Today was the first day I truly reconnected with the joy of cycle touring. After a solid night's sleep in Moissac (we woke up at 9!), we were on the road by 10:20, riding along the canal with the mist of the morning still upon us. As I mentioned, Moissac is on the Chemin de Compostelle, and there were many more people walking the Canal de la Garonne than cycling; but cyclists and walkers had two things in common: a smile on their face and a hearty bonjour for their fellow travellers. Riding in the fresh spring air, birds singing, the love of my life rolling along beside me—what more could a man ask for?
At one point, we stopped to take a picture where the Garonne and canal come quite close together, and Sonia struck up a conversation with some pilgrims. Turns out, everyone was heading to the town of Auvillar, which had been on Sonia's list of possible places see and/or stay at. So, although it is a a few kilometres off the canal route, we decided to head "on road" to check it out.
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| La Garonne |
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| Sonia chats with some pilgrims |
Auvillar is (of course) perched atop a hill (can't let the pilgrims have it too easy), so getting there was a rude awakening for our legs, which had not encountered much incline at all thus far. But it was an effort well-rewarded. Auvillar is one of those lovely well-preserved Medieval fort towns that one finds in Europe and that never seem to disappoint. We looked in the Église Saint-Pierre and trundled around the old town, where we came across the cutest little postage stamp of a park that absolutely commanded us to stop and have our lunch there.  |
| L'église Saint-Pierre |
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| The clock tower at Auvillar |
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| The perfect picnic spot |
Then it was back down the hill and down the road to Valance d'Agen (where we had planned to sleep last night, if you recall), and onto to the canal once more. From there, we rode past the Golfech nuclear station and several other little towns, stopping occasionally to rest, until we reached Agen and the exquisite little Airbnb suite we had rented for the evening. After showering and settling in, we went to explore the lovely old section of town, much of which is blocked from car traffic, which always makes things more pleasant. Then it was back to the apartment to make a simple supper, drink a glass of wine (graciously provided by our host), and begin the search for tomorrow's digs; and of course writing this chronicle.  |
| Sans commentaire |
It feels like this tour is well and truly underway now.
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