Philosophy

Premier Jour - Cahors to Lascabanes, Wednesday 17th June 2026 - 23.1 klms

Well, what a day. I think we’ve both done very well. But more of that later ...

Before the day started, I had a plan as to what I was going to talk about today. But as regular readers of the blog will know, often – indeed usually – a theme emerges as I walk along. And today was no different. But before I get into today’s theme, let me briefly talk about that which I had planned to say.

Today is a good friend’s birthday. Because I am in France, I may not get a chance to send them a normal birthday message. It’s possible that they’ll read this; maybe, maybe not. What I occasionally say to them is that even though they may not know it, they have had a significant influence on my life (for many decades ago when my life was at its lowest point, and I wasn’t sure whether life was actually worth living they provided me with a great deal of support). Which in part has brought me to the place that I am at today. So whilst I don’t often say so, June 17 is often a day of reflection for me (and there's way more nuance and subtlety to this little story, so I've rather skimmed over the surface). All the same it sort of seems appropriate to think about such matters as I head off on yet another significant journey.

But that’s enough of that, let’s return to the here and now.

We arrived in Cahors late on Monday afternoon which gave us a whole day to simply explore and wander. I’d been a bit discombobulated during my last visit to Cahors a couple of years ago, and I didn’t have the fondest memories of the town. This time was very different. I found a metropolis full of shops and restaurants and life generally, and I thoroughly enjoyed our time there. We had no particular plans, nor for that matter any specific needs beyond getting prepared for today’s walk. So we just strolled around, went to see the cathedral and get our credentials stamped, wandered over the Ponte Valentré, before returning to the alberge for final packing and arrangements for luggage transfer. A relaxing day.

Malbec discovery centre in downtown Cahors

Relaxation

One of many character-filled streets in the old town.

And of course, the local fromagerie

Earlier this morning I received a message from a friend about an odious comment from the even more odious Pauline Hansen. I won’t relay her comment, other than to say that it was about “monoculture” in Hansen-speak. Of course in practice that would seem to mean purging Australia of anyone of a non Anglo Celtic Christian background. She’s been on record over many decades of saying the most outrageously racist things about people from Asia or the Middle East, And only last week her deputy, Barnaby Joyce, seemed to be saying that anybody who was not a citizen should have their houses sold and them kicked out of the country. Regrettably, it would seem that the Liberal Party, under the leadership of Angus Taylor, has a not dissimilar view. I’m old enough that whichever way this plays out, none of this is really going to affect me, but I really do worry about the notion of tolerance in our society. Thoughts along these lines occupied much of my thinking for much of the day, which sort of seems appropriate as we undertake a spiritual, if not religious, endeavour over the next few weeks. And all that led to today’s title.

But it wasn’t just that comment and my related thoughts.  For much of the whole walk today we saw numerous (20 or so at least) stones with philosophical or spiritual words enscribed. I’ve included a couple of photos a bit later. They added something quite meaningful to an otherwise fairly physical walk, and confirmed today's title.

Leaving Cahors this morning over the Pont Valentré was magnificent. The 100 metre high 1.4 klm long climb was hard work, even in the relative cool of 8am, but well worth the view from the La Croix de Magne. A few photos follow.

8am departure across the 14th century Pont Valentré over the River Lot

From the Croix de Magne

At the beginning I said “what a day ...”.

Dictated by circumstance (accommodation options), at 23 klms today was always going to be the 4^th longest day of the whole walk, which is one helluva way to start (tomorrow will be the 5^th longest, and Friday, day 3, the longest at 27.8 klms). All of this in the middle of a completely unseasonal early European summer heatwave. During the walk the temp peaked at 33-degrees, and from next Monday it is forecast to hit 40 for the following three days. Thankfully those peaks are late afternoon, and all being well we will have finished by then. Even so, 23 klms with a 10kg backpack in approx 30-degrees is no mean feat, and considering it was premier jour, and we're not quite match fit yet, it was an effort to be proud of. See here for an overview of the day's journey -not sure that the link above will work, but worth a go.

And in all that I managed to take almost countless photos, and I'll share a few below.

I've got no idea what this crop is, but I just loved the symmetry. It's got tiny black seeds in its pods.

These signs are extra welcome when they show only a short time to go

Very, very bad selfie..

And lastly, just a couple of the philopher's stones ...

"A traveler without observation is a bird without wings" - one of my most favourite quotes; see the front page of An Impossible Dream.

Every man is what he makes of what has been made of him (Satre)

We are staying the night at guesthouse a few klms out of Lascabanes. Our host Nathalie, picked us up from the centre of the village, and will drop us back first thing in the morning, thereby saving us an extra 4 or so klms walking each way, a real bonus.

We had a home cooked meal tonight, with Nathalie, husband Pascal, niece (I think) and her husband and baby. All in French!!

But on arrival, first order of business was ...