You put your rucksack down in Aumont-Aubrac and notice it straight away: you’ve still got energy to spare. It’s early afternoon, and there’s time for a spot of washing, a drink on a terrace and a leisurely wander round the village. After the first few days, that feels almost unusual.
Looking back, it was a gentle stage. The path climbs gradually, over 350 metres in total, and at the highest point you’re at just over 1,100 metres. It’s often quite windy up there, so you can tell you’re higher up. But it’s never really hard going. You walk at your own pace, chat with fellow pilgrims and take in the view. What stays with you: open pastures, an enormous sky and a path winding far ahead of you through the grass.