste towards the hilltop village of Sainte-Croix-à-Lauze. It was clearly going to be another scorcher and it wasn’t long before I drained one of my water bottles and was drenched in sweat.

Sainte-Croix-à-Lauze (pop 84), was a bit of a one horse hamlet which I passed through before heading up on to the Vachères plateau. There weren’t any cows to be seen but there were ample lavender fields which have formed the backbone of the local economy for the past century.

I spent much of the day musing about lavender. You either love lavender or you hate it. The essence is used for insomnia, headaches, to cleanse cuts or insect bites, deter mosquitoes and more. 

Lavender growers in Provence concentrate on two varieties: “lavande fine” and “lavandin.”

Lavande Fine, or true lavender, only grows in altitude at about 700 to 800 metres above sea level. This is the high quality stuff used for high end perfumes, cosmetics, and bouquets. Lavande fine has AOC status in France and must follow certain criteria to achieve this status, just like a fine French wine. A hectare of fine lavender produces 15 to 20 kg of essential oil. These farmers are not rich wich is all the more reason to not pick the flowers but buy them from the distillery shop or the market.

Lavandin is a hybrid lavender that grows up to 600 metres in altitude. It produces more oil and is intended for functional perfumery such as soaps and detergents. 

Shortly after 11am I made it to Oppedette. Reknown for it’s gorges, it’s a haven for walkers. But other than a couple of hikers wandering through the narrow cobbled streets, the village was completely deserted and the village café showed no signs of life. I headed off towards Simiane-la-Rotonde, hopeful of finding sustenance!

I spent the next two hours  walking through a canyon being attacked by swarms of biting insects. The riverbeds I crossed were as dry as a bone and I was completely out of water!

Simiane-la-Rotonde dominates the surrounding landscape. At the top of the village is the 12th century keep which must have been nigh impregnable.

Thankfully there was a restaurant open. Having collapsed in a pool of sweat, I promptly downed two litres of iced water and a couple of bottled of local beer before tucking into a delicious plate of gnocchi, garnished with sliced olives and sauteed red peppers. It was delicious!

I successfully made it to my lodgings for the evening: La Fontaine – an equestrian centre just outside town. An opportunity to cool down and take a breather before what looks like a far more challenging day tomorrow. Let’s hope the temperature drops a bit!