We instantly warm to the idea of taking the train to Narbonne when we wake up this morning, check the weather, and look out the window. We already know we’re Narbonne-bound today because we’ve already booked a hotel there; but lying in bed in the dark this morning and not hearing the roar of the wind for the first time since arriving it crossed my mind to look again at the possibility of just biking there. That’s obviously not happening though - it’s 37 degrees out when I first check the weather, and with a 30 mph wind it allegedly feels like 28. Bad enough, but it gets worse - it’s due to be showery off and on all morning, with even the possibility of snow showers.
No, not a day to bike north for 45 miles. I don’t even need to ask for a second opinion from the other half of the team. It will feel adventuresome enough just biking the flat mile to the train station.
Not as nice out as it looks here. You can’t see the wind, but the fresh snow in the foothills offers a clue.
There are many reasons that France is probably our favorite country to bike in, but its train system is certainly a factor. It’s not like our ride across Michigan last summer when we would have liked the train option to avoid some serious rain. We were lucky enough to be in one the rare American cities to have train service, and there actually was a train scheduled for the day we were interested in - leaving at the impossible hour of 3 AM.
Things look different here. I consult the SNCF schedule and see that there are 21 different trains leaving for Narbonne today, down a bit from yesterday’s 24 because this is the weekend now. We have our bicycles so we want the regional train (the TER) rather than the high-speed TGV because we can just wheel them on for free; so that limits us to only about eight choices today. Good enough though.
We look over the options, decide the one that leaves at 12:07 is perfect, and set about ticketing ourselves in the comfort of our cozy hotel room. It’s super-easy now - we download the SNCF Connect app to Rachael’s phone, register ourselves, purchase our tickets, and get our email confirmation and QR codes. Much easier than what we’ve always done in the past - arrive early, check the departures sheet to see which trains take bikes, and then find an agent or kiosk to buy our tickets from. No anxiety about what problematic conditions we might find at the station - kiosks with waiting lines, impatient agents who claim to speak no English and don’t understand my sorry excuse for French.
Just one more reason to love cycling in France, as if one were needed.
The one mile ride to the station was just as much fun as we predicted it would be; but at least it stayed dry. We had allowed plenty of time, so boarding as was stress-free as we ever expect a train connection to be. There was an elevator taking us down to the passageway between the tracks large enough to fit in a small bike without standing it on end; but even better would be if there was an elevator taking you up again at the other end. And boarding the train was a simple matter of just rolling the bikes on (no steps!) and hanging the bikes up the wall. Then we settled in for a relaxing 45 minute ride, looking out the windows from time to time to watch for flamingos on the lagoons.
A cold wait. The wind was blowing through the station, straight up our backs.
We arrived in Narbonne at one, disappointed that there were no elevators at either end of this tunnel but relieved that the freezing precipitation wasn’t heavier than it was on our half mile ride to our hotel. It’s rounding up a bit, but we feel fully entitled to crediting ourselves with two miles for the day. We earned them!
Then, straight to lunch at Chambourlettes, a lovely small restaurant alongside the canal that unfortunately is closed Sundays or we’d probably go there tomorrow as well.
After lunch Rachael went to the store and then hustled back to the room to thaw out while I zigzagged through town until I couldn’t take it any more. This is the fourth time we’ve stayed in Narbonne, one of our favorite cities in the country. It’s one of those places we’ve fantasized about living some day, although today’s conditions are enough to make us think again.
The Robine canal lends so much color to Narbonne. Even on a cold and grey day like this its beauty comes through.
Keith AdamsMostly it's closed-in windows. Doors are utilitarian, windows... admit light. Thanks for thinking of me! :) Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsMaybe it was a later factor, but it sounds like the main cause was political and economics. Narbonne was sacked by the Black Prince in the 100 Years war, and construction of the cathedral ceased somewhere around that time. One reference I found said that there was an unwillingness to continue quarrying the town’s fortifications for building materials for the cathedral. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
The unfinished cathedral presents evocative views from many perspectives. The last time we saw it was in a late November when it was adorned with an red ribbon making it look like an enormous Christmas present.
