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Food and Water

The mobile butcher calls at Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries (Stage 14)

Shops, and in particular grocery shops (épicerie) and bakers (boulangerie), tend to open earlier than their equivalents in Britain (usually around 7.30–8.00am) and to stay open later (often up to 8.00pm), but most will close for two to three hours in the early afternoon (note that boulangeries often close earlier in the day, and rarely have fresh bread in the late afternoon). A few farms in some rural areas may offer items such as cheese or honey for sale, but never rely on this. Some smaller and more remote settlements, which no longer have village shops, are served by mobile shops that travel the district once, twice or three times a week, and you may just be lucky to encounter one. Provisions may sometimes be bought from the guardian of a gîte d'étape, who may also provide you with a packed lunch if you request it in advance.

Water source in Saint-Michel (Stage 14)

Cyclists should carry water in frame-attached water-bottle carriers. There are water fountains in many of the villages and hamlets passed en route, and water bottles should always be filled when the opportunity arises. Daytime temperatures can be very high at times, particularly during July and August, and heat exhaustion and dehydration can develop rapidly during strenuous riding or walking. Always ensure that plenty of fluids are taken in, particularly in the southernmost sections of the trail, where shade cover is less and temperatures are generally higher.