GR10 Day45

The forecast for the coming days was to be extremely hot, so we made sure we left as early as possible and carried lots of water.

The breakfast was slightly better than usual as we had a slice of ham and cheese each, in addition to the usual bread and marmalade or jam.  For once, we started with a long descent of close to 1200m.  The descent was the usual mixture of decent tracks and narrow, stony, steeply descending paths.  We passed a couple of dolmens in the woods, but didn’t manage to spot either.  Everyone had left early because of the predicted heat, and we were soon down in the small town of Arles-Sur-Tech.  First stop was the supermarket to stock up on supplies of water and snacks.  We then stopped at a bar and I went off in search of an ATM.  (Many of the refuges only take cash).  I reached the supposed bank building, but turned back as there was no sign of a bank, and there were only decorators’ vans outside; I assumed it was being converted into something else.  Back at the bar, the bar lady assured me the bank was “at the end of the road”, so I walked back down.  This time, I realised that the door was a security door, with a button to open it.  I got into the vestibule and there was the ATM, complete with heavy duty plastic on the floor of the vestibule, and decorators working away in the main section of the bank.  It would have helped if there had been a temporary sign, as we met three other people looking for the bank.  We then had lunch, both enjoying a tasty salad.  This was probably a mistake, as we started walking again about 1:30pm and it had become very hot in the valley.  After the first 200m of climbing, the temperature decreased slightly.  We clambered up various steep bits of path, stopping regularly for water.  We finally reached the col, and then had a slight descent through woodland.  The path onto the road led us across a suspension bridge; the sign warned that it was “two people maximum” and it certainly swayed alarmingly as we crossed separately.  It was then a couple of kilometres along the road to the accommodation.  This was run by an “off-grid” Dutch family; ecological, vegetarian, home-schooling…  However, there were conventional showers and toilets, and plenty of hot water.  Dinner was savoury pancakes, followed by sweet pancakes with delicious ice cream.  Our accommodation was in a dormitory for twelve; one of the beds was occupied all afternoon by one walker who had just completed his first day’s walk, starting at Arles-Sur-Tech.