To Cahor

Day 9 Cordes sur Ciel to Cahor (88km)

Dull grey start fining out into a hot sunny day by Cahor

We decide not to have the expensive breakfast in the sister hotel to ours but to make an earlyish start and look for a suitable café. The departure plan is for us both to carry our baggage to the town gate and then for John to return to the hotel courtyard and push the trike down to Sheila and the bags. A fairly lengthy process but much less struggle than coming in. All set up we whizz down to the main road junction at the foot of the town and after trying one café with croissants only, cross the road to a Salon de Thé that serves us an excellent breakfast.

A bit of food shopping and we are ready for the off. The first part of our route out is on a fairly main road, but not too busy. We have a choice when we get to the junction that would take us back onto our planned route to Cahor via an arrowed climb up onto the causse. Head for the hills or continue on the road we are on following the Cérou valley? We opt for the latter. Excellent decision, we follow a wide smooth scenic road with virtually no cars, falling gently downhill along the valley. Very happily and with no effort we speed along at 35kph. When our valley meets that of the Aveyron Sheila pilots us off onto a minor road part way and then across the main road onto another minor road, again downhill or flat all the way. The Aveyron becomes increasingly spectacular with large cliffs to the valley sides until it brings us into St Antonin Noble Val back on our planned route. Full marks to the navigator.

After a short comfort stop, we head on, but now have to engage the legs because it is time to climb onto the top of the causse. We travel through a vast military zone, with signs forbidding one to leave the road. A sort of French Salisbury plain, but undulating with some steepish hills. Various military bases are seen and the few vehicles on the road are either army vehicles or anonymous white coaches carrying soldiers. The road surface leaves a lot to be desired impeding downhill speeding in order not to bounce the rear passenger out of her seat.

We stop in Caylus to do some shopping. The town’s main road (which is not on our route) is quite steep and busy, so there is the constant noise of heavy vehicles ascending or descending in low gear, which must be quite tiresome for the locals. John parks the trike on the sloping pavement with the front wheels securely turned in to a low wall and we both go into the grocers for shopping. While contemplating what to have for lunch Sheila gives a shout as through the shop window she sees the trike’s flagpole going backwards and then forwards. We exit with some loud remonstrations. The over inquisitive have not just tried a bit of regular poking but have pulled the trike backwards freeing the front wheels and leaving it ready to freewheel down the hill to oblivion. Some strong words issued by Sheila whose French vocabulary is much more comprehensive than John’s.

We wheel the trike down the pavement and sit on a wall to consume our cold drinks. While there we are engaged in a bicycles conversation by a Brit living in France. He cycles a bit and wants to buy a road bike for all-year use to which he can attach mudguards. Not an easy thing to find in France. Although it is the land of the vélo, there is not much on offer between a utility machine and a vast choice of out and out sportive cycles.

In increasingly hot sunshine, through Lacapelle, Livron and Jamblusse to reach the small village of Bach, where an inviting bench by the village cross indicates that it is picnic lunchtime. The route on continues to be ‘lumpy’ through Escamps and Laburgade until our final downhill run to Cahor in the Lot valley. Into the town centre and stop at the OdT for information. Sheila plus GPS then takes us smoothly through town to our hotel. Very friendly reception and trike parked in garage.

After S&W we return to reception on our way out and Sheila asks for restaurant recommendations from the hotel patron and young girl at receptions. Sheila’s normal gambit is to ask, “where would you go to eat if you were paying, not the boyfriend?”

They agree on two and we note the one favoured by the young girl who is probably on a lower personal budget. Sunny weather to explore the riverside and follow a gardens and historic buildings trail. Some of the ‘gardens’ are quite hard to find and some are no more than roadside planters, but an enjoyable walk nonetheless.

After a spell having pre-dinner drinks in a town centre café, we head back to our restaurant in the old town. Good choice, good meal and not expensive. We are lucky that we went early, because by 8 pm it is full and there is then a steady stream of people turned away.

DAY 10