124 km. Route.
D'Artagnan was a Gascon, wasn't he? Well, he may have been a great swordsman, but if he came from around here I'm prepared to bet he wasn't much of a climber. As well as my longest day so far, this was easily the flattest - and that's saying something, because this has been a pretty flat trip up to now. Pretty much the whole route was through the Parc Naturel des Landes de Gascon. It was a beautiful ride, sunshine and quite warm, and the roads almost deserted. Not much use for blogging purposes, though, because while lovely to be in, it isn't especially photogenic - one piece of flat afforested countryside looking much like another. However, here's a section of apparently endless empty road for your edification.
Tonight in Mont de Marsan, a pleasant but not remarkable town. Without wishing to be pejorative, it's the sort of place one visits on the way to somewhere else rather than making it a destination in its own right. Unusually for a small town it has two rivers. It's at the confluence of Le Midou and La Douze, which come together in the centre of town...
... to become La Midouze.
Slightly difficult for me to believe that I've been on this tour for two weeks and almost 1000 kilometres, it has flown by. And today marks something of a watershed, in a way, because tomorrow I leave behind the flatlands of The Loire and Aquitaine and head for the hills. Tomorrow night I should be in Pau. Its view of the high Pyrenees is said to be one of the most beautiful backdrops to any town. And after that, the mountains. The next week or so will be all about the bike.
2 comments:
Crumbs - that's flown! At least your bike and body should be in synch by now, although will you have to make adjustments for the hills? Looking forward to pics of the mountains. Apart from the breezy bits you seem to have enjoyed beautiful weather - long may that continue.
A picture or two of the English pubs or pint of foaming ale might help break up the ecclesiastical theme?
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