Into the hills: Pezenas to Clermont d'Herault in a roundabout way
The hotel room I was in did not have any windows. Instead, a pair of skylights let in the dawn and told me that the sky was clear. Breakfast was the usual coffee, juice and croissant, much as I normally eat at home, and it was easy to get all things packed up and out the door by 9:00.
It took a few minutes to get out of traffic and onto quiet roads, but when I did the scenery was great. This redbud was but one of many to color the landscape.
On my way out of Mourèze, I came upon this memorial cemetery to those killed during the resistance in WWII. The maquis was particularly active in this area.
It was all down hill to Clermont d'Herault , which crossed as rapidly as I could given it was market day and the town was jammed with traffic. I got to St. André-de-Sangonis by lunch. Lunch of sausage and frites was tres ordinaire by French standards, but eating on the terrace in front of the café with this view of the clock tower compensated somewhat.
After a coke in a small café in St. Guilhem, I decided to ride back down the gorge looking for a place to spend the night. The view complete with cypress trees is one of the best reasons to tour in this part of France, don't you think?
At the foot of the gorge is le pont du diable, the devil's bridge. Built in the 11th century, it has been replaced by a wider bridge more suited to motorized traffic, but is still preserved for walkers and cyclists.
I struck out at the first couple of places I stopped. One was full and the other was in the midst of a remodeling before the summer season begins. Eventually, I found my way back to Clermont d'Herault where I found the hotel Terminus closed, but I called the number on the door and the proprietor was quickly found to let me in. A quiet dinner in a local pizzeria followed, and an early night.
Today's ride: 93 km (58 miles) Total: 209 km (130 miles)
