Oloron to Sarrance

My first day on the Voile d’Arles which was so different to what I’d expected, reminding me of the first ever day on the Camino de Compostela on the Francés in 2022 walking over the Pyrenees from St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles. A numinous day as I recall, today was another.
As I left Oloron Sainte-Maire just after 7.30, and an excellent breakfast most of which I took with me “for later”, a good move as it turned out, the clouds were lifting and I got my first glimpse of the Pyrenees. I was so transfixed that l missed a key turning out of the down and spent the first few kilometres on a relatively busy road. The AllTrails app got me back on track and I was in sleepy Lurbe Saint Christau before 10 followed shortly by Eysus where I met my first fellow pilgrim. L from Australia, who is carrying everything including camping gear has been on the Camino for 35 days having started in Arles. He’s certainly a lot older than me and although he’s walking slowly he arrived ahead of me into Sarrance, he must zipped down the couple of rocky descents that I took very cautiously.
The temperature was vearing towards 30 by midday and in a shady spot on the road to Escot I met two more pilgrims, women about my age from France. We chatted for quite a while and they confirmed that there are a few more people on the road including a young chap who is in the Roman catholic discernment process. This route seems to attract pellogrinos. We caught up again in Escot where fortuitously there was a pop up café and after 20k I had a coffee and a delicious chocolate crepe made with upmarket Nutella. Pretty good for 7 euros.
After Escot the path became interesting as I followed the high banks of the Aspe river with exhilarating drops to the green water below. It felt safe, just the right side of exciting, however I would not have enjoyed it in wet weather. After 3 or 4 kilometres of focused walking I emerged, with several insect bites, on to the main road and within 5 minutes I was in Sarrance.
It is an important pilgrimage centre, a tiny population of 155, it’s been a Marian sanctuary since the early Middle Ages. After I’d checked in at the only guest house in the village, apart from the hospitality offered by the Monastere de Sarrance I explored the village, and the route out in the morning. I was invited to return to the Monastery for vespers which I did, and caught up again with the pilgrims I’d met during the day. I reckon there were about 30 folk there, I’m unsure where they all came from. I think perhaps they might have been retreatants.
I have just finished what I would describe as a fish pie. I think the potato was smash, if that still exists, on the plus side there was plenty of fish. It was the only thing on the menu. I think I might break into raspberry pavlova chocolate.