Guirande

Guirande is worth a pause. The 12th- to 13th-century chapel has remarkable wall paintings from the 16th century, and a magnificent iron cross stands beneath the large oaks outside.

Just past the chapel, the Etang de Guirande is one of those quiet places that stays with you. The path crosses the pond on a low, sometimes-floodable walkway. The water is still, the only sound the occasional cry of a wild duck. After days of walking, a place like this lands differently.