A long first day, with a 7am flight from Copenhagen, leaving Toulouse airport by 10.30.
The first five days follow the Garonne river from Toulouse towards its source in the Spanish Pyrenees. In total the river runs 529km with its mouth at the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux, I will be walking ca. 150km along the Via Garonne, from Toulouse Airport to Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, mostly in south-west direction.
The plane arrived on time, my pack was one of the first pieces of baggage on the conveyor belt and I was on my way, less than an hour after landing.
The first part of today’s stage was mainly asphalt walking on a path along, but high above, the river and passing (some of the) Airbus factories and offices. The path was busy, with lots of cyclists and runners and river already fairly wide, but calm – flowing towards me.
After about 9km, I arrived in Toulouse, but I didn’t stop for a break, which I later regretted, as it was the last food and drink possibility before todays destination. I crossed the river and by chance found the marker for the start of the Via Garonne.
Leaving Toulouse, I realised that today wasn’t a quiet 23km stage, but instead 33km, as I had forgotten to include the 10km from the airport to the start of the walk. So it was a long day, not least for a first day and starting at 10.30 am.
On the outskirts of Toulouse I passed under a cable car, which was a surprise given where I was walking it seemed to end at a hospital. I later read that the ropeway, is 3km long, carries more than 8.000 passengers every day, and links three major hubs of activity in the south of Toulouse: the Oncopole (an area dedicated to science and medicine), Rangueil Hospital and Paul Sabatier University.
I again crossed the river at the small village of Pinsaguel, hoping to find somewhere to get a drink. I didn’t find anything, but sat at the church for a few minutes, where there luckily was a tap to fill my water bottles. There was also a bust of Pierre Berdoulat, Military Governor of Paris between 1919 and 1923 in front of the church. The church was closed. It was 26C, so it was good to rest my feet in the shade for a few minutes.
Much of the last half of today’s stage were along paths in the shade, with some, but limited climbing. I passed through the very pretty village of Saubens where I also found a sign from 1881, indicating that it was 4K6H to Muret and 5K4H from Pinsaguel. I have no idea what the H represents. I assumed it was 4,6 km, so H = hundred meters. In French, 100 = cent, so I’m not so sure.
I was walking on the east side of the river, whilst Muret lies on the west side. The first bridge after the crossing at Pinsaguel, is just past Muret, and the walk back through town to get to the hotel, which wasn’t situated a fair way from the river, was heavy going.
After a shower I found a local restaurant, a steak restaurant, and enjoyed a nice dinner, before falling asleep as soon as I returned.
Muret is famous for Clement Ader, the first person to lift himself in a machine heavier than air – he flew 50m, the inventor of the V8 engine and much more.
All in all a pleasant stage primarily along paths without traffic and small hills!