After a rest day, we started with some concerns about rain in the forecast. Turned out to be an ideal day with tail winds, partially overcast, no rain, and mostly small lanes through vineyards or smooth "D" roads with light traffic.
Tomorrow looks to be wet. We have booked a place in St. Cyprien-Plage on the Mediterranean Coast for tomorrow. It is an apartment with a pool, and we spotted a clothes washer in the background. So, our prospect is rain, hopefully a tail wind, cool temperatures, and maybe a bit of a challenge. Probably not pool or beach weather, but we have kept the distance at 40 miles.
Robin's Room, the Morning View.
I recommend if staying in Carcassonne.
Michael: Are they ever going to be ready? To be fair, after banging around on rough roads, Robin lost a bolt on his pannier, Michael had a spare bolt, and John helped him with the repair.
Dog of the Day #1. Morning walkies with the bin nearby.
Two asses in the field.
**** Lodging. Ok, with pool & tennis—not the spot for cycle tourists.
Beautiful Riding.
Inspecting the vines.
If the street splits, just make the corner house narrower at the intersection.
Modest Patio.
Most of our day involved riding through the vineyards of Corbieres. The yellow pouch is a back pack where harvesters place the grapes.
Plat du jour Chef. I wasn't hungry enough for this one—large steak, deep fried potatoes, tomatoes, special apple pie and coffee. I had a wonderful chicken, tomato, lettuce, and cheese in a baguette. Robin, the sometime vegetarian, was eying my sandwich.
Michale Makes Another Friend. Having the best French language skills of the group and a natural inquisitiveness, Michael struck up a conversation. He stated: He drinks white wine with fish, and rose for everything else. Adamant. In this largely red wine region, red wine was not on his list of approved beverages.
Drink Driving? OK, drink driving is the British term, drunk driving is the American term. I guess the driver should have been on a bicycle. Bike crashes cost less and the injuries are usually minor.
Happy Harvesters. Most of the harvest is complete. Harvest began 2 weeks early this year, and the quality rates as perhaps the top three of the century.
Harvest Foreman.
We arrived at Chez Lola an hour before our rooms were available. Lola recommended the bar down the street, but I recalled a Cave on the way into Durban. (In France, Cave's sell wine.) Seems the owner made wine, operated as a cooperative, and sold other Corbieres Appellation wines. We all tasted the premium red blend (fair amount of tannin), white or blanc (ok but unremarkable), rose (quite good, especially if consumed when sitting in the sun), and the rouge (1005 merlot). We agreed on the merlot (.8 euros for the 2 liter container plus the wine), for a total cost of 5 euros.
Lola offered to make dinner, a much better dinner than the local restaurant. Only one restaurant is open on Monday evening, so the merlot is evaporating rapidly as we wait for Lola to call us to dinner.
Our dinner began with fresh, sliced tomatoes in olive oil, followed by a main course of shredded pork cooked in white wine for 8 hours, rice, and lentils. The main was followed by flan, a custard, and then a three-cheese assortment of brie, Swiss, and a blue cheese. Lola added a bottle of her vin rouge, a 2016 blend of syrah and grenache. A superb meal.
Happy Tasters. Yes, that's our 2 litter take out on the counter.
Church After Wine. With another 30 minutes to spare before cracking open our wine-by-the-liter, we went to church. Story below.
John Spotted the Price List. Baptisms, marriages, and funerals.
Remaining Chateau Walls.
Dog of the Day. Old and in the sun. Never moved, despite the barking dog in the next yard.
Lola Make Wine. Our bikes are sharing her garage.
Hallway outside our rooms at Chez Lola. John and Robin rehashing the day.
Rooming With Michael. Pretty nice.
Chez Lola Living Room. Kitchen behind the brick supports.
Chez Lola. Note the tasteful sign. Yes, what sign, but the house number was correct and maps.me said we were there. Seems that Lola makes wine, preserves, and all sorts of other things.
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