Le Grau du Roi to Sète

October 1, 2024

Boats, Horses, Flamingos

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The difference between yesterday and today, to use a time worn phrase, was like chalk and cheese. We woke up this morning to a favourable weather forecast, and were surprised by fog!! So we layered up, because at home fog means it is cold, and stepped outside to foggy warm weather. I am still not sure how that was possible, but it was warm. So there was the fog, and today’s ride was very urban for the most part.

Good thing we didn’t splash out the extra Euros for an ocean view!

We enjoyed our breakfast on the fourth floor, with the above foggy view, and then headed out in the opposite direction of our destination, to see the marina at the other end of town.

The number of boats in this marina was vast.

We left town to discover you don’t really leave town. It was solid development with many large condominium buildings for, I kid you not, 9 km. It reminded us of the Algarve or Mexico resort cities. Seems all we northerners want a warm place to go in the winter. The advantage to all this development was a bike lane literally all day. Not the quiet bucolic variety of yesterday, but great car free riding with the occasional quiet city street or rural road thrown in. The bike lane was very well used which was good to see.

The pyramids. That is actually what they call them.

Then we were in the park and the riding was more peaceful for a number of km. Of course we popped out at another town and the development started all over again.

I was thinking it was going to be like this all day.

Back to urban riding, but it was interesting. Check out that car.

Then we were surrounded by water (and a four lane highway), but the bike lane was impeccable. There were flocks and flocks of flamingos. It never gets old and on a bike you can just stop and admire.

We stood for quite a while and just watched.

I had my headphones in and was dancing down the track. Don’t worry, first sign of messing with traffic I take them out. Safety first!

We met this lovely couple from Besançon on the bike route and again in Sète.

We stopped for our picnic in a wee village and then carried on into Sète, which is the only spot we didn’t have a bike lane for a bit and it was chaotic. When we walked back for dinner we realized we had missed the bike lane. It was there all the time.

How did a pinto pony get in this journal?

From the rooftop patio of our hotel. The bike lane is there if you look.

We walked into town for an explore and dinner. It was a beautiful Mediterranean seaside walk. Sète itself is charming. We will have another look in the morning, but tomorrow we are taking a train to Toulouse. If we are going to be in Zurich for our flight home in two and a half weeks we need a boost!

More boats. Look at all the masts in the background. It would be really interesting to know how many days in a year these boats are used. There weren’t many out today.

Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 1,219 km (757 miles)

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Anne MathersI stayed in one of those hotels way back in 1980. I remember looking out the window first thing in the morning to see they were setting up the market. I was bursting with that ‘lucky me’ feeling. I had fallen firmly in love with cycling in France at that point. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. What a grand time you two are having!
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