Rural Wandering

No group plans as everyone has ideas for this own last day, and at what time etc etc

Leigh ends up riding into Spain through the tunnel d’aragnouet-Bielsa, JR and Leslie spin down the valley to Arreau for a coffee and return, Dave goes up to Pla d'Adet above town, and I take a rural spin that starts with the col Azet above town.

One hour straight up at 8%, then down the other side and by staying on the country roads it is quiet.

Turn left onto the D218 and all sign of noise disappears. Climbing in forest on a tar single lane road. It’s cool and quiet. But of course it is climbing. Around the shoulder through Ilhan and ascend slowly towards Grailhen.

Only see 4 cars in the total ride (and two of them are the same car passing twice)

The route is along a balcony above the valley of the Neste and the world is all below between the trees. Grailhen is a historic town with cobbles and old building close together.

Along some more, dropping slowly to Azet and then down to town for coffee, tart and quiche.

But there was more - as I rode the balcony I had spotted another small village stuck high in a remote valley on the otherside, and it draws me out of town again. Bt staying of the main roads I get to the base of the access and start up.

I had suspected it might be steep but it was consistently above 12 degrees - I expect it was about15 degrees. Lucky it’s narrow so not much sun as the day is now warm.

Aulon is stuck on a high rock at near the head of the valley, and today is a film site for a French movie. n a break in shooting I climb into town and reward myself with a boule of ice-cream.

It’s literally only several brake burning minutes back to the Saint Lary valley