The lady who rented me the gîte pèlerin (for 20 euros) warned me that I had to leave by 7 a.m. at the latest because Saturday is market day, and the market is set up right in front of the pilgrim house. Markets are sacred here, and when I opened the front door to take my bike outside at 7 a.m., a light truck was already parked with two wheels on the sidewalk. I had to take the bags off my bike, park the bike a bit further away, and reload it. A little after 7:15 a.m., I was already riding on the D35 toward Bédarieux, with my final destination being Salvetat-sur-Agout, a journey of just under 90 km.
The Parc Régional du Haut Languedoc, early in the morning
It's cool, and the sun is just starting to rise over the horizon. The road immediately begins to climb and continues to rise for 25 km, reaching over 600 meters. The scenery becomes more and more beautiful as I cycle through the Parc Régional du Haut Languedoc. It’s difficult to regularly find the Voie d’Arles by bike because the Camino first runs through the Cévennes and then through the Haut-Languedoc, with the first major city being Castres, which I’ll pass through tomorrow. The nature here is stunning, as you can see in the photos. After the first col, five kilometers with a gradient of 9.7%, I see a "bravo" sign along the road. Then there’s a long descent, but I never let my bike roll faster than 45 km/h. It's downhill all the way to Bédarieux, where I find myself on the D908.
"Bravo" sign along the side of the road. The stunning landscapes. Bédarieux
Near the beautiful old railway bridge, a Frenchman on a bike says a friendly good morning. He also has heavy bags with him and tells me he's been on a cycling trip for a month. He's an IT engineer in Toulouse and is named Ulysses; his parents, lovers of travel, gave him a name that inspires dreams of adventures, and he enjoys traveling by bike himself. He advises me to take a nearby voie verte that passes through the beautiful village of Olargues, from where I can take the very steep Col de Fontfroide, climbing to over 900 meters. Twenty kilometers past that, I'll be back on the Voie d’Arles in Salvetat-sur-Agout. This voie verte (on an old railway line) is simply magnificent, not far from the old pilgrim route. It runs halfway up the hillsides in a dug-out bed that gently climbs through a series of tunnels. You can see many old villages lying below you as you ride along this voie verte. It's an effort that’s rewarded with breathtaking landscapes. This is how I reach the beautifully situated Olargues.
Ulysses; The old railway bridge and Olargues
Immediately outside Olargues, the challenge begins again as I have to take the D14 toward the dreaded Col de Fontfroide. There’s a sign warning of an 11 km climb at a 6.9% gradient. I have to stop three times to catch my breath, pour part of a water bottle over my head, and drink the rest. The stretch before the summit is breathtakingly beautiful, with a truly rugged rocky landscape.
Olargues and the steep way to the Col de Fontfroide
Five hundred meters downhill, the landscape changes to a hilly agricultural area with fields that have been mowed and rolls of straw ready to be transported. There are lots of trees again and many small streams. Around 1:45 p.m., I reach Le Salvetat-sur-Agout, about seven hours after leaving Lodève. The tourist office is closed, but I eat my picnic there. Soon after, I get the key to the pilgrim house and can settle in. I only see one other pilgrim in the room next to mine.First, I shower and tend to the wound on my buttock, and then I explore the village.
Down in the valley. Le Salvetat-sur-Agout. Office du tourisme
It’s a typical round fortified village on top of a hill. Not very attractive, but known as a stopover village for pilgrims. I follow the historical circuit through the village, passing through small doors, alleys, and stairways.
After a simple meal, I start writing my blog. I have been searching for pilgrims on the road, but I see very few. Some say that most pilgrims don’t start walking again until early September. Yesterday, I was alone in the pilgrim house in Lodève with eight beds spread over three rooms, with only one pilgrim (myself). Today, there are nine beds spread over three rooms, and again we are only two. So we each took a room for ourselves. This is a pilgrim room provided by the municipality for 10.85 euros per night. You get a paper undersheet and a pillowcase to throw in the trash bin in the morning.
Le Salvetat-sur-Agout. The second pilgrim in the gîte
Tomorrow, I’ll head over Castres to Avignonnet-en-Louregais along the A-road from Toulouse to Narbonne, 100 km from our house there. Then I'll be close to the beautiful Canal du Midi, but there won’t be time to visit our house. Peter and his partner Kim are coming to see me, and then we can enjoy a nice dinner together. The last few days have been wonderful in terms of nature, following the overwhelming cultural experiences in Arles and St. Gilles. I’ve sweated a lot, but it feels good, and Rientje is enjoying the ride on the back of my bike.
コメント