Today would be a day filled with memories of our trip five days ago and would end with possibly the most genuine hospitality of any gite I’ve stayed in. Don’t get me wrong hospitality is huge on the Camino, and comfort and a pilgrim welcome is seen often if not most of the time. But tonight humble gite was a family that almost just seemed to be opening their home to us as if family…
I’m typing this late so my days might be blurred, but we’ve passed the chapel where the kids and I slept, went to the Holy Water fountain, and started today wondering where was the exact spot of our teepee night five years ago. We were certain we would not find it, that it would resemble all the areas in the forrest… but we did!!!! We came upon the pasture, horses still there, but not certain if they were “our” same horses. The wood poles were in a place where a teepee once stood. Sigh, such AMAZING memories!!!!
We would walk to one of our special places Le Farme du Berry, where five years ago we were one of only a few people there eating aligot, an area favorite of potato and cheese!!!! Today it was overrun with tourists and we were so fortunate to snag a table. Honestly, I think 70 people were there!!! I’m not certain how I found tonight’s gite but so very fortunate we did. It was like a roadside diner, a walk through the woods for about an hour after where we stayed five years ago.
A restaurant with an old awning, nothing really around it, but as we approached we were welcomed with open arms by a young man, Louis, who was I think 17 years old greeting us as if family beckoning to the bar for a drink. If I’m not mistaken he explained it use to be a run-down old gite “gite regime” and his parents bought it and were redoing it. He spoke so highly of his parents, he was so proud to show off what they had done. Drinks continued to flow, when Bronwyn lit up seeing he had orange juice he gave her the container- lol! Mom and dad Christophe and Marion would arrive and were delightful!!!! The happiest spirits, true genuine love of family, comfort, hospitality just came out of them. Two of the nicest people I could ever meet. Marion actually offered me her car to go join them at a local swimming hole for the evening. We were too tired to partake but suspect I will regret not going.
The roadside gite was a diamond in the rough, inside our area was beautiful and I’m willing to say “the best shower head of any Camino”!!!!! They made a beautiful dinner, only two others were here… and we woke to fresh air and a cup ( or several) of coffee declining breakfast….This place is called The 4 Chemins, guide books might call it Gite Regine ( the awning still says that), and if a nights rest in the country with no distractions and a wonderful family is what you crave this is it!!!!
Minutes before departure, while taking our last sips of coffee and putting on our shoes, Bronwyn caught a quick glance of what she thought was one of “the boys” from two nights ago… we would catch them on a little beak later in the day, and a beautiful friendship would be started!!!!
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