St Emilion to Toulouse

St Emilion – La Reole – Valance de Argen – Toulouse.  62km, 112km, 84km.

Sorry that your correspondents have been on strike, but it has been very hot and we have had no access to the web.

 To La Reole - Early start.  Lovely riding conditions to start, a much cooler day.  The temperature gradually increased to about 38 degrees though.

Quite a hilly riding day, but beautiful views of the rolling vineyards. 

Arrived at La Reole about lunchtime, had a few beers at a nice tabac, then headed to the campground to set up.  The camping ground was adjacent to the mighty Garonne River, very wide and fast flowing.

Staying at the park too, was a family of mum and dad, three children about 6, 3 and 6mths.  They were travelling the Camino pilgrim trail.  They had two donkeys, their tent and a papoose to carry the baby in.  Mum was in Bordeaux when we arrived dealing with the baby who had broken his leg falling off a chair, they were pushing on.  The children all slept on sheepskins in the tent and the bub was put on a sheepskin on the back of the donkey for his sleeps during the day.  We gather the older children also rode the donkeys as well as walking.

Also met some American cyclists who are here for six months and gave us the low down on our next few days.

Did some daily shopping and discovered another big hill on the way. Managed to scale it and get the shopping done.

La Reole is another village that looks to be centuries old.  Very pretty.

Dined at our tent, then spent another hot night in the tent.

29 June – La Reole – Valance – 112kms

Another early start to the day, warm to start, but became cloudy, so was pleasant riding.

Easy riding along the Canal du Garonne.  Lots of market gardens and orchards along the way.  We stopped for morning tea at a boatyard on the canal.  We watched a group of 7-8 yr olds board a boat for a day’s excursion.  The teachers looked as though they were ready for a hectic day with a wry smile on their faces, directed at us.

Stopped for lunch at Damazan in the market square.  It is a beautiful old town with century old homes surrounding the square.

Rode on towards our campground with the countryside surrounding the Canal becoming flat with fields of sunflowers, corn and market garden. 

The Canal is a UNESCO Heritage listed site.  The engineering of the canal is fantastic considering it was commenced in the mid 1600’s. 

Arrived at Agen, another big city only to find out that the campground we though was only another 7km along the way, no longer existed. 

At Agen the Canal traverses the Garonne River.  It is a very odd sensation riding alongside the canal aquaduct which has the huge river flowing beneath it.

So we had a bit of lunch and rode on the next 30kms to Valance d’Agen where we camped next to an equestrian centre.  Luckily the horses went to sleep early in the evening!

Valance was yet again a very pretty village.

30 June – Valance – Toulouse – 83kms

Another early start to beat the heat.  Similar riding along the canal with the scenery continuing the same as yesterday.

Stopped for an early morning tea as we were all tired after yesterday’s ride.  Sustenance seems to lift the spirits and pastries are mandatory.

Riding along the canal you go through few towns, so we needed to turn off the track to go into the towns.  We called into Grisolles for lunch where we were met by Claude who welcomed us to his town and invited us to his “ranch”.  He had worked all over the world and had spent time in Australia where his brother still resides on the Gold Coast.  It was lovely to be made so welcome so far from home.  We spent a while having lunch in the village square and he returned with his camera to take shots of us.  As we first rode into town we were greeted with calls of “Aussie, Aussie” in a very French accent.  All in all a very friendly village.

Still had 30km to go to our campsite.  Did our daily shopping on the way.  We were met by Craig and Di Deane (another Canberra couple also cycle touring in France) when we arrived at the campground about mid afternoon.

Set up camp and enjoyed a few drinks and stories over dinner.  Tomorrow is a rest day to be spent in Toulouse.