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| Tonight, beside this glacial river |
Finally, after a warm, humid
night with a bit of rain, the air cleared this morning to a very pleasant 21
degrees. Such a contrast to yesterday. It was a leisurely start as we enjoyed
the cooler air. Decided to head today high up into the Pyrenees close to the
Spanish border.
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| Gravestone in the cemetery beside last nights camp. |
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| We pass through so many old towns. |
Headed east to St-Gaudens after
picking up a few supplies. Eating so much fruit, especially the apricots which
are still in full season and so sweet and juicy. Followed the D125 south to
Bagneres-de-Luchon. It was another particularly great drive with surprisingly little
traffic, through some very rich land, lots of maize being grown as well as
large paddocks of sunflowers, all with heads but only an odd flower. Guess it
will be another week yet, can just imagine what they will look like. Hoping
that I will get to see them before we head too far north.
Delighted to spot an outdoor
laundry at an Intermarche Supermarket as badly needed to get the sheets and
towels washed. Parked up and in an hour we are squeaky clean again. Manage to
keep on top of the hand washing of our clothes which have been drying in no
time at all, but sheets are a bit of an issue.
Then we started the climb to the
Pol de Peyresourde, a winding steep road that took us right up into the
mountains at just over 1500 metres. The views were stunning, high mountains
around us with snow still in the valleys, bringing back memories of Norway but
the roads were a little wider!! It seems that Route 12 on the 15th
July of the Tour de France this year will be climbing up the route we drove up
today, and when they get to the top, they continue on a smaller road to the
peak with a 12% climb to the finish of the stage. Would love to see it, but
realise how difficult it would be on these roads with the 1000’s of motorhomes
that follow the tour.
The Pyrenees really are different
to what I imagined, somehow I thought they would be more arid, but they remind
me of images I have seen of the Swiss Alps. Dropped down to 1000 metres to
Loudervielle, a ski town on a lake with a very pleasant Aire, not on the lake
but very close to it. And sitting outside writing this blog I am even
considering putting a jumper on!!!
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| Houses clinging to the mountain sides and tucked down in the valleys. |
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| The road to the col. |
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| ...and over the top. |
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| ....and down the other side. |
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| Wildflowers. |
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