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?

Finally the landscape becomes Mediterranean

Omelette stop on Col de Ste Colombe

Campsite scene friday morning

The tent is so wet every morning and takes a lot of drying out.

Friday in pictures

Thursday

Slept for about 10 hours last night. Wet tent again this morning- I think it has been the wettest camping since we went to Mull, and we've had no rain. Just condensation. Every evening we put up a soggy tent and it takes an hour or so to dry out. 40 miles today, more than we were intending but the weather is cooler again today so we wanted to reach lower ground. Several cols, but only dropping a couple of hundred meters between each. Might push on to Narbonne plage tomorrow because thunder and rain forecast on Saturday- would be good to reach the seaside before that!!

Haute Languedoc

The final mountain ranges before the sea were a bit full of big trucks for me! We also had a crazy man in a white van on the wrong side of the road. Tomorrow the med?

Wednesday

After yesterday's long day we decided to have an easy one today. More blue skies and fine weather. We set off with a wet and sandy tent- just condensation, but soaking with it. After the arduous climb out of the campsite we stopped for our first coffee of the day. Another 10 miles and we stopped at St Afarique for more coffee and some picnic supplies. 4 more miles then lunch. Etc. The roads today were generally busier so the cycling wasn't such fun, but we both enjoyed soaking up the heat. Now camping at Belmont-sue-Rance. The tent is dried, washing all done and it's still warm. 

More pictures

Tuesday

Clear blue skies today, although we had to wait until about 9:30until it reached our tent as we were camped in a bit of a gorge. We had an amazing walk up into the medieval town of Comques last night usually brimming with tourists, but going at night was quiet and atmospheric. 

The night was a much better temperature. We got off to a relatively early start leaving at 10 am. It was a long and hilly day, very tiring. We grabbed a coffee in Rodez, then picnicked in a lovely village square for lunch. The climbing seemed to go on and on. Eventually we were rewarded with a glorious descent with stunning views of the Millau bridge, into St Rome du Tarn where we are now camping right next to the river. 

High tech map of today's route

We went through the circled towns, not the highlighted route. 

Monday

Aurillac to Conques. 

Another very chilly morning. I woke at 7:30, but couldn't get out of my sleeping bag until nearly 9. I managed to get dressed entirely inside my sleeping bag. We had an emergency visit to Decathlon to buy a replacement lock having left the last one outside yesterday's hotel. That took us on a scenic trip around the industrial estates and airport. Then onto rolling roads and wonderful rural countryside. Coffee was at Roanne-St-Mary, lunch was a wonderful picnic of food we found in the bottom of the trailer- salami, cheese, avocados and chocolate- in a very well kept village called Marcolè. Entering the Lot Vally, we cycled down a lovely gorge finishing our cycling for the day at Conques. Lovely campsite by the river- may even walk up the hill to look at the medieval town this evening. 

Sunday

Well, that was a big hill. We had coffee at our hotel while watching runners taking part in an ultra marathon going passed. When we reached the first of our summits for the day we saw the very same runners going through a check point there. At the top of the Puy Mary, they were still running. What a race! I hardly felt I could complain - but I think I did a little anyway. It was a tough climb, especially the last two miles. It was busy in the restaurant at the top so we decided to do some of the descent and then stop- a good move as it provided a welcome opportunity to thaw out a little. After descending for about15 miles we arrived at Aurillac and are camping at a simple municipal site tonight. It's a bit warmer but not toasty.