Day 10 – to Rocamadour

84 km
After a rather early start I reached Brive-la-Gaillarde about 9:00h. I already looked for a bike shop in the internet an had an address. In the same street, some 50 house numbers earlier I found already one. One employee was there but he said I had to wait until the patron is on. The patron came after 15 minutes and told me, he cannot repair the chain and the blades. But he knew another bike workshop near Carré Foure on the street to Perigieux. So I followed the signs to Perigieux, but this ended somewhere at the highway. Then I found out, there is a second way to Perigieux by the route national.
Here I found the Carré Foure and after asking a earphoned girl also the bike workshop.
Ihad to wait again until the mechanicien was available, but finally he replaced the blades and the chain. One problem now exists: It is not possible to use the smallest blade. The mechanicien said the frame was not complete straight. But that highest gear is not important, because you only can use it downhill and downhill the loaded bike runs without human power.
After over 3 hours I continued the tour  via the old center of Brive. After multiple ascends and descends I crossed the Dordogne and started the last climb to Rocamadour, which is a real pilgrims town. I write these words sitting under the great staircase and a pilgrims group of  female scouts are singing Christian hymns before starting at the staircase.
Paul

Day 9 – to Donzenac (near Brive-de-la-Gailllarde)

105 km
In the morning just after the start there was a decent rain shower, so I had to use my rain clothes. They only prevent the body to cool down in soaked clothes. But to become wet cannot be avoided. No rain clothes are able to transport 150 gr of water per hour. That must be the amount of sweat a cyclist produces, if you consider the amount of water that is back filled by drinking. After two hours on an ascending part I could take off the rain clothes and set myself with body heat and wind. In this part the pilgrims track touched some historic towns, so I had to leave the route shortly to see them, like in St-Germain-les-Belles with its fortified church.
Some further in Uzerche after crossing the river la Vézère the track went uphill 60 height meters and then returned o the river again. A way that remains in the valley is interrupted for some meters. It would be nice if the tourists organization could create a bypass for cyclists there. The town Uzerche has a nice castle, that is overviewing the valley.
The destination today, Donzenac has multiple rings of circular streets, parallel to the original  city walls.
Paul

Day 8 – to Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat

74 km

After my start today in Guèret I decided to follow the route my Garmin offered to the next destination. It was a nice an quiet road with occasionally a car. At least on Sunday it was a good choice. This destination was  Bénévent-l’Abbaye which is a genuine pilgrims town: The large eglise Saint-Barthélémy (the architect used the holy number for his construction, some hidden signs and  Celtic crosses)  and further monastery, tourists, historic buildings. From now on I will follow a cycle track ‘on old ways’ that started in Holland.
The route still is a series of ascends (5 km/h) and descends (40 km/h).
Near Mourioux-Vielleville two femake pilgrims walked on the road. I saw them again after my lunch on a hill. But they stayed to be the only pilgrims on this part.
There was a tough wind from south west and I felt a few raindrops, but more to the west I could see the grey of  heavy rain showers.
The huge bell tower of the church of Collégiale Saint-Leonard can be seen from a large distance. Escher could have used it in his etches, nice geometrical work. The church it self had been extended multiple times in the architecture of corresponding period.
After I left the church a woman asked if I had called her for the pilgrims dormitory. No that was not me and she had too look further to the pellerin disparu.
On the camping my Dutch neighbors asked me to join the meal they prepared.
Paul