Day 4 - St Christol to St Trinite

The horses had a day off yesterday but the LSH and I did not - we spent the entire day packing up the jeep and tidying the house before we left.  After a long, long journey from New Zealand, Rod and Angela finally arrived home and we handed over the reins.  Apart from the dishwasher, coffee machine and kettle all deciding to stop working sometime within our last week, there were no more catastrophes and no more canine damage (that we know about anyway!)
We were all up bright and early this morning, with a target departure time of 10am.  Much to our surprise, we actually drove out of La Florentine for the last time a few minutes before ten, having said our final "last goodbyes".
Our very own paparazzi were on-site to record the occasion :

Thanks David!

The trip to St Christol, where we had finished trekking on Saturday, took about an hour and a half, but we quickly tacked up and set off.

It was COLD!!! We had discussed what we would wear - I had decided to wear my coat over a t-shirt and keep my sweater in my saddle bags, and Anne had decided to pack away her coat and wear a thick fleece, but thirty seconds after getting out of the car, we had both donned an extra layer!  There was a strong northerly wind blowing - I think it's the Mistral - and I doubt that the temperature rose above 10C the whole day.

We were following a pedestrian trail initially, but joined a clearly marked equestrian trail after a couple of kilometres.  The balisage (trail marking) was mostly excellent, especially while we were in woodlands, but in a few places the land was fairly bleak and the balisage was painted on a rock or a large stone on the ground - not always easy to spot!

Spot the balisage! It's the faint orange smudge on the stone

We also found what's probably the lowest height they'll be able to pass under - there was a fallen tree across the trail at one point.  

We were already on foot, my right leg has been cramping up quite badly after a few hours in the saddle, so I need to walk every so often to ease it out.  

Leading Flurry

I guessed that Flurry would fit under the tree, which he did, but neither of us were sure about Gigi.  Anne managed to break one of the lower branches, which made just enough space for Gigi to pass underneath it.  It was a warning, though, that we are better off sticking to equestrian trails rather than risking the footpaths, as you just can't guarantee that they'll be suitable for horses.

We passed through fields and fields of lavender :

embryonic, with a cloud-topped Mont Ventoux in the background

juvenile

and mature

It must be amazing in July when it's all in flower!
We met a very curious donkey, who the horses found extremely interesting at first, but they quickly got over the novelty and carried on resolutely, despite his entreaties...

We've both become pretty blasé about answering the call of nature at the side of the trail.  We're in the middle of nowhere, there's no-one else around, so why not?

So there I was, having a wee just at the side of the trail, holding Flurry's reins while Anne discreetly waited a short distance away.  Flurry watched what I was doing, and decided that it looked like a good idea, so next thing I know, he's having a pee right beside me!

Thankfully, there is no photo of that!!

 Finally, we got our first glimpse of St Trinite over the horizon

and before long we arrived at Les Bayles, a lovely gite équestre a couple of kilometres outside of St Trinite.

 

The horses settled in straight away

 and said hello to their new neighbours

while we got settled in to our own accomodation.

Here's the Everytrail map :

Day 3 - St Christol to St Trinite at EveryTrail

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