Tuesday Toulouse- Ivinghoe

A day of trains, home tonight. The train from Toulouse is nearly 6 hours to Paris. The bike spaces are right next to our seats. The French train system is very good at seating you in the same carriage as your bikes, but I think this is the closest we have been to the bikes!

Monday Trebes to Toulouse

The first morning that the tent has been dry! But it is very dirty, covered in dust and grime. We packed it away as separate pieces as each part will need washing and drying when we get home before being stored for the winter. After a quick coffee we set off cycling along the canal du midi. The road through Trebes was so busy that we decided the canal would be the easiest route into Carcassonne. 12km later, we could see the old city on the hillside. The canal conveniently took us to the station, so we collected our Toulouse tickets for later, then went for a closer look at the Carcassonne tourist trap. We negotiated the one way system and bridges, queues of traffic and then hoards of tourists to end up right outside the old city walls. Like a Disney palace. Enough of that, back to the station and off to Toulouse. I really liked Toulouse- a lively and attractive place. We went to a restaurant recommend buy the receptionist at our apartment and had a delicious cassoulet. Yum!

Sunday Narbonne to Trebes

Trebes

What an easy day of cycling. Beer time now.

Exotic desert

This is my exotic apple sorbet with calvados desert after 2 coq au vins and the most enormous plate of crudités i have ever seen.

Saturday

After yesterday's extra long day, it's great having a break. We left the mountains yesterday, going over our last Col. We then stopped at a lovely Auberge and shared a very tasty omelette. Then our descent took us properly into warm Mediterranean terrain. The roads became flatter, busier and generally more dull. We used some canal towpath routes to take us away from the traffic. I have been looking forward to a mini seaside break, so we pressed on to the coast at Gruisson- I had read somewhere that it was fashionable with the French. After 8 tedious miles on busy roads with headwinds, we made it- to an infinitely depressing resort. We visited the outside of our possible hotel, examined the eating options....and pedalled the 8 miles back to Narbonne as quickly as we could. A city break instead! We booked into a studio apartment, even have a kettle!! Today we have relaxed, enjoyed the warm blustery thundery weather, and Jeremy Corbyns success!!

Gruissan

We thought we might stay at the seaside but it turned out to be fairly horrible so we TT'ed it back to Narbonne and have rented an apartment for a couple of nights. Today is a rest day. Tomorrow Carcassonne?