Choron to Montfaucon-en-Velay, 19 Km
The guide book promised us a relaxing stage today, “the area is sparsely populated, and the roads we encounter have little traffic”. End of quote.
The fun started in Les Sétoux where a couple of ladies had strung some red tape across the road. The road was closed. She said something about a bicycle race and I said we were pilgrims going to Saint Jacques and we were allowed to proceed. We followed the road for a short distance and then our track led us away into the forest. The birds were singing and we were truly away from it all, as you’d expect in this least developed part of France.
Our path led us back to the road and once again it was blocked by two men sitting at a table with some bottles of water. The previous scene repeated itself and they said to walk along the road until we found the Camino path on the left. We walked along, blissfully unaware of the imminent danger coming our way. I told Michaela to stay alert because racing bikes travel fast. Just as we reached our path, I heard a spluttering rumbling noise which I assumed was the lead motorcycle but it wasn’t. Moments later, a Porsche 911 in full rally gear came around the bend and thundered by, just a metre or so from where we stood on the side of the road. The noise was deafening. More cars followed at regular intervals and we sat and watched the spectacle, incredulous that we were able to walk on this race track.
The scenery might have been beautiful but our peace was shattered by the constant noise coming from the valley below. Later we encountered the dreaded red tape again and we had no choice but to walk along the race track, jumping into the nettles as the next car approached. We were now dodging classic cars and ahead of us a BMW had crashed and the drivers were having a bit of a discussion about the situation. They stopped in mid sentence when they saw us approaching and we sheltered behind the stricken car while the other cars roared past. Apparently the “crazy pilot” lost control, the car flew into the air and came down nose first.
We are now safely in Montfaucon-en-Velay (and when you see en-Velay in the name you know you’re getting close to Le Puy-en-Velay) but after a succession of wonderful accommodations we have found a one star hotel which is quite rare in France. There aren’t many of them. Judging by the vintage photographs it was quite nice in the past but now it has lost its appeal. The people are friendly and we’ll dine well but the rooms defy description. It’s unlikely anyone has stayed here for months so hopefully the bedbugs will have died of starvation.
Pilgrimage 
Sounds like the officials thought oh your British please go ahead – we tried to warn you…. 😎
The total lack of safety precautions was flabbergasting
Wonderful! Apart from the noise and having to leap into the nettles that is. At least the country roads are paved even in remotest France so you avoided the dust and flying gravel you’d find at a Kiwi rally. Hope that tomorrow is a quieter day 🤣.
It was very exciting. What got me was the nonchalance of the people who were there to protect us
People pay good money to watch that. Think what you have saved, also with your 1* accommodation (if it even reached 1) and contribute generously to the roof fund of the next church. Maybe they will carve your name in stone.
You’re right it was the greatest free show and very enjoyable once we took our position away from the centre of the road
Surely nothing ahead of you could top that day !!
It was an unforgettable experience. Great driving skills but I’m still shocked we could be walking on the road moments before the first Porsche appeared
Kia ora, Tim, I love the ancient reminders that this is a pilgrim trail. Your experience of the rally car race reminded me of some different days on the VF. In France I had to halt to watch while a peloton of lycra louts hogged the road, then, later in Italy, gawped at a cavalcade of vintage cars and the next day a long line of Lamborghinis cruised past me. All the while I was plodding towards Rome with family and friends saying “Don’t you know you can fly/bus/rail there?”! Wonderful memories. Kia kaha.
It’s true that you come across some strange things on a long pilgrimage. Last year it was a tour of vintage Rolls Royce cars from UK. This rally will take some beating
Wow…how was that confused with a cycling race? 🤔
Apart from the noise, would’ve been quite a spectacle…once you got over the shock of high-powered 4 wheels instead of flashing lycra & 2 wheels!
Ah well…at least you could hear them coming…even if at that speed you only had a few seconds to react! 😄
It’s my poor French! I’m sure they tried to warn me
PS. As ‘en-Velay’ seems to be attached to a few places, does it actually mean anything or is it just the region’s name?
I believe this area is called the Velay and therefore a number of places are called x-en-Velay. Le Puy is the capital of the area. I always get my Departments and Regions muddled up