The Campsite Iris at Yverdon-Les-Bains is beside a small harbour. There is a comprehensive electronic weather display which tells us the N.E. wind is 25km/hr, a force 4 on the Beaufort scale, a 'jolie brise'. We wash our clothes in the campsite washing machine & the 'brise' dries it very quickly. The choppy lake has driven a variety of fowl into the harbour, lots of swans, great crested grebes, tufted ducks & a mallard with her chicks. We notice here, as in other Swiss towns & villages, the school mini-buses double as Post vans. Wandering around looking at several restaurants, there are a variety of fondues advertised, including 'de cheval'. We enter the blog using a computer at the very helpful local library.
Along the S. side of Lac Neuchatel there is firstly a large reed bed bird reserve, then lots of small wooden chalet summer residences & little yacht clubs & boat parks. The well-signed cycle route is very peaceful, passing through woods, country lanes & villages. Estavayer-le-Lac, a quaint walled town, is holding a religious festival. They have strewn mown grass over the cobbled streets leading from the town gates to the church. Children are carrying posies of wild flowers, & the youth band is smart in a blue uniform - all rather subdued & organised in comparison with Spanish frenetic celebrations!
At the E. end of Lac Neuchatel we camp in a very smart site with a view of the lake from our tent. We offload our gear to cycle round to the N. side to the handsome town of Neuchatel, full of cobbled squares, painted fountains & a lot of posh shops. We have now moved into the german speaking part of Switzerland, but as we are not up to a third foreign language, they have to put up with our French.
In lovely weather the following day, we continue on National Cycle Route 5 along the S. side of the next lake, Biele See. Picture-postcard villages are full of timber-clad farms & houses with enormous steep-pitched roofs, & piles of logs for the winter. We pass several parties of teenage children, all on bikes, following their teachers.
Buren-am-Aare has a wooden bridge enclosed on the sides & covered with a pitched-tiled roof. We are to see several more just like this, & suppose it means the river crossing are kept open when the snows come. We camp at Solothun on the Aare river, Switzerlands biggest river, it is about 100m across here & very swift flowing. Again this is a beautiful waterside site, the 3rd TCS (Touring Cycle Suisse) site we have stayed on. Whilst here, we at last see a live red squirrel, it nearly runs over our feet! In nearby fields, we see the first storks since Spain, as they & Red Kites follow the working plough. The storks nest in trees here, not on buildings. There is a very helpful cycle repair shop in Solothun called Tropical, which fit Mike's bike with a new set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.
We head S.E. towards the middle of Switzerland now, passed immaculate timber farms with flower boxes & painted verandas. We cross lots of level crossings, as the train lines continue to serve lots of local stations. As we approach Sempacher See there are fabulous views of the Alps to the S., extremely jagged & snow-covered. The cycle route takes us past this small lake to Lucerne, & its lake. What a lovely city, with 2 covered wooden bridges, & 2 ornate filigree iron ones. The old centre of cobbled streets with mural-decorated houses & hotels is a delight. There are literally thousands of bikes parked, or being used around the city. This is the prettiest lake yet, & following the quiet S. shore, we have terrific views across to jagged snowy peaks. A big paddle steamer & a few sailing boats make the scene picture-perfect. Outside some houses we notice Christmas trees decorated with glittery streamers. These are to celebrate the recent birth of a child. We stop at yet another lovely TCS site right on the Lake edge near the cycle path at Horw. Dominating the scene is snowy Pilatus Mountain at 2,050m. This has a dramatic cable car to the very top.
We have now completed 4,000 miles since we left Santander last September, & 2,200 since we left Nerja in April. No wonder Mike needs new tyres! As the weather is good here at present, we may stay on the Lake for a few days, cycling & walking, before heading N.E. towards Bodensee to pick up the Rhine.
We spend the next day cycling around most of the Lake, 41 miles. We miss out the far east corner as the cycle route takes us on the ferry here, & it ids a great opportunity for a boat trip on the Lake.
Monday 26 May 2008
Tuesday 20 May 2008
Geneva to Yverdon-les-Bains
There are cycle paths throughout Geneva, so we easily meander through, cross a bridge & then follow the N. side of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman). On the way we nearly get run down by a tram as they are so quiet. There are cyclists everywhere. The lake is lined with magnificent private houses & the handsome building where the Geneva Convention was signed. There are small dinghy sailing clubs every few miles. We are surprised to see red kites swooping onto the lake surface, appearing to pick up flotsam. As we pass into open countryside there are vineyards & orchards. The lake was choppy & we spot a wooden schooner that follows us into the town of Morges, where we camp on a site near a marina. Mallard ducks from the lake wander right up to the tent, hoping for titbits. One was even walking around on a caravan roof!
The next morning, into a strong headwind, we turn off the lakeside N. on a National cycle route, which climbs through hills on unmade tracks through beech & pine woods, & tiny quiet country roads. Then into flatter grasslands & market gardens, we approach Lac de Neuchatel. Bent over pickers are working the strawberry fields. We decide to take the next day off cycling, & stay at the lakehead town of Yverdon-Les-Bains.
After this we will be contiuing on the cycle route E. along the S. side of the lake.
The next morning, into a strong headwind, we turn off the lakeside N. on a National cycle route, which climbs through hills on unmade tracks through beech & pine woods, & tiny quiet country roads. Then into flatter grasslands & market gardens, we approach Lac de Neuchatel. Bent over pickers are working the strawberry fields. We decide to take the next day off cycling, & stay at the lakehead town of Yverdon-Les-Bains.
After this we will be contiuing on the cycle route E. along the S. side of the lake.
Cote du Rhone
We did not find a museum of mobile phones in Orange but they do have an impressive Roman colesseum & triumphal arch. We spot people with plastic bags full of snails the size of mice, they are picking them from the verge plants. Through heathland now of oak & pine, carpeted under with masses of small pale blue star-shaped flowers. Unfortunately the only red squirrel we see is road-kill.
Camped at an immaculately tended site where the River Lez meets the Rhone at Bollene. the pitch was so hard we couldn't peg the tent, but tied it to trees & bushes. Our neighbours were Dutch caravanners, who generously provided us with fresh cherries for our tea. Passing out of Bollene the next morning we see their nuclear power station with giant steaming cooling towers. A flat route then of tiny empty country roads by irrigation channels & domaines advertising 'Cote de Rhone'. Into rolling hills of cherry & peach orchard. In the distance was a giant Lafarge limestone quarry & cement works, that Mike says I am not allowed to say is a blot on the landscape. Then another nuke power station using Rhone water.
Camped at a mini campsite wedged between the Rhone & the village of Charmes. The old centre was a tumble of houses squeezed into a ravine headed by a disused mill. There was a view from a ruined castle for miles up & down the Rhone. The hills to the W. are the edge of the Ardeche.
Most of the next morning we are off-road right alongside the edge of the Rhone on fishermens tracks & railway maintenance gang acesses. Then quiet roads through orchards, passing some gorgeous chateaux. We nearly fall off our bikes with fright thinking someone was shooting at us, but it was just a neaby bird-scarer.
We cut a large corner off the Rhone & avoid Lyons, by crossing at St Valiere & heading into wooded hills NE. We camp near the village of Anneyon in a family-run site called Chataignerie (Chestnut Grove). Two sweet chestnut trees remain in front of the old house. Coming down from the hills the next morning we pass dairy herds on virtually traffic-free country lanes. The farm buildings here are of cob walls with large river pebbles laid in herring bone pattern as a plinth & sometimes decorating a whole facade. To the E. are the snow-covered Alp foothills. Joining the Rhone once more, there are spectacular steep hills on either side as the valley narrows. We camp at the village of L'Ile de Verbai next to a young American touring cyclist with a 'bob' trailer. He started his tour in Iceland (because he got a cheap flight there from the States!)
At Seyssel, a charming town with a handsome bridge, there is a barrage with no lock on the Rhone, & so this is the upper limit of navigation. The river now narrows into a dramatic gorge. We turn a corner, & without warning, are into a dim tunnel with no cycle lane! We quickly stop to put on our lights & get through before anything comes to mow us down.
The houses are now distinctly alpine, with very steep roofs & wooden balconies. We cross the Rhone & enter Switzerland. Almost immediately we are on an excellent cycle track separated from the road that takes us to Geneva.
Camped at an immaculately tended site where the River Lez meets the Rhone at Bollene. the pitch was so hard we couldn't peg the tent, but tied it to trees & bushes. Our neighbours were Dutch caravanners, who generously provided us with fresh cherries for our tea. Passing out of Bollene the next morning we see their nuclear power station with giant steaming cooling towers. A flat route then of tiny empty country roads by irrigation channels & domaines advertising 'Cote de Rhone'. Into rolling hills of cherry & peach orchard. In the distance was a giant Lafarge limestone quarry & cement works, that Mike says I am not allowed to say is a blot on the landscape. Then another nuke power station using Rhone water.
Camped at a mini campsite wedged between the Rhone & the village of Charmes. The old centre was a tumble of houses squeezed into a ravine headed by a disused mill. There was a view from a ruined castle for miles up & down the Rhone. The hills to the W. are the edge of the Ardeche.
Most of the next morning we are off-road right alongside the edge of the Rhone on fishermens tracks & railway maintenance gang acesses. Then quiet roads through orchards, passing some gorgeous chateaux. We nearly fall off our bikes with fright thinking someone was shooting at us, but it was just a neaby bird-scarer.
We cut a large corner off the Rhone & avoid Lyons, by crossing at St Valiere & heading into wooded hills NE. We camp near the village of Anneyon in a family-run site called Chataignerie (Chestnut Grove). Two sweet chestnut trees remain in front of the old house. Coming down from the hills the next morning we pass dairy herds on virtually traffic-free country lanes. The farm buildings here are of cob walls with large river pebbles laid in herring bone pattern as a plinth & sometimes decorating a whole facade. To the E. are the snow-covered Alp foothills. Joining the Rhone once more, there are spectacular steep hills on either side as the valley narrows. We camp at the village of L'Ile de Verbai next to a young American touring cyclist with a 'bob' trailer. He started his tour in Iceland (because he got a cheap flight there from the States!)
At Seyssel, a charming town with a handsome bridge, there is a barrage with no lock on the Rhone, & so this is the upper limit of navigation. The river now narrows into a dramatic gorge. We turn a corner, & without warning, are into a dim tunnel with no cycle lane! We quickly stop to put on our lights & get through before anything comes to mow us down.
The houses are now distinctly alpine, with very steep roofs & wooden balconies. We cross the Rhone & enter Switzerland. Almost immediately we are on an excellent cycle track separated from the road that takes us to Geneva.
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Sur le Pont & Tour De France....
We loved Arles. Around every corner is a pretty square, ancient arch or shuttered houses. The church in the Place Major (Notre Dame) was closed to the public but the caretaker arrived & invited us in for a private tour! Lovely simple stone vaulted ceilings & coloured marble altars & font. Everthing of interest in the city is within easy walking distance including cafe & garden scenes familiar fron Van Gogh paintings. The Roman coliseum reputedly held 20,000 people, & the ampitheatre 10,000. The Rhone is an impressive size, here on a vast bend.
As we walked back to our tent after strolling the sites, we met 3 male Tasmanina touring cyclists (Greg, Chris & Nigel) who replaced the departed desmoiselles. They are going on to take the boat from Nice to Corsica to tour the Island. We would be really interested to hear how they get on, & gain advice on quiet cycling roads & camping there - send us an email guys.
We took the scenic route to Avignon via pretty pristine villages, Fonteveille & Mausanne Alpilles. Les Baux de Provence area is a spectacular oolitic limestone (like Bath Stone) landscape of escarpements & weathered features. The ancient village of Les Baux is almost carved directly from the hillside. There are as many olive groves as vineyards & some very grand chateaux. The fruit in the cherry orchards is just turning to red. For some reason there are also quite a lot of donkeys.
The Camping Pont D'Avignon where we stopped was on an island in the Rhone, well recommended by the Tasis. Our pitch was directly opposite the old Pont D'Avignon & the Popes Palace behind. The Pont was originally built in the 12c but kept getting washed away by the flooding Rhone. What remains is mainly 17c. We enjoyed an evening promenading in a park on the opposite bank. Very long cruise boats passed by. Conveniently there is a free foot & bike ferry from the island to the city. Before we set off N. on Sunday morning, we cycled the beautiful old streets of Avignon before the coach parties arrived.
We take a detour on the way N. to camp at the village of Bedoin at the base of Mont Ventoux. This is a famous cycling mountain, as we are sure Mike Murphy will confirm, that often features in the Tour de France. The summit is 1912metres. After days of heat, black clouds collect over the mountain, & we have just erected the tent when there is thunder & lightning with a heavy downpour. Later we stroll round the village & read of its history. In the Revolution, a guillotine was brought in to execute some locals, & the village was burnt down. It was later rebuilt, & is now an attractive cycling centre including 3 bikeshops, & lots of posing visiting american cyclists! Many of the gardens & roadsides are filled with purple irises, & the campsite was really pretty with lots of wild flowers.
Early Monday morning we pass through Bedoin & discover it is Market Day. The best market we have seen by a long way, with all local produce including wine, cheese, fruit, veg & meat in abundance, & no tacky stalls! We start our 14mile ascent of the mountain, passing cherry orchards, vineyards & then pine woods. The road surface is kept in excellent condition, with a cycle lane on the last third of the way. We are passed by 'Lycras' on racing bikes & groups of touring motorcyclists. There are encouraging remarks painted on the tarmac; 'Allez, Allez', 'Go, Go' & 'Courage'. There was also encouragement in English most of the way for someone called Audrey, celebrating her 40th birthday. Once beyond the treeline, above 1400metres, there are small snowdrifts alongside the road & very tall snow poles at the edges. Near the top there is the memorial to Tommy Simpson, the British cyclist who dropped dead at this spot in 1967 whilst competing on the Tour - this was less encouraging. Just before the Weather Observatory on the summit, we had great views E. to the snow-covered French Alps. As we stopped at the top, cloud enveloped us & the temperature plummeted. Our hands froze on the first few seconds of the descent, so we stopped & adapted a pair of socks to cover our hands, & then whizzed back to the warmth of the lower altitudes. A celebratory litre of 1euro red wine restarted the circulation, after achieving our highest point yet with the bikes, & our biggest single climb in one day (1600metres).
We are now at Orange (is this where the mobile phone was invented?) on our way N. up the Rhone valley.
As we walked back to our tent after strolling the sites, we met 3 male Tasmanina touring cyclists (Greg, Chris & Nigel) who replaced the departed desmoiselles. They are going on to take the boat from Nice to Corsica to tour the Island. We would be really interested to hear how they get on, & gain advice on quiet cycling roads & camping there - send us an email guys.
We took the scenic route to Avignon via pretty pristine villages, Fonteveille & Mausanne Alpilles. Les Baux de Provence area is a spectacular oolitic limestone (like Bath Stone) landscape of escarpements & weathered features. The ancient village of Les Baux is almost carved directly from the hillside. There are as many olive groves as vineyards & some very grand chateaux. The fruit in the cherry orchards is just turning to red. For some reason there are also quite a lot of donkeys.
The Camping Pont D'Avignon where we stopped was on an island in the Rhone, well recommended by the Tasis. Our pitch was directly opposite the old Pont D'Avignon & the Popes Palace behind. The Pont was originally built in the 12c but kept getting washed away by the flooding Rhone. What remains is mainly 17c. We enjoyed an evening promenading in a park on the opposite bank. Very long cruise boats passed by. Conveniently there is a free foot & bike ferry from the island to the city. Before we set off N. on Sunday morning, we cycled the beautiful old streets of Avignon before the coach parties arrived.
We take a detour on the way N. to camp at the village of Bedoin at the base of Mont Ventoux. This is a famous cycling mountain, as we are sure Mike Murphy will confirm, that often features in the Tour de France. The summit is 1912metres. After days of heat, black clouds collect over the mountain, & we have just erected the tent when there is thunder & lightning with a heavy downpour. Later we stroll round the village & read of its history. In the Revolution, a guillotine was brought in to execute some locals, & the village was burnt down. It was later rebuilt, & is now an attractive cycling centre including 3 bikeshops, & lots of posing visiting american cyclists! Many of the gardens & roadsides are filled with purple irises, & the campsite was really pretty with lots of wild flowers.
Early Monday morning we pass through Bedoin & discover it is Market Day. The best market we have seen by a long way, with all local produce including wine, cheese, fruit, veg & meat in abundance, & no tacky stalls! We start our 14mile ascent of the mountain, passing cherry orchards, vineyards & then pine woods. The road surface is kept in excellent condition, with a cycle lane on the last third of the way. We are passed by 'Lycras' on racing bikes & groups of touring motorcyclists. There are encouraging remarks painted on the tarmac; 'Allez, Allez', 'Go, Go' & 'Courage'. There was also encouragement in English most of the way for someone called Audrey, celebrating her 40th birthday. Once beyond the treeline, above 1400metres, there are small snowdrifts alongside the road & very tall snow poles at the edges. Near the top there is the memorial to Tommy Simpson, the British cyclist who dropped dead at this spot in 1967 whilst competing on the Tour - this was less encouraging. Just before the Weather Observatory on the summit, we had great views E. to the snow-covered French Alps. As we stopped at the top, cloud enveloped us & the temperature plummeted. Our hands froze on the first few seconds of the descent, so we stopped & adapted a pair of socks to cover our hands, & then whizzed back to the warmth of the lower altitudes. A celebratory litre of 1euro red wine restarted the circulation, after achieving our highest point yet with the bikes, & our biggest single climb in one day (1600metres).
We are now at Orange (is this where the mobile phone was invented?) on our way N. up the Rhone valley.
Friday 9 May 2008
Carcassonne to Arles...
Carcassonne is another European Heritage Site due to its walled citadel. It is entirely given over to tourism so you cannot imagine real people living there anymore. The rest of the town outside the walls contains some fine old houses & a big quay on the Canal du Midi.
Near a religous retreat we are stopped in our tracks. About a dozen nuns in long cream habits are walking in a line through a cornfield. The steady headwind is blowing their cassocks out behind them like sails. Surreal.
We enter the wide valley of the Aude, firstly passing orchards of trellised apple trees, then chateaux & their vineyards. Big estates are called Domaines, smaller ones Mas. The verges are full of wild flowers including masses of poppies & elderflowers. We follow some sections of the Canal du Midi under shady plane trees. The canal verges & wetlands are yellow with flag irises. The canal is busy with boat traffic, identical white hire cruisers, traditional dutch barges & longboats. There are occasional moored houseboats & fishermen with long poles line the banks. The canal towpath is an easy traffic free way for us to dip in to Narbonne & Bezier. Both look worth exploring further another time. We lunch on the shore of an enormous etang (saltwater lake). There are oyster beds & canal boats crossing from Bezier. Sete, opposite, looks like an island joined by a slim causeway.
We are now in the Herault region, & enjoy a visit to Agde where the River Herault is very broad. Further NE. the vineyards we pass advertise their Merlot Noir grape. Many of the lovely stone villages such as Pomerols, have long main streets of large terraced houses with great arched entrances, presumably for carts laden with wine barrels to enter in days gone by. We camp in a charming small site next to vineyards on the edge of the village of Fabregues. We shall remember it as 'Frog' site. We went to sleep to a chorus of frog song, & Sue shared her shower the next morning with a friendly smooth green frog!
Most of the following morning we were alongside the Med. It reminds us of the Costas. Miles of blocks of balconied flats on promenades as La Grande Motte & Le Grau de Roi merge in identical development. Everywhere is busy as its another French bank holiday, May 8th, & the good weather is drawing everybody to the beach. The French seem to have a liking for extending their bank holidays - for many this Thursday off is unofficially extended to next Tuesday!
Near the edge of the Camargue is Aigues-Mortes, a medieval seaport, now miles form the coast due to silting by the Rhone river. In the Camargue we spot a few flamingos, lots of terns & ducks as well as the famous black bulls & horses. Chateaux are now advertising Muscat wine. Local produce is sold along the roadside from large wooden stalls, cherries, asparagus, apples & 'taureau viande'. We camp in the suburbs of Arles near the ancient long Pont de Crau. On the pitch next to us are three young French lady cyclists who are all sharing a teeny-tiny tent. We don't know how they all fit in! There are now some mosquitos about, inevitable in such a wetland area.
Near a religous retreat we are stopped in our tracks. About a dozen nuns in long cream habits are walking in a line through a cornfield. The steady headwind is blowing their cassocks out behind them like sails. Surreal.
We enter the wide valley of the Aude, firstly passing orchards of trellised apple trees, then chateaux & their vineyards. Big estates are called Domaines, smaller ones Mas. The verges are full of wild flowers including masses of poppies & elderflowers. We follow some sections of the Canal du Midi under shady plane trees. The canal verges & wetlands are yellow with flag irises. The canal is busy with boat traffic, identical white hire cruisers, traditional dutch barges & longboats. There are occasional moored houseboats & fishermen with long poles line the banks. The canal towpath is an easy traffic free way for us to dip in to Narbonne & Bezier. Both look worth exploring further another time. We lunch on the shore of an enormous etang (saltwater lake). There are oyster beds & canal boats crossing from Bezier. Sete, opposite, looks like an island joined by a slim causeway.
We are now in the Herault region, & enjoy a visit to Agde where the River Herault is very broad. Further NE. the vineyards we pass advertise their Merlot Noir grape. Many of the lovely stone villages such as Pomerols, have long main streets of large terraced houses with great arched entrances, presumably for carts laden with wine barrels to enter in days gone by. We camp in a charming small site next to vineyards on the edge of the village of Fabregues. We shall remember it as 'Frog' site. We went to sleep to a chorus of frog song, & Sue shared her shower the next morning with a friendly smooth green frog!
Most of the following morning we were alongside the Med. It reminds us of the Costas. Miles of blocks of balconied flats on promenades as La Grande Motte & Le Grau de Roi merge in identical development. Everywhere is busy as its another French bank holiday, May 8th, & the good weather is drawing everybody to the beach. The French seem to have a liking for extending their bank holidays - for many this Thursday off is unofficially extended to next Tuesday!
Near the edge of the Camargue is Aigues-Mortes, a medieval seaport, now miles form the coast due to silting by the Rhone river. In the Camargue we spot a few flamingos, lots of terns & ducks as well as the famous black bulls & horses. Chateaux are now advertising Muscat wine. Local produce is sold along the roadside from large wooden stalls, cherries, asparagus, apples & 'taureau viande'. We camp in the suburbs of Arles near the ancient long Pont de Crau. On the pitch next to us are three young French lady cyclists who are all sharing a teeny-tiny tent. We don't know how they all fit in! There are now some mosquitos about, inevitable in such a wetland area.
Monday 5 May 2008
Over the top.....!
There was ice on the tent in the morning. The sun came out & warmed things up as we cycled the last 7 miles to the summit of the pass, & then down hairpin bends through beautiful beech trees towards the border. At Arneguy we crossed the river, which is now the only indication of a border - other than the change of road signs (EU open frontiers!)
St Jean Pied de Port has a very pleasant setting on the river & some fine town walls, but was very touristy so we headed off on country roads. We cycled over 2 more cols over 500metres. We met a French couple on racing bikes who were very pleasant & passed on some useful local knowledge. Many trees are heavy with globes of mistletoe.
We reached the pretty campsite by the River Saison. Here we met the wonderful Henri in his caravan. He generously provided endless cafetierres of coffee, & his home-made chocolate mousse. A 4 star Hotel Concierge, married to an English lady, he spoke perfect english. It was difficult to drag ourselves away the next morning, but we eventually made good progress in the Tarbes direction. Houses here have steep slate roofs & great piles of logs. The skies threatened rain clouds off the Pyrenees at around 6.30pm. We were cycling up a steep hill as we passed a handsome house with a B&B sign. We booked into a lovely room & just avoided the heavy downpour. The owner spoke excellent english, as she had worked in England & Australia. The vast woods behind the house provided us with a beautiful evening walk once the rain had ceased.
Madam`s homemade bread, myrtille jam & gorgeous yoghurt for breakfast set us up well for our morning cycle into Pontacq. Being May 1st it was a holiday, so we cycled through 2 village fetes & a bike race. After a lovely sunny day, we camped on a little farm near the town of Montrejeau. We woke to braying donkeys & crowing cockerels. Now heading E. out of the Pyrenees into the Haute-Garonne region. We cross the swollen Garonne river at several places, & then pick up a green cycle route that takes through quaint villages. This is a cattle farming area, with 2 storey timber-framed barns attached to farmhouses (apparently called "Fermettes"). We camp on a tributary of the river, on a pretty site with lots of lilac trees, near Martres-Tolosane. Unfortunately along this riverbank & others today, we have spotted lots of the dreaded Japanese Knotweed (none seen in Spain - perhaps the Pyrenees has been a barrier to its spread?)
The next morning we were lucky to pick up other green cycle lanes as we crossed into the valleys SW. of Toulouse. Amazing to see Red Kites following the farmers harvester, mouse-hunting? We spend a morning sight-seeing in the attractive town of Cazeres. It is Saturday market, so nicely buzzing. We were so hungry after our Pyrennean travels that we consumed a whole cooked chicken & family portion of sauteed potatoes from the market! We end this evening cycling up a very steep drive to a wooded campsite just short of Pamiers. We sit on the verendah of a nearby empty chalet, using their table to study maps, & watch the sunset.
By lunchtime the next day, we have reached the Canal du Midi towpath at Bram, to cycle to Carcassonne. It is a bit bumpy in places (similar to the Kennet & Avon) but nice to be away from the cars. We meet 3 young touring cyclists (1 Brit, 2 French) who are heading to the Municipal Campsite. As they have directions, we are happy to follow them to this well-placed facility with a view of the Medieval Cité. There are 2 other pairs of touring cyclists on the site. We book in for 2 nights to sightsee Carcassonne (& do the blog!)
We have now pedalled 1,386 miles from Nerja with only 1 puncture! Next heading E. across southern France in the direction of Montpellier & Avignon. We have been in France for a full week, but are still saying "hola" & "gracias"!
St Jean Pied de Port has a very pleasant setting on the river & some fine town walls, but was very touristy so we headed off on country roads. We cycled over 2 more cols over 500metres. We met a French couple on racing bikes who were very pleasant & passed on some useful local knowledge. Many trees are heavy with globes of mistletoe.
We reached the pretty campsite by the River Saison. Here we met the wonderful Henri in his caravan. He generously provided endless cafetierres of coffee, & his home-made chocolate mousse. A 4 star Hotel Concierge, married to an English lady, he spoke perfect english. It was difficult to drag ourselves away the next morning, but we eventually made good progress in the Tarbes direction. Houses here have steep slate roofs & great piles of logs. The skies threatened rain clouds off the Pyrenees at around 6.30pm. We were cycling up a steep hill as we passed a handsome house with a B&B sign. We booked into a lovely room & just avoided the heavy downpour. The owner spoke excellent english, as she had worked in England & Australia. The vast woods behind the house provided us with a beautiful evening walk once the rain had ceased.
Madam`s homemade bread, myrtille jam & gorgeous yoghurt for breakfast set us up well for our morning cycle into Pontacq. Being May 1st it was a holiday, so we cycled through 2 village fetes & a bike race. After a lovely sunny day, we camped on a little farm near the town of Montrejeau. We woke to braying donkeys & crowing cockerels. Now heading E. out of the Pyrenees into the Haute-Garonne region. We cross the swollen Garonne river at several places, & then pick up a green cycle route that takes through quaint villages. This is a cattle farming area, with 2 storey timber-framed barns attached to farmhouses (apparently called "Fermettes"). We camp on a tributary of the river, on a pretty site with lots of lilac trees, near Martres-Tolosane. Unfortunately along this riverbank & others today, we have spotted lots of the dreaded Japanese Knotweed (none seen in Spain - perhaps the Pyrenees has been a barrier to its spread?)
The next morning we were lucky to pick up other green cycle lanes as we crossed into the valleys SW. of Toulouse. Amazing to see Red Kites following the farmers harvester, mouse-hunting? We spend a morning sight-seeing in the attractive town of Cazeres. It is Saturday market, so nicely buzzing. We were so hungry after our Pyrennean travels that we consumed a whole cooked chicken & family portion of sauteed potatoes from the market! We end this evening cycling up a very steep drive to a wooded campsite just short of Pamiers. We sit on the verendah of a nearby empty chalet, using their table to study maps, & watch the sunset.
By lunchtime the next day, we have reached the Canal du Midi towpath at Bram, to cycle to Carcassonne. It is a bit bumpy in places (similar to the Kennet & Avon) but nice to be away from the cars. We meet 3 young touring cyclists (1 Brit, 2 French) who are heading to the Municipal Campsite. As they have directions, we are happy to follow them to this well-placed facility with a view of the Medieval Cité. There are 2 other pairs of touring cyclists on the site. We book in for 2 nights to sightsee Carcassonne (& do the blog!)
We have now pedalled 1,386 miles from Nerja with only 1 puncture! Next heading E. across southern France in the direction of Montpellier & Avignon. We have been in France for a full week, but are still saying "hola" & "gracias"!
Tarazona to the Pyrennees....
A postscript to last weeks blog, the wedded couple emerged & were driven away in a flower-decked donkey cart. The bride was disconcerted, hanging on tight over the cobbles. As the evening promenaders gathered in great numbers, a jazz band struck up. It was then we noticed a poster showing we had arrived on the day of the local feria (fiesta).
Having paid the night before, we let ourselves out of the enormous front doors of the Palace into early Sunday morning sunshine. We spotted a cycle path to Tedula, a disused railway line, which was soon busy with Sunday leisure cyclists. Reaching Tedula, we have now completed a circular route of Spain, as we passed this way south from Santander last autumn. We passed over the swollen rio Ebro, heading N. towards Olite. The road became pretty boring, busy, in the light industrial area. We transferred to a smaller road by the river, passing wheatfields & vineyards. A wandering shepherd was very sensibly wearing a high-viz. vest & had his dog on a lead, as the traffic was sparse but travelling at breakneck speed.
We lunched at Villafranca, which had the red metal bull-running barriers in place. We noticed the ubiquitous graffiti was becoming more political with "Falangist" & "ETA" often occuring.
Olite was a wonderful surprise. A contrast to Tarazona, as the old buildings were beautifully preserved, including a medieval castle & attached Parador - a bit touristy as a result. We camped near the town in a large but quiet site.
We are now in our last full day in Spain as we progress N., bypassing busy Pamplona on a road marked on the map as scenic & quiet. Unfortunately we share it with about 25 Quarry Lorries. Somewhere near Pamplona, Susan loses her knickers! Having washed them, they were attached to a pannier to dry. We think we know at which bus stop they became detached, so if anyone is passing that way....?
In a fierce headwind we reach the reservoir Embalse de Itoiz. It has flooded, trees covered to their crowns & a village road totally submerged. What a contrast to Andalucia! We then followed the rio Urrobi up through a wooded valley on a blissfully quiet road. We spot a few deer running for cover in the woods. It rains for a couple of hours, but we are just drying out at 5pm, at 800metres, when we arrive at campsite Urrobi, the most gorgeous Spanish camp we have used. Spacious, grassy & lightly wooded, it is on a bend in the river, & has a bar! The sign at the end of the road says 25k to France........!
Having paid the night before, we let ourselves out of the enormous front doors of the Palace into early Sunday morning sunshine. We spotted a cycle path to Tedula, a disused railway line, which was soon busy with Sunday leisure cyclists. Reaching Tedula, we have now completed a circular route of Spain, as we passed this way south from Santander last autumn. We passed over the swollen rio Ebro, heading N. towards Olite. The road became pretty boring, busy, in the light industrial area. We transferred to a smaller road by the river, passing wheatfields & vineyards. A wandering shepherd was very sensibly wearing a high-viz. vest & had his dog on a lead, as the traffic was sparse but travelling at breakneck speed.
We lunched at Villafranca, which had the red metal bull-running barriers in place. We noticed the ubiquitous graffiti was becoming more political with "Falangist" & "ETA" often occuring.
Olite was a wonderful surprise. A contrast to Tarazona, as the old buildings were beautifully preserved, including a medieval castle & attached Parador - a bit touristy as a result. We camped near the town in a large but quiet site.
We are now in our last full day in Spain as we progress N., bypassing busy Pamplona on a road marked on the map as scenic & quiet. Unfortunately we share it with about 25 Quarry Lorries. Somewhere near Pamplona, Susan loses her knickers! Having washed them, they were attached to a pannier to dry. We think we know at which bus stop they became detached, so if anyone is passing that way....?
In a fierce headwind we reach the reservoir Embalse de Itoiz. It has flooded, trees covered to their crowns & a village road totally submerged. What a contrast to Andalucia! We then followed the rio Urrobi up through a wooded valley on a blissfully quiet road. We spot a few deer running for cover in the woods. It rains for a couple of hours, but we are just drying out at 5pm, at 800metres, when we arrive at campsite Urrobi, the most gorgeous Spanish camp we have used. Spacious, grassy & lightly wooded, it is on a bend in the river, & has a bar! The sign at the end of the road says 25k to France........!
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