Day 13 – to Morlaàs (near Pau)

128 km
Just as it was time to wake up it started to rain in Castéra-Verduzan. I packed all things n then had breakfast, but it remained to rain. In the wash- and toilet building a Dutch couple was waiting there; they just were able to draw their tent etc into the building, before the heavy rain started. We chatted about this cycle route – We met earlier sometimes on the road. They started in Maastricht 2,5 weeks ago.
About 9:15 the rain was nearly gone and I  started to pack my wet tent and started the trip for today. In The small village Biran I made a short stop to look inside the nice church.
In the valley of the Baïse it started to rain again, so I continued in rain clothes until Montesquiou, where I had my lunch break and the heavy rain had stopped. The sun did not show up today and from time to time there was a very slight rain.
This part of the track was on partly on roads with car and truck traffic and there were a lot of steep ascends and descends to cross hills of about 120 m height difference.
The route sometime stayed at height and between the grey clouds I could see parts of the high Pyrenees south of Lourdes.
After buying food and fuel in a supermarket I could pitch my wet ten in wet grass. Under the tent it became dry – thanks to the wind.
Paul

Day 12 – to Castera-Verduza

118 km
In the south of Castelnau-Montratier an impressive church with a large cupola is overlooking the valley. From that point the cycle track was descending  until the Tarn and Garonne valley. Both rivers join near Moisssac and also a canal, that is a continuation of the Canal du Midi. The cycle route follows the canal some kilometers until Malauae and then crosses the Garonne near Auvillar. Some pedestrian pilgrims are on the route here as well as in the next villages like Flamarens and Miradoux. In Lectoure an electrical driven cycle overtook me with rather high speed on an ascending part of the road. I wonder if the energy in the battery is sufficient for one day and if the battery is full overnight.
Lecture is -as many of the pilgrims villages- situated on the top of an hill. Pilgrims disappear here under the tourist crowds.
The Cathedral St. Gervais is the optical center of the town.
In the next village Terraube is quiet again and the cycle route has ups and downs, each with an height difference of about 60 meters.
At the end of the day I arrived on a camping with a lot of French disco music, due to the BBQ party. I could not join, because everyone had to being his own meat.
Paul

Day 11 – to Castelnau-Montrarier

96 km
The day startet with a very light rain, nothing for rainwear on a bike. After a short downhill into the Ouysse valley beneath Rocamadour I had a nice climb at they opposite valley side with nice views to the historical town.
As I passed the next village Couzou the rain become strong and after a short pause in the dry toilet building I took my rain clothes and had to wear them for the next 5 hours. The track came through the pilgrim villages Carlucet and Montfaucon. From la Bastide on there was a slight ascend through the Vers valley until I reached the river Lot. Because the road to Cahors on north bank has heavy traffic, the cycle track takes the south bank, or better the high bank, because the track climbs about 60m. In the valley is an disused railway. It would be nice if that could be converted in a cycle path.
Cahors was overcrowded by tourists, maybe because at the time I rode through it, the sun was shining for an hour or so.
I had seen Cahors earlier, so I  did not stay long there and continued the cycle track to the south.
The last kilometers before the day target it started to rain again. From the main street of Castelnau there was no sign to the camping, but as I  arrived at the place, marked on my GPS, I was lucky
Some later on the camping a Spanish cyclist arrived. He spoke German and was on the return trip from his tour from Madrid to Luxembourg.
Paul