To Hastingues

July 3, 2025

To start today’s narrative, I need to go back to yesterday when I checked out of the Hotel de Gramont in Pau. Two other cyclist were checking out at the same time and for the first hour or so we leap-frogged each other along the Vélosud, at least until I stopped to recharge. As it turned out, they too were booked into the same B&B as me in Orthez. Over breakfast I learned that Jerome and Sylvan were on their way back home to Bordeaux, having started their tour in Argelès. The small world of bike travel.

Jerome and Sylvan, fellow travelers along the Vélosud

Today’s ride had a bit of variety and lots of time to enjoy the pass-through towns. I’d originally planned to follow the Vélosud to Urt; however, the only lodging available would not provide a secure place for Vivien George. Not wanting to leave her on the street with a flimsy lock, I cancelled the booking and found a room in a chateau in the town Hastingues, a town not as distant as Urt. Due to the shortened mileage, I also re-routed myself off the Vélosud on a more circuitous route through the countryside that I hoped would be more interesting than yesterday’s ride through the woods. Though the new route had some hills and the cancellation left a small hole in my pocket, it turned out to be a great ride and a day filled with history and kindness.

Despite my rerouting, I still had a relatively short day with late check-in time. I lingered after breakfast and got filled in on the history of Salies-de-Béarn, the City of Salt - a pass through towns where it happened to be market day. The route rolled eight miles through a verdant countryside before dropping down to L'Hôpital-d'Orion, a small village on the Vezelay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Pilgrimage route.

I gave my respects to Saint-Jacques and began the climb up and over the ridge to Salies-de-Béarn where I arrived just as the market was beginning to wind down. Despite detailed information from Etienne, I was unable to find the purveyor of his favorite Jesuit cake pastry. Instead, I settled for a tex-mex inspired rice and veggie bowl - more sweet than spicy but quite good.

Crossing the old bridge where I met a passel of children on a school outing

Vivien George on the Pilgrims Route as it passes by Saint Madeline Church in L'Hôpital-d'Orion

A friendly farmer who warned me about the twisting roads on the descent to Salies-de-Béarn

An empty street in Salies-de-Béarn - most folks were still hanging out at the market

I spent about an hour lounging and wandering in Salies-de-Béarn, a pretty lively village with an interesting history and thermal spas. Even with the dilly-dallying, however, I still had more than three hours to cover the fifteen mostly flat miles to Hastingues. Therefore, I did not hesitate to stop when I spotted the abbey in Sorde-l'Abbaye.

The Benedictine Monastery of Saint John the Baptist of Sorde l'Abbaye was founded at the end of the 10th century on the ruins of a Gallo-Roman villa, near the confluence of the Gaves de Pau and d’Oloron. Today it is an Historic Monument and, as an important stop on the Routes of Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Multiple wars over the centuries led to ruination of the Abbaye de Sorde and restoration has been underway since 2002. I bought my ticket and with the free audio guide in hand I wandered through the grounds and rebuilt structures, which include two underground levels. Though most of the original Abbey has been lost, the audio guide and explanatory panels that accompanied the restoration provided a useful context for what I was, and was not, seeing.

Restoration of the Abbey was completed in 2023 and is now underway in the Abbey church. In fact, excavation activities were ongoing and access to many areas of the church was blocked. I didn’t linger.

Terrace and outer facade of the Refectory. The upper floor of the Refectory housed the dormitory rooms for the monks while ground level included the kitchen and dining area as well as the Prior's apartment

A look from one end of the terrace - spoiled a bit by the scaffolding. The Abbots lodge and tower can be seen on the left and the Gaves Reúnis river on the right

The cryptoporticus is located under the terrace. Along the left are large storage rooms for goods brought in along the river

Stairs from cryptoporticus down to the embarcadère, or landing stage for boats coming in from upriver

The Abby Church of Saint John the Baptist

Deptiction over the church portal of the decapitated Saint John the Baptist holding his head

It was just six flat miles to Hastingues, a bastide town along the Gaves Reúnis, formed by the confluence of the Gaves de Pau and d’Oloron. Tour buses were departing as I rolled through the town portal and the main street was nearly empty. It was fifteen minutes until check-in so I sat on a bench by the château gate and waited until Eric appeared and ushered me into a large graveled courtyard. Vivien George was stowed in a work room and I was given a tour of the gardens, swimming pool and cabanas. As I had no interest in swimming , I retreated to my room for cleaning up and arranged to meet Eric later to get the key for main gate.

Another crossing of the Gave de Pau, a river I first met in Argelès

Vivien George takes a rest while I take some photos

I had done a quick scan for restaurants as I passed through Hastingues and spotted only one, which happened to be right next door to the château. The owner of the restaurant passed by while Eric was showing me the how the key worked and he asked her when the restaurant would open. Not tonight, she was too busy working on graphics for the upcoming town festival and the restaurant would not be open that evening. I began to panic -- but she was a kind soul and agreed to make me some take-out.

We walked over to the restaurant to look at the menu and I took her suggestion - pork accompanied by potatoes and a small salad. I returned in thirty minutes to a delicious plate of food, for she deemed it was better served on a plate than in a bag. I ate it there, on the restaurant terrace - basic fare with an Asian flare that reflected her heritage. And served with a big heart and smile.

Aurelle - a kind soul and great cook with a big smile

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Today's ride: 31 miles (50 km)
Total: 1,081 miles (1,740 km)

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