Oloron Sainte-Marie

Another leisurely start. By the time I’d got organised the dentist, whose surgery my hotel window overlooked, was busy with their first patient. I caught up with some French Duolingo, checked out and used the funicular to get to the station.
Forty minutes later I was in Oloron Saint-Mairi where my hotel was conveniently minutes from the railway station. I left my bag in laid back all purpose room and set out to find the Cathedral. Having successfully navigated my way around Pau I was a bit deflated to find Oloron very confusing. It’s on the confluence of the Gave d’Aspe and the Gve d’Ossau and comprises two distinct parts the Sainte-Croix and the Sainte-Marie, in retrospect I had clearly transposed them. It probably would have been much easier if I used my phone, I’m saving my data for when I start walking. In the meantime I’m relying on local maps and downloaded routes from AllTrails.
On the upside I got to see most of the small town, twice, and eventually found the right church which was no where near the town centre. I saw my first Camino shell symbol, looking very new so I’m hoping the route is now reasonably way marked. Tomorrow I intend to bypass St Mary’s and start at the Pont d’Aspe.
Intrigued by the smell of chocolate I followed my nose and discovered quite close to the church a Lindt chocolate factory and factory shop which was going like a fair. Most of the chocolate was on “sale” for rather more than I would pay in Morrisons. As chance would have it, I found heavily discounted bars of pavlova framboise which of course I bought as an emergency supply. I resisted the similarly discounted Easter rabbits.
A decent meal tonight and preparations made for a relatively early start in the morning.
I’m not keeping a separate diary for this Camino so blip narratives likely to be a bit long winded and certainly self absorbed for the next few weeks.