Day 28

Docked at 7 am - Glorious morning - a bit cooler than The Med - but we soon got pedalling back to Ferndown after our epic trip - 1000 miles in round figures. 

Coming off the ferry for the final cycle home

Day 27

Up and off early with a mission - reach Cherbourg before 5 30 when the 24 hour minibus hire ended ! I was doing countdown on google maps - we had a brief coffee stop and a brief lunch stop - then needed fuel I tracked down a Carrefours on google maps and we headed off the main road I was just panicking as we hadn’t time to get it wrong and there was no town or supermarket in sight but lo and behold - a tiny 2 pump Carrefours station virtually in the middle of nowhere 

Off on the road again, luckily no traffic , and we finally arrived in Cherbourg at 4 50 Tracked down another fuel station for the final fill up,  found the train station where we were dropping the minibus and threw all the bikes out including the pile of cardboard packing out of sight of the car hire depot. Andy returned the van in near perfect condition! I scouted round the station and found a skip for the cardboard ! Andy had repaired the puncture when travelling in the back of the van so all bikes reassembled and we dived in the nearest bar as it started pouring with rain. Luckily by the time we reached the ferry queue at 9 30 it was dry if a bit windy and we were soon all installed in our bunks for a night crossing - puncture problem resolved ! 

Day 26

Left for Montpellier just after 9 - Sue bike had a puncture so delay whilst we fixed it - couldn’t find a cause in the tyre but set offStopped in Sète for coffee and picked up sandwiches for lunch then carried on After passing through the industrial part of Sète on rather busy roads we picked up a cycle track Watched Kite surfers on a lake near Frontignan Plage, stopped again for our sandwich then set off again Unfortunately Sue had another puncture which we repaired , got going for a short time and puncture again, fixed again but when blowing it up popped again! it was decided that the boys would go on alone to collect the minibus from Montpellier and Sue and I would limp to the nearest village with our luggage and her flat tyre . We made camp in a rather quaint little place but it had a Spar shop, cafe and boulangerie so we spent more than 2 hours there! About 5 30 the boys turned up in the minibus We had to try and squash the bikes in without damaging the seats - I found a supply of cardboard boxes outside the Spar shop which did the job and we were soon away Sue and I had bought a picnic during our wait so we headed north - stopping at the very impressive Millau Bridge for a picnic

Booked into a Campanile for tonight - eta 10 30 pm ! 

On the road to Montpellier

A friendly cyclist stopped to see if she could help with the puncture

Millau bridge

Our little camp !

Loading the bikes 

38 miles but Sue and I did about 28 !

Day 25

Decided to finish our mission to Sète - our original destination - we set off Stopped for coffee on one beach then had a lovely lunch in another beach restaurant before getting to Sète finally ! Quick swim and ice cream on the way home then a quiet evening 

One more day relaxing before our drive north 

Day 24

We finally made it to the Med ! Set off at our usual time just after 9 and head on the road towards Béziers After a few kilometres on busy road we turned off onto quiet roads and then rejoined the tow path of The Canal du Midi Tjis gradually became a much better track and finally took us to Fonserannes Locks - a flight of 6 locks with a lovely cafe and viewpoint looking towards Béziers We had a break then pressed on through Béziers and back on the towpath towards Agde We had lunch on the side of the path and then after a rather toutuous route hit the beach and the Med at Roussillon Beach We had bought a bottle of champagne so we had a quick swim and then enjoyed champagne on the beach 

We then cycled to Andy and Sues friends - Dave and Jill’s house where we are all staying until we leave Monday to start the trip home 

The beach at last ! 

A dip in The Med

On the Canal du Midi

The flight of locks

Béziers

Monica and Jean- Claude at Maison Monica’s - our bnb for last night 

Total miles today 42 

Total for trip to Med 902 miles - but we’re not home !

Day 23

Well we’re nearly there! Left Carcassonne about 9 and headed down The Canal du Midi towpath Unfortunately it was pretty rough - as we expected - so after the first few kilometres changed to a road route using Komoot The route was excellent and we were mainly on small roads and cycle track ( tarmac) Stopped where we crossed the River Aude to watch some boats come down the double lock - the lock keeper had made lots of strange models out of odd bits of metal  and you could buy them ! We then had a take away coffee in the next village before pressing on After a picnic lunch we soon arrived at our destination - Maison Monica - A rather eccentric French lady ( the owner ) showed us our apartment which is large but a bit dated and full of Buddha models ! Cooked a nice meal 

45 miles today 

Final push tomorrow!

Trèbes where we left the towpath

The locks

Metal bride and groom

More metal models

Day 22

Great day off in Carcassonne Walked up to La Cite -and visited the Chateau then wandered round the narrow streets Came home for lunch then back to walk around the walls. Very touristy but enjoyable Walked down into town outside of the walls to have a beer and buy food for dinner Steve and Sue cooked as usual ! 

Steve and Andy outside our house ( upstairs flat) 

View from front door 

View from kitchen window at night

0 Miles

Day 21

Had a rather difficult breakfast - had to hunt for someone to serve, most food already eaten but croissants produced, asked for more bread and waited and waited to no avail so went in search of guy who was cooking more bread ! Finally set off down Canal du Midi tow path and followed until Le Seuil de Naurouze - the water shed where the water flows both ways to Atlantic and Med Sue and I were particularly underwhelmed by this feature but had a good coffee in the restaurant ! Tow path became  rough so decided to follow a road route for a while Road quite unpleasant and busy and when we stopped for lunch we could see the canal and towpath across a field so we decided to give it a go - this involved climbing a road barrier and getting ourselves and bikes down the bank to the path 

All went well - the path wasn’t too rough but sadly I think my tyre had got punctured on the bank so Andy had to do a quick repair This part of the canal was really quite lively with boats and people and the odd cafe - much more as we had imagined it . Finally when we still had 10 miles to go we returned to the road and cycled into Carcassonne Another hectic time getting through the city - arrived at our apartment in an old house just as the owner (South African so no language problem !) was cycling down the street to meet us 

Good digs - 2 beds and 2 baths - luxury 

Into Carcassonne for a beer then Sue and Steve cooked again (Andy and I are the planners!) 

Day off in Carcassonne tomorrow then only 2 more cycling days we think 

Puncture repair team

Getting bike over barrier

and down the bank

Last nights hotel Sue ready for off with her yellow legs ! Soon removed as it was actually warm 

Boats coming through the locks today

52 miles today 

Total 820 miles 

Day 20

Decided to have a walk round Montauban before leaving as we hadn’t done it justice in the rain . Quite a large town with a fantastic square - la Place Nationale - apparently the 4th most beautiful square in France The cathedral was rather dour and in need of repair . We bought our lunch, made up sandwiches and left late morning heading for a place called Donneville about 10 miles beyond Toulouse . The route into Toulouse was on the tow path of the Garonne  Canal, as we approached the city the surroundings became more industrialised until finally we came to the point where the Canal du Midi, Canal du Brienne  and the Canal du Garonne all meet . We then started to follow the Canal du Midi although there was little signposting It was a bit hectic getting through Toulouse and we lost the cycle path ending up on roads with a grey haired French lady shouting at Steve for cycling on the road ! We spotting our track on the other side of the canal so dived over the next bridge We then cycled on for about 10 miles to Donneville along the canal Staying in a motel near the canal Looked a bit run down but actually lots of people have turned up and the meal in the restaurant was great 

49 miles today

Old Bridge in Montauban

Putting up umbrella decks

Around the square

Our apartment - second floor with shutters

La Place National 

Where the canals meet in Toulouse 

Day 19

Left our rather nice apartment just after 9 with the threat of a wet day and we weren’t disappointed ! It was soon raining fairly hard. Joined the towpath of the Garonne canal and made good progress Stopped for coffee in Valence d’Agen, Sue and I managed to find bread and fruit for lunch whilst the boys found a cafe - just as we went into the cafe the heavens really opened We ended up having 2 coffees ! Left in light rain but soon hammering down again Saw a group of older walkers in ponchos with boots and long walking sticks Seemed strange to see people out for a Sunday walk along the canal in the pouring rain but have discovered it it part of The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Way  ! Pressed on to Moissac for lunch and ended up sheltering under a bridge by the lock, joined by a couple of French cyclists. Rain gradually abated in the afternoon - continued to Montauban for the night - a quirky 2 nd floor apartment but very comfortable,2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms - luxury We have Bluetooth speaker in our shower head ! . 

I have linked it to Spotify on my phone 

The town is all built from red bricks - very different from the stone we have seen in previous town Steve and Sue shopped and cooked again. Saw a strange feat of engineering - Ponte d’eau- which was a way of lifting boats up a slope in a triangle of water rather than them using 5 locks on the main canal 

Closed in 2009 - Steve and Andy were very interested in it 

Off through Toulouse and to meet the Canal  du Midi 

Total miles today 50 miles 

Total in all 719 miles 

Apartment in Agen

Sheltering under the bridge for lunch

My bike by River Tarn 

Ponte d’eau at Montech 

Day 18

Enjoyed a leisurely day off. Steve up early at crack of dawn to watch rugby Rest of us up later and had a walk round the town Sue wanted to buy prunes as Agen is the prune capital of the area ! Andy contacted his sister’s pen friend who lives locally - he last saw her 50 years ago !- and we were invited round for an afternoon swim and stayed for dinner Made really welcome Very interesting time seeing their old farm house  and talking about all sorts. Jean Claude, Renee’s husband,spoke no English so we all tried our best franglais! 

Planning for rain tomorrow 

Renee ‘s House

Our apartment in Agen

Andy Sue Renee and me

Inside our Agen apartment