#Story
Some rest at Lurbe Saint-Christau
From November 1942 onwards, following the occupation of the free zone, the German army set up camp in Béarn. The mountains became a restricted area where only those with a pass were allowed to travel. Checks became more frequent and more dangerous as one approached the monitored zone. For most of the escapees, the journey by train, bus, or truck ended at the entrance to the Aspe Valley. The rest of the journey was made on foot.
On November 8, 1943, Renaud Carpentier de Changy, a 23-year-old Belgian citizen who was fed up with his country being under German control, decided to join the Allied forces and embarked on a long journey fraught with pitfalls. He made his way to Paris, took the train to Toulouse, but was arrested by the Germans. After a few weeks in prison, he managed to escape and reach his contact in Pau. He crossed into Spain on February 12, 1944. He then enlisted as a volunteer in the 1st Belgian SAS Regiment and took part in the liberation of Europe.
"The train stopped, a nudge, and there we were: Lurbe-Saint-Christau. Along the road leading to the village, small groups of two or three people were slowly climbing; the locals gradually disappeared along invisible paths toward their farms scattered across the hillside. Soon, only the clandestine guests of the hotel remained walking on the asphalt. Thus, there were about ten of us, having arrived on the same train, walking in the shadows, in silence, all bristling with mistrust. A few minutes later, we got to know each other over a crispy bacon omelet.
In a corner of the restaurant (reserved for the occasion), there was a jumble of mountain bags, walking sticks, and sweaters, while around the table, Jurançon wine was being passed around. “Yes, we need to build up our strength for this night journey: 25 kilometers tonight. There's not much climbing, but it's the most dangerous part: the patrols!” Confidence reigned thanks to the wine: we'll get past the patrols! There we were, nine men and one woman, of all ages and nationalities: a German Jew, two Dutch officers, a Parisian waiter, a Turkish Jew, a Pole, two young boys from Pau, a young Belgian woman, and myself."
Renaud Carpentier de Changy, It's a long way to go..., Unpublished, Louis Loustau-Chartez archives