Day 14 Seraucourt-le-grand to Bertaucourt 32K Day 15 Bertaucourt-Epourdon to Laon 27k
Day 14 was one more tough walk on a hot day and we had to go 1 1/2K off trail to find a supermarket as there are no facilities in Bertaucourt.
However, the experience in Laon was exceptional.
We stopped at the tourist office next to the beautiful Cathedral who were not able to help us with a reservation for tomorrow.
While walking to our accomodation with Madame Marie Tordeux we passed the Diocese Presbytery and stopped in and I walked up to a window and there were 20 or so people getting ready for lunch. One of the priests asked us to join them for lunch and this pilgrim never turns down that offer. There were young missionaries there from Columbia, Brazil, and France and were planning some processions and tributes for tomorrow’s celebration of the Assumption.
One of the young seminarians, Adrien, gave us a one hour tour of the cathedral and invited us to join him at the 6:30 Mass led by the Bishop which we attended.
But it was the afternoon and evening with 80 year old Madame Marie, a wild boar hunter, that was most special.
Her friend, Marie Terese, a Greek, Latin, French teacher joined us as well. Her house and garden were incredibly comfortable. The conversation was delightful, the food even better.
Hearing Marie’s impressions as a 4-6 year old living in a house occupied by German soldiers during the War was most interesting. Afterwards we went upstairs to our bedroom with a view of the brilliantly lit Cathedral.
It was hard to leave the next morning.
