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Day 16: Sault to Mont Serein (30 km) The Ascent of Mont Ventoux and the Making of Modern Man.
My only motive was the wish to see what so great an elevation had to offer. Franchesco Petrarch – The Ascent of Mont Ventoux The first time I heard about Mont Ventoux was in a history lesson at school when I was fifteen. The teacher was a distinguished mediaevalist called Dr Peter Partner and his…
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Day 15: Simiane-la-Rotonde to Sault (23km) A Right Royal Laugh
The Royal Family are not like you and me. They live in houses so big that you can walk round all day and never need to meet your spouse. The Queen and Prince Philip have never shared a bedroom in their lives. They don’t even have breakfast together. A.N.Wilson I was woken up by a…
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Day 14:Céreste to Simiane-la-Rotonde (23km) Heat and Dust.
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,…
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Day 13: Manosque to Cereste (21km) In Search of Pastures Greener
Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being & walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, & the more one…
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Day 12: Saint Martin de Brômes to Manosque (21km) Douze Jours en Provence.
The French, it seems to me, strike a happy balance between intimacy and reserve. Peter Mayle – Encore Provence I’d be lying if I tried to claim that this was the most interesting day’s walk or that Manosque was a fitting finale to this section of my walk across France. I reached Manosque by midday.…
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Day 11: Quinson to Saint Martin de Brômes (26 km) In praise of beer and burgers.
Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking. Benjamin Franklin – US President The previous evening’s pizza must have hit the spot. I slept like a log for almost 12 hours and woke up refreshed, ready for the day ahead.…
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Day 10: Vénascle to Quinson (45km) A long way for a pizza
Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next year, next week, any day now, as soon as I can get on a train. Elizabeth David – cook and writer Quinson is a quirky little place. The front doors of every house in the village had sprigs of yellow broom attached to them.…
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Day 9: La Palud sur Verdon to Vénascle (22km) The company of strangers.
I do desire we may become better strangers. William Shakespeare – As You Like It. It was a good thing I remembered to pack my earplugs. The chap in the bunk next to me who looked like a wild eyed 6th century Irish itinerant missionary, snored like a drain all night. Thankfully the chap in…
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Day 8:Rougon to La Palud sur Verdon (19km)
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. Emperor Marcus Aurelius They say be careful for what you wish for. In Castellane I had wished for company in the gites. In Rougon I got that in spades! There were 20 staying in the gite Le Mur…
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Day 7: Castellane to Rougon (18km) Entering the Canyon of Verdon.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. John Donne – No Man is an Island As I was eating a pizza yesterday evening in the centre of Castellane I contemplated the fact that in a week’s time I would be back…
Welcome to my blog! I’m Jonathan, a 60 year old Brit who is passionate about long distance walking.
In May 2024 I’m setting off from Land’s End to walk 1,200 miles, the length of Britain, to John O’Groats.
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Pilgrim's Progress - Long Distance Walks in Europe and the UK 