Day 11: Beziers

In the afternoon, I made a fast ride out to Narbone, which took just a couple of hours in spite of my Tyre which persists in leaking (Chris had the spare, and I forgot to take it from him before we parted company). It was quite pleasant with the mountains to the South on my right, and just the occasional bluff or small peak to my left. It was largely flat, with the occasional ridge to get over.

Probably the most interesting point was entering Narbone, at which point I was overtaken by three huge Armored Personnel Carriers. They were going only slightly faster than me, and I couldn't help by feel uneasy at the burly French soldier with a heavy machine gun who was looking down at me from the top of the APC with a look that seemed to say "foreign flag = target practice".


I had a meal in the square in Narbone. Narbone is quite a pretty town with a canal in addition to the array of medevil structures sported by all the cities of the region. Even so my three-wheeled touring bike was stealing a lot of attention from the various monuments that surrounded it, whilst I watched the watchers with amusement.

I then headed on to Beziers. The region I passed through as I approached Carcassonne had been planted with fields of Sunflowers. Between Carcassonne and Narbone the countryside had been largely uncultivated and had a desolate look to it. After Narbone though, I had the classic French scene of vineyards on the hill sides. I had seen one or two in the area of Saint Gaudens, but this was the first time I had come across extensive fields of grapes. It was a pleasing to reflect on the fact that I had pedaled my way through those different environments.
Once I had turned north at Narbone though, the wind conditions were seriously unfavorable. I was once again pedaling down hills.

Having resolved not to go to Millau, as in the absence of a civil-engineer or other traveling companion I failed to see the point, I passed strait through Beziers. I was followed for a while by some young people in a convertible shouting "Allez, Allez" at me, after I sprinted by them up a hill.


The canal at Audge. I suspect I could have had a rather more pleasant ride had I simply followed it from Narbone or Beziers, but I wasn't sure where it went as it bizarrely didn't appear on the map I obtained at the tourist office.

Having been steered back in-land by dodgey signage, I ended up camping for the night at Audge.


The many days of bad weather had meant I had harnessed little solar power in the early part of my trip, so I found my self returning to my old tactic of keeping the solar panels on the rack whilst I rode along. This was effective enough for me to pop online for a few minutes in a McDonalds.

It wasn't a great camp site; my emplacement was clearly intended for caravans rather than tents. Even so I made some soup and crepes, and read "the curious case of Bengamin Button" which was all quite pleasant in the warm glow of my gas lantern.


Coffee, a chicken minestrone and some crepes; a good dinner, well earned.


This might be the most successful attempt at crepes I have ever made; it must be something about being in France.