Le Lot and Quercy Regions

14/5 - 22/5
Ended up spending 4 nights at BSD as hoped, and did day rides around the local area, which was just beautiful. The weather wasn't great the first day or two, so rides were short, but it was great to go home to the hostel with a great big open fire place.

Have decided that non-cyclists really don't understand the meaning of "no hills" as we discovered that a recommended route near BSD was VERY hilly!! Met some other cyclists from Paris at BSD, who were lots of fun, and even got an offer for accommodation once we are in London, with one lady's daughter.

The guy at the hostel (called Guy!!) gave me a beautiful key that could be hundreds of years old!! It lives around my neck!!

After leaving BSD we continued south to the Lot Valley and then onto the Cele Valley, so the cycling was easier along the rivers, except the first 6 km which was straight uphill. Thankfully we got a phonecall at the top, so it was a good excuse for a break!!

We stayed in "Gites" which are like hostels, but located in really small country towns rather than the cities.

One Gite was in the belltower of an old Church and we were near the top. Many of the people staying in the Gites are walking the St Jaques de Compostelle trails, which lead through France to Spain and then onto Santiago (Spanish west coast). Some have been walking for 3 months so far and have more to go!!

Met Mary and Bob, who are from USA but now live in France, so they can cycle (half their luck). They have a tandem that can be pulled apart into 3 bits, and they were also towing a trailer (keen!!). They gave us lots of good advice about cycling in France and suggested a couple of routes to do, but at this stage we can't fit them in.

Met a family from Toulousse when staying near Rocamadour (another medieval village) and they have invited us to come to stay with them on the weekend, so we are going to, that should be fun. This means changing plans a bit, so now we can do the Midi Canal, which Mary and Bob recommended. Yay.

Did a great cave tour at Padric, that involved a boat ride on an underwater river, which was fun and amazing. Headed off to Cahors on the tandem our way to catch the train to Toulousse to visit with Beatrice, Christophe and Elma (our new friends from Rocamadour).