Days 109 to 113: Saying Goodbye to Family and Reuniting With a Friend

Day 109: Sometimes, Waiting Is the Best Solution

Since we are in an Airbnb this morning, and seeing that the day will be rainy, we decide to have a lie in. If the weather had been kinder, we would have set off for the ascent of Carlit, the highest summit in the Pyrénées Orientales, an alternative route on the HexaTrek. Several hikers strongly advised us to go that way. So we decide to do a very short day of around ten kilometres, to reach the Auberge du Carlit and bivouac nearby.

In the Airbnb, we treat ourselves to a proper brunch with eggs, bacon, and lovely fresh fruit. It is a nice change from the mass produced pain au chocolat, squashed at the bottom of my backpack. Around 11.00 am, after giving our humble home a good clean, we leave Super Bolquère and set off.

We walk through mist and rain, which makes the scenery rather ordinary. A few breaks in the cloud let us see small lakes, but nothing more. We quickly knock off the planned kilometres for the day and arrive at the inn in early afternoon.

We spend the afternoon warm inside the inn, downing hot chocolates one after another, while entertaining ourselves with reading and catching up on writing. Oops, I have fallen way behind.

In the evening, we decide to have dinner in the restaurant, and my dad and I order our traditional duck breast. If I end up short of money at the end of this hike, you will know why. After the meal, we go and set up our tents at the bivouac area about a hundred metres from the inn. Camped right beside a large lake, we are likely to have a lot of condensation during the night.

Day 110: Climbing Carlit and an Unexpected Reunion

The next morning, we say goodbye to Robin and Valentine, who are heading to Hospitalet près l’Andorre. Since my dad has until 21 September to walk before he has to return to Toulouse, we are not in a rush and can do shorter days. By 8.00 am, they are ready to set off, while my dad and I take our time. We wish them good luck for the rest of their journey.

Around 9.00 am, my dad and I leave the campsite after packing up our tents, soaked from the night’s humidity. It was extremely cold last night, with a feels like temperature of minus one degree. Summer already feels far behind us with these wintry temperatures settling in.

The trail we take today is beautiful from the very first kilometres. We string steps together alongside stunning lakes. Before long, we reach the start of the climb toward Carlit, which looks fairly steep. The beginning goes well, but the last few hundred metres are more like scrambling. It is a first big technical section for my dad with such a heavy backpack, but everything goes very smoothly. At the top of the pass, we congratulate each other, then drop our bags to climb the final 200 metres to the summit.

Just a few metres into the final climb, I spot familiar faces in the distance. I recognize two Germans I had met two months earlier on Stage 4. I did not think I would see them again, since after that stage I went back to do Stages 2 and 3. But since they are moving at a slower pace, here we are reunited. We agree to meet again in the evening at Refuge des Bésines.

After saying goodbye to them, Dad and I continue the final push to the summit. A few minutes later, we arrive and take in the incredible panoramic view. It is a first successful technical passage for my dad, and I am really proud of him. With the huge pack he is carrying, it is far from easy.

After the ascent comes an extremely steep descent. And when I say extremely steep, I mean that in one kilometre we lose 400 metres of altitude. We move on small slippery rocks that slide down the slope under our weight. We have to be careful not to send stones flying toward the hikers coming up to the summit. Honestly, I am very glad to be doing this section downhill rather than uphill, like the dozens of brave souls I can see.

After the descent, we continue alongside Lac de Lanoux, the largest lake in the French Pyrenees. The sky becomes more and more overcast, but thankfully, after my ten thousand weather checks on my Garmin InReach, there are no storms forecast. As you probably know by now from my stories, forecasts alone do not fully calm me when the sky turns grey.

The adrenaline kicks in and I start speeding toward the final pass so I can get down as quickly as possible. My dad notices my sudden extreme change of pace, and he witnesses a rather stressed Charlotte.

In no time, we reach the top of the pass. There, we meet two hikers, one of whom notices my HexaTrek tag attached to my backpack. For a moment, I become the Daniel Radcliffe of the mountains, they want a photo with me. It makes me laugh, but I play along. It is the second time in two months that people have wanted a photo with me because I am doing the trail. Once the photo session is over, Dad and I continue.

After a few kilometres of descent, we arrive at Refuge des Bésines, where we will bivouac tonight. Barely twenty minutes after we arrive, we spot a group of around thirty hikers heading toward the refuge. The hikers already there exchange looks, the kind that say, well, the dorm is going to be packed tonight, and one of them says out loud, “I hope they are bivouacking.” I think that is a bit too optimistic. Secretly, I am quite happy to be sleeping in my tent tonight, away from snoring, as long as I pitch my tent several metres away from my dad’s, who snores loudly enough to wake someone hard of hearing.

About an hour later, the German group we met at the top of Carlit arrives at the refuge. Freezing, they quickly order hot chocolate, and I immediately copy their excellent idea. The temperature has dropped a lot, but the light is beautiful.

Around 7.30 pm, I see two more hikers approaching in the distance. It does not take me long to recognise my friend Hugo. “Hugoooooooooooo,” I shout. Subtlety is not always my strong suit. The last time we saw each other was in Carcassonne about two weeks ago, so it is a lovely moment to meet again. I also meet Simon, another HexaTreker who has been walking with Hugo for several days.

Since it is no longer comfortable to eat outside, the refuge wardens let us cook indoors. One of the guides from the large group, who turn out to be an ecology student class, sits down with a guitar, and soon warm music fills the room. Around 9.00 pm, after this unexpected little concert, we brave the cold and return to our respective fabric shelters.

Day 111: Dad’s First Trek Completed

The next morning, there are only about ten kilometres left to reach Hospitalet près l’Andorre, where my dad will complete his very first long distance hike. We walk with Hugo and Simon, and a few hours later we spot the magnificent, sarcasm, town, or rather, the cluster of dull buildings. I congratulate my dad on his achievement. It was wonderful to spend a father daughter week while crossing the Pyrenees.

We pass the grocery store, where the manager advises us not to bother stocking up. Apparently there are only a few slices of bread and some cereal bars left. Long live the end of the season. So we stop at the only small bakery that is still open. Luckily, their homemade pizzas are delicious, and we enjoy every last bite.

After our meal, we all take the train, but in different directions. Since it is 20 September, and my parents fly home from Toulouse on the 23rd, I still have a few days to enjoy their company. My parents have rented an Airbnb starting on 21 September, so my dad and I decide to spend our final night in the town of Foix.

We book an Airbnb described as a studio with two bedrooms, but when we arrive, we find out the description was wrong and there is only one bed. Thankfully, the owner agrees to refund us, and we end the evening in a small campsite a few dozen minutes from town. We sleep in a lovely little chalet.

Day 112: Off to Toulouse

The next morning, after a good brunch, we visit the Château de Foix.

After the visit, we take the train toward Toulouse. Once we arrive, I rush to the other side of the city because I have an appointment with an osteopath for my Achilles tendons. The visit leaves me disappointed, as he does almost no treatment. Honestly, paying 60 euros for ten minutes of manipulation feels like a bit of a rip off. But it is hard to know whether the service will be good without knowing the person. A roll of the dice.

After that appointment, I hurry to Decathlon. With temperatures dropping sharply over the past few days, I buy an extra sleeping bag and waterproof overmitts. After my purchases, I meet the very kind Aurore, who agreed to keep my parcels of spare gear at her place. She saved my Achilles tendons with all that weight off my back. We have a coffee together and chat about the HexaTrek, which she hopes to do in the coming years. I strongly encourage her to go for it.

Early evening, I finally head to the Airbnb, where I reunite with my mum, whom I have not seen in a week, and my dad.

Day 113: Alex Returns and Preparing for the HRP

The next morning, I take the opportunity to explore Toulouse a bit with my parents. Then it is time to deal with resupplying for the next section of the trail. Over the next month, I will have the chance to walk again with Alex, with whom I already walked for two months during Stages 1 and 4.

This resupply is special because we will not have access to a grocery store for more than 150 kilometres. We therefore have to carry the equivalent of six days of food. The pack will be huge.

Late afternoon, I go to meet Alex. It has already been two months since I last saw him, and I am so happy to see my friend again. Friendships formed on trail are very strong because we live through a whole series of mishaps and adventures together. You see your trail partners in every situation, in joyful moments and in more difficult ones. These bonds remind me of the ones I formed with my swimming teammates, with whom I trained every day. We saw each other on good days and bad days, we suffered together, we experienced huge moments of happiness as a team.

The reunion with Alex is full of joy, but since he arrives in the evening, we only spend an hour together, because my parents leave tomorrow. I want to make the most of this final evening with them, as I will not see them again for the next few months.

So with my parents, we spend one last lovely evening together in France. Tomorrow will be time for goodbyes, and then it will be off for the HRP.