On May 19, France had opened its cafés and restaurants after being closed nearly seven months due to the Covid pandemic. The day was called "Le Jour en Libré," (the day released), and everywhere people were jubilant and re-populating the city streets that they had largely abandoned.
During April, the government called for a third lock-down where travel was limited to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from home. By May, the Covid numbers had gone down, so the country re-opened and things almost looked like they were normal again. Eluiza and I picked the first sunny day (it has been dreadfully dreary for four months) and took to the French country roads southwest of Aiguilhe (Le Puy) to have a picnic in Saugues. As usual, we saw some impressive sights.
To make way for this road, engineers cut this rock. Note that there isn't a lot of room on either shoulder of the road. Sometimes there are no guardrails on the outer edges, so drivers must be alert and careful they don't fall off the cliff.
Cows were everywhere on this day. There are 18 breeds in France and they seemed rather content to munch on the green grass before them on this beautiful spring day. Maybe they were feeling the "Day of Release" just as we did.
Cities are sometimes built on the side of a cliff and they make for impressive views.
On the way to Saugues, this valley was too beautiful to pass up without a photo. The mountains and valleys in the Auvergne area are outstanding and the views never get old as you pass in and out, around and through them. The greenery comes in many colors and the rivers and roads wind their way through these pretty rural scenes.
Our picnic spot was on the hill overlooking Saugues. The day was sunny and warm, although cool enough for a jacket. We packed our lunch of ham sandwiches and apples and soaked in the quiet, pastoral scene below us. We have been able to drive anywhere in France beginning on May 1, but the weather had been cold, wet, and ugly. Today was one of our first days out in the countryside and we truly enjoyed it.
Saugues is a medieval town with a population of 1,815 (2015). It is one of the stopovers on the Chemin du Compostelle pilgrimage.
The "suburbs" of Saugues.
Saugues is famous for its Beast of the Gévaudan, and the town has used it as a theme as well as a tourist highlight complete with a museum and paw prints on the sidewalk directing visitors to it. The
beast was an unidentified animal or group of animals (perhaps a wolf),
that lived in the mountains near Saugues between 1764-1767. Nearly 200
people were killed and devoured by it.
On September 21, 1765, François Antoine killed a large grey wolf measuring 31 inches high and 5 ft 7 inches long and weighing 130 lb, which was much bigger than a typical wolf. However, on December 2, two boys were attacked and a dozen more deaths occurred. On June 19, 1767, Jean Chastel, a farmer, shot the beast during a hunt organized by a local nobleman, the Marquis d'Apchier. The body was brought to his castle and stuffed by Dr. Boulanger, a surgeon of Saugues. His post-mortem report known as the "Marin Report" (named after his transcriber) noted that the animal's stomach contained the remains of its last victim.
Woodworking is a craft industry in Saugues, and there are several items in the town that feature wood-carved figures. Of course, someone had to make one of the infamous Beast of Gévaudan. It is located off the road on the hill overlooking the town.
We encountered two "beasts" roaming around the center of town. They were friendly, though. The one on the left was lounging at the sidewalk café. The one on the right was seen going into the town's church. It's owner, an old woman who had taken a sit-down break just outside the church, asked it if it had stopped to pray.
Espresso at a sidewalk café is commonplace in France. However, in May 2021, after a year of the coronavirus pandemic and three lock-downs, it was a big deal. And, Eluiza and I savored every drop!
For more on Saugues, see a blog on our previous visit there.
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