Oct 83 min read

And on the 13th day ...

... they rested

Day 12 - Sunday, 6 October 2024 - Livinhac-le-Haut to Figeac. ~25 klms, total ~264.4, but really who knows?

Day 13 - Monday 7 October 2024. Figeac, wandering

[This post may be a little muddled as I mix up the walk and rest day commentaries. Désolé.]

My distances noted above are best estimates. They won't be markedly out, and they won't be totally accurate either. But a reasonable guesstimate is that we've walked an average of 22 klms/day for each of the last 12 days; I don't recall ever walking 12 days without a rest.

Yesterday's (day 12) walk was described in the guidebook as simply a means to get from A to B. I think that that's a bit harsh; it was another quite pretty (and challenging) walk, even if there weren't any standout highlights. Still, lots of photos, a bit further on.

We chose Figeac as a stop-over as it's a biggish town; I think probably biggish in the outlying areas, whereas the old town is very small and compact, and obviously very ancient. It's history goes back to the 8th century. The Whitson guidebook notes:

In 753, Pepin the Short (Charlemagne's father), having just won a battle against the Duke of Aquitaine, saw a flock of doves rise from the ground here and thus decided to build a town. By 838 there was an abbey; two centuries later, it was linked to Cluny. In 1302 the town moved into the hands of King Philip IV, who bequeathed great wealth upon it. Figeac was taken by the English briefly in the Hundred Years' War and then hit hard by plague in 1348. It was hit harder by Protestants, with Catholicism banned by the late 16th century. Indeed, the Protestant conquest in 1576 was accomplished only through treachery; the first consul's wife was successfully bribed by Protestant leaders to smuggle a gate key to them. Disguised as peasants, Protestant soldiers quietly filled the town before unmasking and seizing control. Following the Edict of Nantes, Figeac was established as a Protestant safe zone. Skipping ahead to the modern era, Figeac was occupied by Nazis during World War II and 540 citizens were deported to Dachau and Auschwitz in April/May 1944. Of those citizens, 145 never returned. Nazis abandoned the town a month later.

Quite fascinating stuff. Not much seems to be open though, whether that's because it's a Monday, or getting towards the end of the visitor season, or just late opening on Mondays, or something else I don't know.

Despite the commentary from Dave Whitson (above), my initial on-ground assessment of Figeac had not been all that positive, but on reflection that was harsh. We popped into the tourist bureau and they provided us with a "keys to discovery" walking tour brochure, which gave us a wonderful insight into the architectural and some cultural history of the town. A few photos follow a bit later.

Yesterday's (Day 12) photos:

Implements.

A collection of Citroën, some from previous days.

Pathways.

Built form: perfect house; hydrangeas; well; storage house(?).

Chestnut farm (compared to the millions of wild ones which line the pathways).

Now to today's photos around Figeac. Minimal commentary.

From the walking guide:

HOTEL GALIOT DE GENOUILLAC

12 rue Roquefort

During the Renaissance period this mansion, now largely altered, belonged to important figure in the area. Jacques "Galiot" de Genouillac was Master of Artillery to King François I, his action decisive in the victory at the battle of Marignan In Assier his castle, open to the public, is the finest example of Renaissance architecture vicinity of Figeac.

From the walking guide book:

HÖTEL DUMONT DE SOURNAC

2 place Docteur Brugel

This vast, tall medieval house attracts attention with its façade set with mullioned windows and its colossal 14th century fireplace. During the Middle Ages the owner of this mansion undertook a journey to Egypt for a diplomatic mission on behalf of King Charles IV.

I estimated this fireplace to be at least 6 metres tall, and maybe more.

Again, from the walking guide book:

PLACE DES ECRITURES

Situated in a medieval courtyard, flanked by a Gothic gallery, this iconic area composed around an immense reproduction of the Rosetta stone, placed beside the house where J F Champollion was born. The fragment of an inscription written in hieroglyphic Egyptian, demotic Egyptian and Greek was essential for the scholar in deciphering the hieroglyphics in 1822. The square was created by contemporary artist Joseph Kosuth in 1990 commemorating the bicentenary of Champollion's birth.

Champollion is Figeac's most famous son. An amazing chap.