Bike Lourdes Arties Six Seven

Sometimes you win some and you lose some...we have lost twice.

Woke to expected rain for our trip to Lourdes, France. Decided to take the practical route and miss the windy, secondary roads suggested by the company. In the periods of rain, it made sense. We paid about 15 euros in tolls, but the journey was smooth. We stopped for a cuppa at a roadhouse and I felt at home. I finally could read the signs and ask for exactly what we wanted. We were in France!
Despite the humdrum of an autoroute, one could still see that the area was lush, green and fertile.
Taking the secondary road to Lourdes was a relief as the trucks disappeared and the rain had eased.

Lourdes. I remember seeing a movie about the miracle at Lourdes when I was a child. The young girl seeing numerous visions of the Virgin Mary in a cave near the village.  Declared genuine by the hierarchy, the site is a major pilgrimage site for Catholics. The town caters for all aspects of a visit. Next to the grand cathedral built for worshippers are multitudes of hotels. We viewed the scenes from the 12 century fortress.  I was surprised to see that the cave is so accessible and in fact a service was taking place when I wandered.
Forecasts said that the rain had stopped and today would be fine. Today would be the highlight of The Pyrenees, riding over the various peaks famous in Le Tour. Or not.😢
There was unseasonal snow on the peaks. The cold rain fronts had brought snow. So like this year’s Tour where a day was thwarted by unseasonal snow, we were stopped in our tracks. Yes, I was very disappointed but we could not traverse unknown mountainous roads on perhaps-slush. The news reports joyously announced this event as a positive prelude for a great snow season. They ignored two disappointed Aussies.
Dolefully, common sense prevailed and we followed the alternate route provided by the company to cover such a circumstance!!!
The foothills continued to be pretty although it was definitely cold today and I wore every layer that I had. The typical French villages rolled by, as at least the route avoided highways. We stopped for a compensatory cuppa and cake at a patisserie. Well actually, cake bought first and then the walk to the Tabac. We were totally amused by the owner’s dog sitting on the counter.
The valleys were indeed lovely and we were following the Garonne River...or Garona in Spanish as we are now back in Spain. This valley is the Aran and is an incredibly popular winter playground. Grand chalet accommodation is prolific but at the moment, all closed up! We are in one of those too cute Tyrolean-typevillages. Having arrived here early...grrr...we booked in , removed the panniers and returned to the larger Vielha for lunch. Too much food as the order was confused between the waiter and us. Language!
Wandering our smaller village in the afternoon was delightful. Today has been my day of moaning, but tomorrow will be another day. There is a convenient restaurant in a little square nearby, and the kitchen is open before 8pm. Bonus.