Day 28 – Some Success Speaking French

La Côte-Saint-André to Bellegarde-Poussieu, 24Km

We stayed in a superbe appartement last night and for once the Booking.com description matched the offer. 60 euros for the whole place, all nicely decorated, a charming “host” and best of all, an automatique washing machine. It’s the first I’ve seen since that Vietnamese monastery way back in Switzerland. Normally my clothes are refreshed every night in the shower basin while I have a shower so getting everything properly washed is a joy for the pilgrim.

Robert & Michaela are both good at English but their ability in French is similar to my German so I am the official French speaker in our group. I must quietly boast that I am having some success in communicating our needs and making accommodation bookings. I can manage the transactions in the boulangerie as well as ordering things like a burger and Heineken for dinner. Today in the quintessential French village of Revel-Tourdan, a local lady who had lived there for many years but was British, said my French was very impressive “although you can’t disguise the accent, of course”.

Despite having a delicious breakfast of a freshly baked pain au chocolate and cafe au lait in the local boulangerie before setting off, we had to repeat the meal when we arrived in Revel-Tourdan. The village was the usual mixture of fine beautiful French houses and fine but completely derelict houses from distant times. One house had no windows or floors but was otherwise in perfect condition and could probably be bought for the price of a breakfast. It’s just a short drive from Lyon Airport with twice daily BA flights to London.

Revel-Tourdan has a little grocery shop and the most exquisite little boulangerie alongside. The lady was just putting the finishing touches to a tray of apricot croissants. Resistance was futile and she made three cafe au laits to wash them down.

Later we came to the Chapelle de la Salette dating from the 11th century and the former church of the parish of Bellegarde. We could see the comb bell tower while we sat on the ancient graves eating lunch but the church was locked.

After leaving the church, the rain began and my navigation failed. I couldn’t find the accommodation and we left the Camino too soon resulting in us missing the incredible Table d’orientation de Bellegarde Poussieu. It’s a large enamel panoramic map of the surrounding landscape. But I did finally find the farmhouse where we have comfortable accommodation and all the hospitality that the French are renowned for bestowing on pilgrims. The beer had flowed, the local peach wine is flowing and Madame’s chicken is currently breathing its last.