Photo: La Tripterie old cars
September 11, 2017 In the morning walked thru Issoudun, a good sized town. The route was on good paths, but the weather was very windy and cooler. After 28 km (196 km total) reached the farm, La Tripterie. The first thing I saw was 20+ old rusting cars. I met the daughter and her parents, who were about 60. The family raises corn, wheat and rapeseed (canola oil). The daughter spent a year in Minnesota and speaks good English.
I asked her about the old cars. She said her father's brother in law wanted to store his cars for a few months. Though her father was reluctant he agreed. That was 13 years ago. Her mother did not like the junky cars, but the daughter thought it was kind of cool .
I stayed in an old trailer, next to the house. It was a clean, comfortable place to stay. In the evening the father talked to me how difficult it was to make a living on the farm. In particular, they could not always compete with foreign producers that had much lower costs. His son was planning on taking over the farm and wanted to try raising organic vegetables that would be sold to urban consumers directly, hence avoiding middle man costs. The father was supportive of his sons ideas.
Credencial stamp of gite:
Photo: Chateauroux cathedral
September 12, 2017 In the beginning, it was pleasant walking on the rural paths. As I approached Chateauroux, I walked partly on busy roads. I did follow the pilgrim path that avoided some of the busy roads, but it was difficult to follow at times. I saw some of the downtown, then continued to the sports training center on the south side of the city. I walked 21 Km (217 km total)
The facility was a soccer training complex for teenage boys and they would host pilgrims in their hotel, though they likely had few pilgrims stay there. It was a very nice room. A couple dozen teenage boys also stayed there and I watched one of their practices. I had dinner and breakfast in their cafeteria. I had questions about the training facility, but unfortunately no one spoke English.
Photo: La Tripterie house & trailer
Photo: Shed at La Tripterie
Photo: La Tripterie old cars
Photo: La Tripterie old cars
Photo: Soccer facility
Map of camino segment
Map of camino trip
