Tuesday 14/7/2020
From Tarascon-sur-Ariège, our route continues west through the Pyrenees direction Atlantic Coast. We get across several beautiful passes in the "Massif de l'Arise". Rich valleys, deep green colours everywhere, an almost abandoned countryside. A few farmhouses, small villages, a river along the road, that's it.
View on the Chateau in Alos.
One of the most pretty villages on our route is definitely Saint-Lizier.
Small gardens hide behind pretty houses and massif wooden doors.
We have a snack in a small restaurant & bar. The young team of owners offer organic veggies they grow nearby.
Homemade pesto with nettle, mint and some local cheese. Pear juice and really good coffee. Delicious.
A small alley goes up to the "Palais des Evêques" through gardens with olive trees, meadows and a view on the beautiful valley beneath.
Lunch with a view on one of the many valleys we cross.
Majestic Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges dominating the region from its position on the hill.
Since I always wanted to visit the Gascogne (Armagnac, foie gras, cochons noirs) - and which is not far away from the Pyrenees - we do a little detour going North into the Gers region before returning back to the mountains and joining Biarritz (at least that's the plan).
Landscape becomes less hilly, endless corn fields (food for the gooses), sunflowers, very pretty wooden farmhouses with slate roofs.
Final destination for today (by the way 14th July = French National Day) is a small campsite in the centre of the Gascogne.
There is even a sandy beach and a lake where we can swim and have a couple of drinks at the bar.
After approx 2.000 km and a million bents further down the road, my tires are completely worn out. Should have mounted new ones before that trip ?!
Not sure we get back to Belgium on these socks ...
