Open farmland, patches of woodland and small French villages with shuttered windows: that’s the picture today. The road rolls gently through the landscape. There’s very little ascent or descent, so your feet and knees get a bit of a rest.
At around 20 kilometres and just over 5 hours of walking, this is an easy day. You can set your own pace and don’t need to watch the clock. It’s ideal for simply finding your rhythm and letting your thoughts wander. There isn’t much variety, but that very calm is what makes the day so pleasant. That’s how you arrive in Saint-Aubin-de-Blaye: unhurried, with energy to spare. Rucksack off, shoes off and legs up for a while.