The morning began at the charming Moulin du Audenfort with a homely breakfast. Madame Pillot’s children joined us with choruses of “bonjours”. It was an opportunity to catch up with Jim, Georgina and Jerry, the Canadian pilgrims who had been at Guînes the night before. We talked about our reasons for making this pilgrimage – a transition into retirement for Jerry. I shared a little of the challenges that ministering in Covid had, but then we got down to brass tacks: where were we hoping to get to today and which route were we taking. I am learning that, on the whole, there are two types of pilgrim: the completest and the get there “direct routist.” There was a variance of views in my breakfast compadres and I think I definitely fall into the latter camp.

Having failed to find accommodation in Tourneham the night before, I was now faced with a very long walk to Wisques where I had arranged to stay at the Abbaye Norte-Dame. I could straighten the official route a little, but I would still be left with nearly 30 km to walk. This problem called for a bold plan. The VF runs east and the south, so I googled a route that would take me south-east, and alighted on a much shorter route. I have had a request for maps, so here one is:

I walked through quiet country lanes; I came across a chapel dedicated to St Therese of Lisieux, built by a family originally from Normandy in 1929, four years after she was canonised. An outdoor mass is still said here every year at the end of July. It felt like a wonderful way to begin Sunday morning, praying in that place of peace with birds singing and a brook running nearby.

As if I didn’t fell fortunate enough already, I found a ten euro note in the roadway, and carefully counted the cars that passed me. (Twelve cars, one telehandler and a pickup and trailer with straw bales in the first two hours if you’re interested).

I picked up a regional cycle path that moved off the road and onto a wonderfully smooth concrete surface and then onto farm tracks. I listened to BBC Radio 4 as a special Sunday morning treat. I heard the ethereal sound of the wind of Storm Kathleen “playing” a harp and learned of the man who was about to complete running the length of Africa. (Makes the Via Francigena look very tame!). I even caught up on the Archers!

After good lunch on the steps of a water tower (out of the wind and sun), I rejoined the Via Francigena in the lovely village of Leulinghem. Here the church was open and provided respite to the weary traveller. This space was open and had the feeling of a living church, fresh from Easter celebrations. I did not manage to avoid the temptation to check the gutters, and for once there were no saplings sprouting from open joints. I suspect it will be at least another week before I stop looking at church buildings through the eyes of a quinquennial inspector.

Outside the church were the graves of three airmen from 1944 who must have even shot down in the locality. Making a note to look them up, I pondered for a while. One man was Canadian, and it put me in mind of Jim who told me of his father had been a wireless operator / air gunner on Halifaxes during the Second World War. His crew had completed 22 sorties, but on the 23rd were shot down. Happily in this case the crew managed to bail out of the stricken aircraft and became members of the informal Caterpillar Club.

It was now only a few miles into Wisques. Leulinghem, which sat in a bowl, gave over to fields with views of massive industrial buildings. This made sense of all the “do not extend the zone” signs I’d seen in the village. The new earthworks seems to show that the village lost the fight.

Well, I know what you’re thinking, you walk miles for an abbey and two turn up at once. Wisques is home to the Abbey of St Paul – a monastery, and the Abbey of Our Lady – a convent. Sister Lucie has legendary status on the Via Francigena; she looks after pilgrims so well and I was very pleased to find a place at the abbey guest house, dedicated to St Charles.

I was delighted to find Hermon, who I had met on the ferry and another Swiss lady who I had met outside Guînes, along with another Swiss pilgrim and an Italian pilgrim, along with a young woman from Paris on a weeks’ spiritual retreat.

Dinner was a very convivial affair, with Hermon providing effortless translation between French, Italian, English and Swiss German. The day ended with compline. A few of us listened from the outside the enclosure, were blessed at the end and I left with the closing responses of the office embracing me as I made my way back to the guesthouse:

In peace we will lie down and sleep;

All  for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.

Abide with us, Lord Jesus,

All  for the night is at hand and the day is now past.

As the night watch looks for the morning,

All  so do we look for you, O Christ.