France by Velo, Part 2

Following on from where I left off, we were on our way out of the Massif Central and heading for the Lot and Dordogne river valleys. On the way, two of our worst fears were realised:

1. Camping ground was closed so we pitched tents in the dark and slept near the tennis courts. We were woken up by kids going to school the next day.

2. Personal injury. Dean did something to his knee when we were packing up, rendering him incapable of riding, walking, pretty much everything except for postcard writing! Also, I had a nasty rash on my hands and ankles which was beginning to get very irritating. It provided much amusement trying to explain to the chemist what was wrong.

With this in mind, we were forced to have a day in St Cere and a night in a motel which had its benefits, like a good shower and a comfortable bed.

Town Square, St Cere



We got going the next day, Dean's knee was almost back to full strength which was just as well as our day's cycling was quite tough as we hauled ourselves in and out of the Dordogne valley.

There were some very nice villages along the way, most of them had beautiful villages of France signs.



Our first haul and one of the toughest



Helen making friends with the locals while Dean and I went and collected about 15kg of windfall walnuts.



We stopped at some huge caves along the way which were quite good, we were punted along an underground river but all the commentary was in French and we didn't understand anything. Dean lucked out on the boat trip and had to sit beside a honeymooning couple who were trying to swallow each other.

Finally we arrived into Rocomador and there were plenty of camping grounds. Rocomador was a very nice village built on the side of a cliff and was a place of pilgrimage (to see the 'black virgin') so we joined the pilgrims and the tourists the next morning for a look around.

Rocomador



On the edge of the cliff...



Looking down



Buildings built into the cliff



That afternoon we continued along the river to Domme and more Autumn scenery. It rained that night so everything got wet but that was nothing new as our tents would get wet every night from dew anyway. So we packed up, rode up to Domme (on top of a hill) and continued on for a loop up and down the Dordogne. At lunch time we made the late decision to hire canoes and paddle the river for a while. Unfortunately it started raining but it was still great fun.

Where we hired the canoes, another cool village



Canoeing the Dordogne



View from the river



After our canoe trip, there was no time for mucking around so we rode quickly to Salviac where we had fluked a night with an American couple we had got in touch with on the 'Warm showers' website (where people offer a bed for cycle tourists). Bob and Mary cooked us a great feed and they did have a wonderful warm shower. I had tried to dry my tent but as I was doing so it rained again so I spent the night inside.

Bob and Mary left early the next morning to go harvesting grapes so we had their place to ourselves. We caught up on email and used their free phone to call home. We finally got away about midday and rode solidly to Figeac, arriving just before another bout of rain. Most of the ride was on a main road and it was fast, we knocked off 76km for the day in about 3 and a half hours so very good going.

Again we struck closed camping grounds so we stayed in a 'gite' which was basically a backpacker. This turned out to be a good decision as it rained again overnight and was quite cold. We went for a wander around Figeac, another pilgrimage town and visited a giant copy of the Rosetta stone as this was where Jean-François Champollion, the first translator of Egyptian hieroglyphics, was born.

Rosetta stone



We were up and away in good time the next morning but it was an awful morning for cycling with low freezing fog for the first couple of hours. We were now cycling along the Lot river and when we finally got out of the fog it was a ripper of a day. We finished our cycling for the day at 1:30pm at St-cirq-Lapopie and checked into our cabin and waited for Kelley, Gabs and Helen who were coming for the weekend. It was nice to see some friendly faces and we had a few wines that night and a quiet day the next day involving a drive into Cahors and a walk around St-cirq-Lapopie.

Lunch on the banks of the Lot



Kelley, St-cirq-Lapopie in the background



The girls left the following morning to drive back to Rodez to fly back to London and after some disagreements with the camping ground man, we finally got away too. Our ride for the afternoon was quite tough and when we found a closed camping ground that we could still stay in, we did. No shower though. Again it was a nice ride along quiet bush lined roads.

Our aim now was to get south to the Pyrenees as quickly as possible so we were up and away early the next day with the aim of getting some km's behind us. This we achieved, doing 109km for the day and it was reasonably tough riding. The morning section was very nice, again along a river and through some very nice villages. The clear highlight of the day was finally finding a vineyard where the grapes hadn't been harvested and we had a huge feast and left with gallons of grape juice running down our chins. The day ended poorly again, we couldn't find a camping ground that was open so we pitched our tents near the tennis court and children's playground and received a few strange looks! At least we had a tap this time.

It rained overnight but cleared up so we could pack up and get away, only to settle in again. We were wet and cold and it was not very pleasant but we pushed on to Pamiers where we found an open camping ground with a 'mobile home'/cabin which was warm and dry and gratefully received.

The next day we were faced with terrible weather forecast and it was the day we were due to get into the hills. After much deliberation we decided to push on. We stopped for lunch of extremely fresh, warm baguette beside the river at Foix and carried on to a nice camping ground at Tarascon-sur-Ariege, at the bottom of the valley with daunting mountains towering around us.

The mountains were calling



On our wander around Tarascon-sur-Ariege, cloud formation



In the park



Crucifixion statue



It was the first day of hitting the big time. We rode steadily up river to the start of our first big climb, Port de Lers.

Dean and Helen riding up Port de Lers...



... and nailing it!



Then conquering Col de Agnes



Looking down at the huge, steep descent to come. This was incredible, so steep and so long, about 17km of descending. Pleased we didn't have to go up it from this side.



Time for a well earned lunch, and what a view. Slightly daunting when we realised that is where we would be going.



Writing from a tour gone by.



We were supposed to go over another Col that day but it was closed for road works so we cruised down the road to Seix and camped by a river. We were discovering that the Pyrenees was like a different country, camping grounds and shops were open.

The next day was misty but we were now in our getting up and away early mode so away we went. First up was Col de la Core, 13km long and we were led up the whole way by a local dog.

We soon got out of the mist and could look back on it.



Our dog, grateful for a chance to cool off



Looking east again on La route des cols, pretty much the route we were taking



Our second col for the day started slowly but it was an absolute killer for the last 3km. Its fair to say that Col de Portet d'Aspet was given a few other choice names by the time we made it to the top.



Dean - exhausted



Fabian Casertelli memorial, Casertelli ran of the road and was killed on the very steep descent of this col during the 1995 Tour de France. He was an Olympic gold medalist in 1992.



The last col for the day was Col de Mente and this was an absolute killer. We were totally broken when we reached the top and we were late as Dean and Helen got a flattie on the way up. I had gone ahead so had to ride back down with the pump, fortunately the tyre stayed up on the descent to St Beat which we were very pleased to reach!



The next day we ventured across the border into Spain and climbed Col du Portillon. The summit of this col was on the border again so we crossed back into France and ate our lunch under cover during a passing shower.

At the old border station, no such worries now and we just cruised through.



The top of Col de Portillon, France on the left and Espana on the right



After much deliberation, we decided to push on and got wet climbing the huge 14.5km Col de Peyresoude but by the time we reached the top, the rain had stopped. This was a good climb.

Dean and Helen on the way up



Almost there



A bit of encouragement!



At the top



Another ripper of a descent followed and we spent the night in Arreau.

The next day we were packed up and ready to go but the rain came and settled in. Somewhat reluctantly, we parked up for the day and wrote postcards and checked email etc. Although it was a bit frustrating, it was nice to relax for a day.

We were itching to get going the next morning, today was the day we'd been waiting for with two spectacular and very well known climbs, first of all the Col d'Aspin and then the big one, the Col du Tourmalet. Col d'Aspin was tough enough but it was a wonderful climb, very scenic and the weather was perfect. We met a French couple at the top who posed with the tandem and pretended they'd just ridden up it - cheats. Quite amusing though.

Quick stop for a break and a photo



Looking up to the top of the col, about 6km to go. The pass will be at the lowest point.



At the top



It was time for the big one, it started ok, a slow gradual climb but soon reached 8% gradient and steeper, up to 10 - 11 % in places. We continued through a ski village near the summit and wound our way up the final switch backs. It was unlike anywhere else we'd been, this was really the mountains. It was an incredible feeling to reach the top.

Dean and Helen about to power over...



there they go



Me at the summit



Looking down at the descent



We felt a bit ripped off at the top, there was supposed to be a tacky souvenir shop but it wasn't open, and a huge statue of a cyclist which was being repaired so we took the tandem up and took a photo of it instead.



Old photo in the cafe at the top.



The descent was something else, about 20km of steep stuff and then another 24km of gentle downhill and we flew into Argeles Gazot where we found another ripper of a camp ground with an indoor pool where Dean and Helen had a quick swim.

After the Tormalet, it was hard to get fired up again, but fired up we had to get as we were faced with a huge day - 4 cols and over 100km for the day. The main col was Col d Aubisque and the ride up was incredible, along a rock face and riding alongside feral ponies.

On top of Col du Soulor, looking towards Col d Aubisque. You can see the road cut into the hillside.



Riding amongst the ponies



Sign before the climbing started again. It shows how it starts gradually but gets steep near the top.



From the top, looking back



Our last col for the day was a frustrating one, the overall average gradient wasn't too bad but only because there was a long stretch where it reached a plateau and was flat before getting very seep again. We were pleased to make it to the end of the day, but ran into a closed camping ground and in the end rolled into a place that didn't really have camping facilities so they open up a cabin and we just slept on the floor in there.

The next day was our last major climbing day in the Pyrenees but the col we struck was the steepest of the lot. Named Col de Bagargi, it was easy to think of an alternative name that suited it better. The gradient was over 12.5% in some places and it was nasty. Our last climb was comparatively easy, Col de Burdincurucheta and we were left with a strong sense of achievement when we reached the top but also a little sad that we were leaving the Pyrenees, by far the highlight of our trip.

Setting up to pose for our last photo at the top of a col.



We arrived at St Jean Pied Port at 3pm and we were exhausted. So we found a camping ground, did our laundry and went for a stroll around town, it was a really nice we spot and very Basque influenced. We treated ourselves with dinner out to celebrate our conquest of the Pyrenees.

I packed up the next morning, did a spot of shopping and took off on my own as I had changed my ferry sailing time and had to get to Bilbao. Dean and Helen still had a week to fill in so we said our sad good byes and I rolled down the road thinking of all the great times we'd had over the last month or so. It was strange being on my own and a little daunting at first but I enjoyed the ride and it was a real thrill to see the sea and descend the last hill in France!

Red chillies drying on a building, these were a Basque icon



Beach at Hendaye



Breakfast the next morning consisted of the best patisserie of the whole tour, in my opinion, a choco - almond croissant, outstanding. I needed it too, I had a huge day's cycling including two big hills which was surprising as I stuck to the coast. I had to navigate through San Sebastian, which nearly proved impossible but finally I made it. I found a nice campground at Lekeitio and didn't take much rocking!

On the hill above Hendaye



After another tough morning the next day, I arrived in Bilbao and had an awful afternoon trying to find the port and somewhere to stay. It was a terrible place to navigate around but eventually I checked into a nice youth hostel and was able to clean and dry out my gear.

The next morning I was away in plenty of time and stopped for some supplies for my long trip. I had no trouble getting onto the ferry and checked into my own room. There were plenty of people on board, most of them settling in for a long night on the booze and a lot of them coming back to the UK as part of a 'mini cruise'.

Windmill in Bilbao harbor.



The trip was long but there was quite a bit to do. The weather was nice to start with so the top deck was a good place to be. They had wildlife officers on board spotting whales and they gave a couple of presentations about whales as well. We saw Finn whales and Cuvier's Beaked Whale, one of the rarest in the world so we were told. There was also a gym on board but it was tough to use in the rolling sea, and a sauna which was quite good. The trip was reasonably smooth although we slowed down overnight as it got rougher. There were a few around with poor sea legs.

Land Ho - in sight of England again



I was nervous about my arrival into Portsmouth as my visa had expired but it wasn't a problem. Finding the train station was frustrating, and it seemed to take forever to get to London but I finally arrived at about 8pm to a fantastic dinner and a warm reception!