Gavarnie – Luz St. Sauveur

We were fully geared up when we left the hotel as rain seemed to be pouring at that moment. After a short period of road walk, rain tapered. We stripped off the rain gear while climbing steeply on a local trail that we consider a potential shortcut to GR10.  It was not a trivial climb. But it led us to the spot where we had a perfect view of Cirque de Gavarnie from a different angle. A proper place to bid farewell to this enchanted stone amphitheater!

We were walking on top of the ridge. The scene was markedly different from before. Leaning against the ridge is a vast, golden prairie that appears to be in rest. The path is narrow, almost invisible under the cover of overgrown bushes. But walkers can feel the path. There was nothing unusual about the view, but somehow I was mesmerized. Was it the purple iris that proliferated the fields? Was it the on-and-off rain that mystified the valley? Was it the abandoned farm house looking so lonely but graceful from a distance? Was it the eerie tranquility that follows the departure of the inhabitants? I don’t know. But I can still see it in my mind long after.

When we reached the high point, the rain picked up its pace. The bushes literally took over the path, as if no one had walked upon for ages. If we didn’t have our gaiters on, we would have been walking in the little puddles in our own boots! The descending path led us to a beech forest. The leaf-padded trail, though muddy occasionally, was soft on the knees, a welcoming change! We descended a long way under the cover of the forest before we came to a narrow strip of open land nestled in the surrounding mountains. Clouds lingered in midair, overcasting the opposing massif in lush green. Mixed with rain and that ever so elusive sun light, they forged into a free-wheeling paint brush, constantly altering that green canvas. A few cows scattered around what appeared to be the remnants of a village. After another short descent, we were on the tarmac. The road runs parallel to Gave de Gavarnie where hydropower facilities were installed. Along the road are farming communities with no sign of occupants. Large farmhouses with handsome structures still stand, but lifeless. There was not a single soul or motor vehicle on that country road. One can’t help wonder, what happened here?

GR10 stays on the road for 2.5 miles, but then it climbs back into the woods for another 2.5 miles before Luz. With rain pouring down harder, we decided to walk on the road all the way to Luz. Same distance, but some muddy struggle may be avoided.

There is always a catch when you choose a shortcut. The silent country road converges into a major highway that hugs the precipitous cliff on one side and the turbulent Gave on the other. It was the busy time and it was raining. Drivers were hurrying home for dinner. But there on that narrow, winding highway, were two crazy walkers that forced every vehicle to frantically skirt around them in the last minute.  I knew I would curse if I were the driver.

We didn’t realize that Luz is a sprawling town, the largest we have ever encountered so far on this trip. Our destination is Hotel Terminus, which gives me an impression that it is on the other end of the town. And it is! It took a good shower and a good meal for us to recover from total exhaustion. The bonus was the 24-hr laundromat within 5-minute walk from Terminus.