The next morning -- new vocab again -- il pleut comme des cordes (it's pouring!). I putter down the stairs to breakfast with Christophe and Nathalie, and they offer to have me stay another night. I'll see if the rain abates around noon. If yes, I should have enough time to get moving. I notice the paintings on the walls. Turns out, Christophe's the painter! He's seriously talented. Nathalie's father is a painter too, and his work is hung up all over the house. Nathalie is from Champagne, and our breakfast is partly made with food from her family's harvest. Christophe is from Orthez, about 20km from here. Christophe and Nathalie are both serious tango dancers, and even plan their vacations around tango festivals! They're in the midst of planning their tour in Denmark next summer. 

I give them both proper goodbye hugs as they leave for work -- my bike is prepped if it looks like I'll have the three-ish hours to make it to Dax, my next town. I am not taking the most direct route to the coast, but that's alright. 

Around noon, the rain abates, and I walk into town. Pretty much everything is closed, but I find a burger joint with a super slippery floor, where I meet a retired couple from Colorado who are doing the Chemin de Puy leading into the Camino de Santiago. After my burger, I head back to the house, and alas, the rain is back with a vengeance. I take a hot shower then call ahead to Dax to move my hotel reservation to tomorrow.

For dinner, we have raclette! I've had raclette before in Montreal, but I like it more at home with the mini-trays and DIY fun. A meal based on potatoes and cheese, and a glass of wine. Life is good!