To La Franqui

May 17, 2024

Sometimes it is hard being a female cycle tourer

Our hotel in Narbonne was another well worn, but comfortable classic located right in the heart of the city. Nearby was also a great Les Halles so we decided to have our breakfast there. The large market halls in France are such a treat. Afterward we gathered our bikes from the hotel courtyard and made our way out of town.

Walking through the front doors at Les Halles de Narbonne.

I had a couple of these in my salad last night so I needed to investigate them. From the internet, ¨The sea knife – or solen – is a shell belonging to the Solenidae family. It owes its name to its knife-handle shape. Rich in protein, this mollusc of 10 to 20 cm long lives buried in the sand and is harvested at low tides along the Atlantic coast.¨

I asked for a double espresso. Not sure that I got it right because I received a full large cup of espresso. My old heart was racing by the end of it!

The centre of the city with Les Halles de Narbonne in the background.

Our route out of Narbonne. We rode the exact same track six years ago and it has not changed a bit. We left this goat path at the first opportunity for nearby small road. Don`t worry we will be back!

Lots of grapes being grown in this area.

Being on the road is usually not the most convenient place to be when you need to take a pee, especially for the ladies. Today Pat was looking for that nice secluded spot where she could just go off the path a short distance and find a bit of privacy. We found such a spot and she looked around carefully for other cyclists and any nearby buildings This location met all her somewhat stringent specifications. The coast was clear. I stand watch holding her bike and my job is to warn her of any unexpected traffic. Not too tough. In the distance I could see a car but still a ways down the small one lane road so I gave Pat fair warning. Pretty standard stuff - except for the car. As the car approached slowly I noticed that it was not a normal car at all. It was a car with many high definition 360 degree cameras on the roof! I howled in laughter as the Google Street View car cruised by Pat as she emerged from the woods. Now what are the chances of that!

What are the odds of hiding in the bushes when this thing comes along.

Google currently has about 250 Street View cars driving around on streets and freeways worldwide. Each car is equipped with 15 cameras that capture 360-degree views at a height of 8.2 feet.

We are in hysterics at this point! I am such a fan and have been filmed at least once before.

At this point we left the road and headed back onto the canal path to the right. This area is full of coastal lagoons and our route found some high ground right through the middle of them.

Riding was slow along the canal path but our planned distance of 40KM was relatively short and we were in no hurry. The scenery was very interesting. After 10KM along the dirt and gravel path we reached a road that took us through a large industrial port area and then to the small town of Port Nouvelle. A perfect spot for our coffee stop. Three kilometres beyond Port Nouvelle we again found ourselves on unpaved track but now we were right beside the Mediterranean. The rocky path was now loose stones and quite tricky to ride. We had made it to the east coast of France.

A rail line also runs through the wetlands.

Huge bodies of water on each side of the track.

WIth a bike on the side of the building it must be a great place for a beer too!

This is a tricky surface to ride on when the small wheels dig into the loose rock.

Do not clip into the pedals. You just never know when your wheel may go sideways.

Looks like rain on the horizon. Pat's jacket is inflated by the headwind!

Looking toward the Mediterranean that feeds the body of water beside us. There is a sandy strip on the horizon. We are staying somewhere along the base of the large bluff.

I climbed up beside the train track to look at the water on the other side. I zoomed in on a group of birds all together. Looking closely now, they appear to be flamingos.

Off the rock path and the beaten path for that matter. We are definitely in the boonies and at this point all our trust is in Garmin to get us there.

Our destination today was La Franqui. It is known to be very windy and Scott hoped that there may be some windsurf equipment rentals so that he could head out on a board. However, when we arrived in the afternoon there was no wind at all. It looks like a great small town and a wonderful place to sail so we will just have to come back when the wind picks up.

Our home for the night is a great place just off the beach with a nice water view.

This group was using foils but the wind was pretty light.

Promenade right along the beach in La Franqui.

Happy Birthday, Scott! How is it you always find such great places to celebrate your birthday?

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Today's ride: 41 km (25 miles)
Total: 387 km (240 miles)

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Jacquie GaudetHappy Birthday, Scott! Riding your bike is a great way to spend the day (or any day).
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7 months ago

Scott FenwickTo Jacquie GaudetThanks Jacquie. Have to agree with you and lately my birthday has been well placed!
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7 months ago