Today was the day when we got to ride with the other group for the first time. We gave them a head start of half an hour or so so that we would be more or less together come coffee time. Heading out of Carcassonne we passed through Languedoc wine country - the vines sagging under heavy grapes waiting to be picked any day now. A mass regroup for coffee beside a fountain in a quaint village perked everybody up for the ride to lunch. Hills were modest by Pyrenean standards and lunch was an amazing spread of continental delicacies at a roadside picnic spot overlooking some spectacular scenery.
We rolled downhill (albeit pedalling into a fairly stiff headwind) to the day's destination at the beautiful little town of Olargues. Indeed there was a sign proclaiming it to be on of the most beautiful in France, complete with stone arch bridge built circa 1200 AD and ruined fortress on the hill. beneath was a babbling brook which just looked too inviting to resist. What a delight lying back in bracingly cold water washing off the sweat of the day.
Then after a quick snooze, time to grab the camera and clamber up to the old fortress for some photos.
Got back just in time for aperitifs and dinner. Dylan's forecast that the food would be bang on was indeed bang on. Beautiful pumpkin soup with garden fresh herbs, Turkey breast rolled with garden fresh herbs on creamy polenta with spinach and fluffy lemon meringue dessert. The lady of the establishment made our day complete by offering to do everybody's washing.
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| Carcassonne looks quite different in the daytime |
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| Entrance gate to the old city |
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| Only pigeons around at 7am |
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| Harold, the woodchopper from Dorrigo. Loves those Toohey's Draught socks |
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| Dylan serves coffee in the quaint village of Lespinassiere |
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| Jeff and Libby pretending not to pose for the camera at Olargues |
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| Olargues: our stay for the night |
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| Mick catching a bit of shut eye before exploring Olargues on foot. |
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| Old stone path leading down to the river |
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| Olargues viewed from the top of the hill |
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| I could an interesting mausoleum beneath the chapel on the hill |
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| Chapel on the hill at Olargues |
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| Libby from our group and Richard, Jonathan and Don from the other group listening to a little historical talk |
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| Ready for our delicious dinner at Olargues |
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