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Day 76 – Bagnac-sur-Cele to Roannes-Saint-Mary

Monday July 18, 2011, 46 km (28 miles) – Total so far: 2,800 km (1,740 miles)

We finally left Bagnac-Sur-Cele. The GPS routed us away from the main road which we were thankful for. It was a steady 2% climb for about 40kms. It was easy enough to cope with the gradient, but it just took ages to get very far. We were averaging about 8 km/hr.

Around 4.30pm, it started to get cold and looked like rain. I was a bit worried as we still had another 10 kms to the next town and at the speed we were cycling it would take us over an hour. If it rained we could start to get hypothermic (a problem I encountered 2 years ago in Germany with frostbitten fingers and feet). It seemed like we would never reach the top.

Finally having reached the top, on the downhill run it started to rain. It was freezing. Luckily this time (having learnt from the previous trip) I had my waterproof gloves and waterproof socks on. Plus a thermal under my not so waterproof jacket. I really hoped the town had a hotel as so many towns don’t have anything. I knew it would be a hard 20 km slog to Aurillac if we had to continue.

Thankfully there was a hotel in town, and it was reasonably priced at just 46 euros. The room was really nice and clean. They did dinner for us as well, although we are still unsure of the price. There was no menu – they just bring you out food, and you eat whatever they bring.

They brought us a litre of red wine and some bread to start (a very good start indeed).

Next they brought out a toasted ham and cheese croissant with some salad.

Then some sausages and lentils (thankfully not out of a tin).

Then some big blocks of cheese (which you take only as much as you want) – I had a fit of giggles as Mike tried to carve one of the cheeses and it ended up with horrific gouges in it. It was quite embarrasing.

Then they brought us a creme brulee for dessert – followed by coffee.

Day 74 – Saint-Sulpice to Bagnac-sur-Cele

Saturday July 16, 2011, 49 km (30 miles) – Total so far: 2,754 km (1,711 miles)

We thought about staying another night in the 6 euro campsite, but the idea of moving on was just too exciting. It’s a great feeling not knowing what the day will bring or where we will end up.

It turned out we were unintentionally riding the tour de france route in reverse (hence the title), and luckily we missed them by just 3 days. A few days earlier and the campsites would have been heaving – but thankfully now they are empty.

We ended up in a town called Bagnac-sur-Cele and camped right beside the river again. We saw a couple of rats near our campsite which was pretty creepy, but Mike assured me they were water rats – which somehow didn’t seem as bad as common rats – so I chose to believe him.

In the night we awoke to bloody rain again. Damn those school holidays!

Day 73 – Saint-Gery to Saint-Sulpice

Friday July 15, 2011

The cycling just seems to get better and better. This was a most interesting day – cycling though a gorge seeing castles built into the rock. It is just so darn nice. And the best part was that there was hardly any people there. Where are all the tourists? Who cares – we’re just glad they aren’t here!

I just can’t describe how awesome the cycling was today and even more awesome was a campground that only charged us 6 euros as we didn’t have a car. That is how is should be!

Most campsites charge the same for us and our tiny tent and two bikes as they do for a big fook off campervan, which usually also has two bikes attached. We were so happy with our savings that we went to the camp restaurant and blew 60 euros on dinner!

Day 72 – Cahors to Saint Gery

Thursday July 14, 2011, 20 km (13 miles) – Total so far: 2,706 km (1,681 miles)

We decided to book in another day in Cahors as it was looking damp outside and we couldn’t be bothered packing up and moving. The hotel was booked out however, so we had a bit of a rush to pack up and get out before 11am.

Thankfully the day turned into an beautiful sunny day and we were thankful we were forced to move on.

It was an incredible ride over the gorge and we really enjoyed the uphill part of it as it wasn’t too steep.

We only did 20 kms when we found this nice little campsite right beside the river. It was an unmanned campsite and cost only 8 euros. We decided with the drama we seem to have finding campsites to stop early and set up camp.

At about 8pm that evening I was starting to doubt my decision when three angry looking blokes turned up with three angry looking dogs. They parked right next to our tent, piled out of their car and wandered around the campground with really big sticks.

One guy headed off with his dog into the bushes. I suggested he was checking his marajuana patch, Mike suggested he was taking his dog for a crap.

When I suggested they look pretty dodgy, Mike agreed with me (rather than his normal response of “everyone looks dodgy to you”). That really made me nervous. I didn’t have enough wine to cope with this!

Anyway -after about an hour of psychologically terrorising us, they grabbed their mobile phone and charger and left. phew – they were only there to charge their mobile phone!

Day 71 – Albas to Cahors

Wednesday July 13, 2011, 44 km (27 miles) – Total so far: 2,685 km (1,669 miles)

We woke to another rainy day. We managed to get through 10 weeks without any rain, and first week of the school holidays the drought has been broken. Typical!

It was forecast to be a wet day, and for once the forecast was correct. We got totally drenched. It turns out my brand new cycle jacket isn’t waterproof and the inside appears to be breaking down. This is pretty typical for me. My cycle jacket when we did Germany/Austria wasn’t waterproof either. Anyway, I will be sending the jacket back.

We got to Cahors – a big town- and seeked shelter for the night. After finding a few hotels to be full already – we thankfully found a reasonably priced chain hotel.

It was Bastille day eve so there were festivities going on. Apparently the French don’t celebrate Bastille day (they certainly don’t call it Bastille day). Most of the celebrations are on the evening before, with Bastille day (or bank holiday as they call it) is simply a day off.

We went for dinner at a restaurant that was recommended. They do their own Foie Gras ( I know – not a cool thing to eat, but when in France , blah blah) and their own confit de canard (i.e. confit duck not from a tin). The food was ok – but nothing compared to restaurant Lynne and Bryan’s.

There was an excellent fireworks display over the old and famous bridge which made for a neat setting. The fireworks were done in sync with music and it was really good. I would have got more photos but I have somehow filled up my 8gb card already!

Day 70 – Fumel to Albas

Tuesday July 12, 2011, 52 km (32 miles) – Total so far: 2,642 km (1,641 miles)

Another pleasant day cycling along the river Lot. We didn’t want a repeat of yesterdays drama trying to find a campground, so when we saw a sign with a turnoff to a campground we decided to take it. The only problem was – it didn’t say how far the campground was. The road wound up and up and up for 2kms. At least it was a gradient we could cycle – none of that steep rubbish as in Spain where we had to push our bikes up.

We finally made it to the top, hot, sweaty and totally buggered. Then we saw the sign for the campground – this time with the distance. 4km down the other bloody side of the hill! wankers!

We decided not to camp there and on the way back out we would accurately mark the distance on their sign for them – 25km! That would fix them and stop any other poor unsuspecting cyclists making the unnecessary detour.

Anyway the view from the top was pretty neat.

The rest of the day was spent searching for a campground. We thought we were in luck with one just around the corner – but at 18 euros per night we refused to pay it.

We crossed the bridge into a town called Albas famous for it’s big bottle (not really, I just made that up)

We found a municipal campground here, but the office was closed and the barrier was down. It was too late to move on and we were buggered so we decided to camp there. Luckily the toilets and showers were open and we had the place to ourselves. It was a nice spot right beside the river.

We went for a walk around the town and at 8pm saw a couple of hot, sweaty german cycle tourists struggling up a steep hill. We told them of the campground and that the facilities were open. They had already done 100kms that day but decided they would push on to the next town to camp and get supplies.

We found a restaurant that was open and decided we would eat out. While we were eating we saw a couple of cycle tourists come in. We thought they are hardcore – still cycling at 9pm. We usually try and get to camp by 5pm ideally.

After dinner we headed back to camp to find the cycle tourists had set up camp. It was the Germans. They had travelled an extra 10km only to find the camp in the next town was closed and they had to backtrack! oh well – what’s an extra 20km to a 100km day!

Day 69 – Clairac to Fumel

Monday July 11, 2011, 80 km (50 miles) – Total so far: 2,590 km (1,609 miles)

This was our first day following the river Lot. It was more interesting and scenic than the canal.

It was also our longest ride yet at 85km. This is because of our stupidity in turning down a campsite because it was full of motorhomes. We just couldn’t bear the thought of camping in that type of campground again after the nice little campgrounds over the last few days.

So at 5pm we decided to push on to a campground 7km up the road. The problem was, the campground 7km up the road was on the other side of the river and to reach it we could have to backtrack 18km! So we had no choice but to push on in the mid 30 degree heat.

We finally made to to a campground with a campsite right beside the river – our most scenic camp yet. How is this for an awesome place to camp?

They also had a pool, so the first thing we did was go for a dip to get our body temperature down. It was divine.

Day 68 – Lagruere to Clairac

Sunday July 10, 2011, 44 km (27 miles) – Total so far: 2,510 km (1,560 miles)

We woke to a damp morning and the rain was still pissing on our tent. Speaking of which, we stayed in bed as long as possible before our bladders finally forced us out of our tent.

We set up a tarp for shelter so we could at least eat our breakfast and pack up in a kind of dry manner.

Thankfully by the time we packed up the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to break through. It was a gentle and pleasant, if slightly boring cycle along the canal.

We decided to break away from the canal and get onto the Lot river and follow that. The thing was that we missed the turn off to The Lot river and ended up pushing our bikes up a very steep hill and going cross country. A strenuous ride but kind of nice once we got to the top.

The downhill run was a lot more fun and we found a fantastic campground overlooking the river for only 6 euros and only one other couple camping there. This is sooo much better than the crowded, overpriced coastal campgrounds full of motorhomes and people in self contained units thinking they are camping!

View from our camp:

Day 64 – Creon to Melhan-sur-Garonne

Wednesday July 6, 2011, 65 km (40 miles) – Total so far: 2,386 km (1,482 miles)

Today we cycled along an old railway line which has been converted to cycle paths. The cycling was wonderful and flat.

Big scary tunnel to cycle through.

Luckily it was well lit but would have been scary if the lights went out.

We are now on the canal path which goes about 200 kms to Toulouse.

We stayed in a campground in Melhan-sur-Garonne for only 6 euros. Makes a pleasant change from the expensive coastal resorts.

We went into the night markets. Mike ordered a plate of eels. It was putrid, but he seemed to enjoy it.

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