The other detour I did was going to Lourdes, you rejoin the Arles route at Oleron St Marie, is about 20-30km longer than if you stayed with the Arles route and takes 5- 6 days. You need the French Randonee book for Toulouse to Jacca which has maps and covers this detour, I used the tourist office map for the GR101, you might as well get a A-4 of paper and draw your own squiggly line across it, write Lahitte- Toupiere at the top( this is where you turn off the Arles and Lourdes at the bottom.
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The Gr101 is about 60-65 km long, I was going to do it in 2 days but ended up staying in Ibos.
First night I stayed in the Abbaye Notre Dame de l' Esperance very near Tarasteix ( tel 05. 62 31 11 93), demi pension €25, book it,the route is devoid of shops, cafes, there was just one water tap in a cemetery on the 1st day. About 25-27km, very beautiful forest/woods trail walking, very solitary
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2nd day I was going to kick it and get to Lourdes, but stopped at a cafe bar in Ibos had a 1/4 carafe of rose with my meal and that was it. Asked about hotels in the cafe and they said go to the Marie they have somewhere for pilgrims, they do. It is a local reception house they have, kitchen, toilets and sinks, gardens and bed but no shower or bath, donativo. This would be hard to book at the weekend if the Marie was shut. A traditional Sardinian voice group sang at the church that night next to the reception, it was a beautiful night, the locals were walking the streets singing in a Occitane Pyrennees tradition and the group were incredible.
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The next day was the walk to Lourdes less natural walking and more Asphalt, still very beautiful.
From Lourdes you follow the Piedmont route, there is a section on this Forum on that route with good info.
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