I left you in Castres, in the delightful London room of the Hotel de l'Europe. Whatever plans we had for a leisurely lie-in were cut short upon looking at the weather forecast. Heading our way was a nasty storm, so we hurriedly got our stuff together, had a quick instant coffee from the selection in our room (I took a cappuccino which was quite filling - luckily), and jumped on the bike.
The previous evening had been mild and pleasant. The following morning was cold and damp. We set off into a misty 12°C along the D622 to Brassac, not seeing much.
Limited views of the countryside
I did note along the way an intriguing signpost to the "Trembling Rock of Seven Fakes" (Rocher tremblant de Sept Faux). It's one of the snazzier natural features of the granite that makes up the Sidobre site, a unique geological area 15 km long by 6.6 wide and 7.5-20 km deep. Along the road you can see giant granite boulders among the trees. The trembling rock is so-called because despite its 900 tonnes, you can move it with a mere wooden stick.
We outran the rain, thank goodness but the weather stayed cold and misty until we crossed into Hérault where it turned warm and sunny HURRAH!
Sunny St-Pons-de-Thomières
By this time, we were in search of breakfast, or brunch as it was pretty late. We stopped at a boulangerie, but they had nothing but unappetising croissants. I'm on a gluten-free kick at the moment to see if it has any effect on my joints, so I wasn't going to jeopardise that for a dodgy croissant. So far eating thusly hasn't had a noticeable effect but I've only been eating gluten-free for a couple of weeks. It takes several weeks to see a difference so I'm told. Unfortunately.
We continued on towards Bedarieux, going past the lovely village of Olargues (a PBV).
Olargues
And on to Bedarieux where hunger got the better of me and we stopped at MacDo for a chevre wrap. It was either that or just a measly salad. I was sure my joints could survive a wrap...
At Carlencas we turned off the main road and rode towards the Lac de Salagou. It was there we came into red hill country.
The red stone is locally called 'ruffe' which is a name particular to Hérault, from the Occitan word 'rufa' (from the Latin rufus - red). It's made up of clay sediments and iron oxide.
The pale area is a wheat field
My DB said it reminded him of certain landscapes in the US.
A landscape of contrasts
Every now and then, you can see a basalt chimney which is evidence of intense volcanic activity in the distant past.
Basalt chimney near La Lieude
We were on a small road, all the better to admire the dramatic scenery.
Between the layers of rock you can find a thin layer of shells
You sometimes see messages written in shells. Usually a declaration of undying love within a heart. So romantic.
A look-out post has been built on this basalt chimney
Near the hamlet of La Lieude is a basalt chimney with a look-out post. I think you can walk up to it which I'm sure gives a fantastic panorama over the area.
Love the stripy vineyard
At Salasc, we turned up in the direction of Octon and the lake.
Octon
Most people were enjoying lunch out on terrasses, including a large number of bikers. We didn't stop, having had our delicious MacDo wrap in the elegant surroundings of the commercial zone of Bedarieux...
Love this chappy, me hearties!
I've never noticed this little guy before. I don't know if he's a recent addition, but isn't he fab? He stands proud over the camp site.
Lac de Salagou, ruins of village of Celles in the distance
There's an excellent restaurant on the hills overlooking the lake and ruined village of Celles. At least it was excellent when we went there last, which was some time ago admittedly. It's the Auberge du Lac at Le Puech. The menu still looks good.
We finished our trip along the green roads not long after this, taking the autoroute back as far as St Paul et Valmalle, then coming off to divert through Montarnaud and Grabels.
The colours are very vibrant at the moment. It's a terrific time to travel about the region. Spring is well-advanced and the warmer weather has brought the leaves and flowers out all fresh and new.
The weather's been so changeable recently that the moment you see some sun, it's best to make a dash for it while it lasts. It doesn't usually last long, either.
Last Saturday, Meteo France promised us a sunny morning, with a nasty wet afternoon. Biking in the rain is no fun, so my TWDB and I decided to go for a short ride so we could be back before we got wet.
Avoiding the motorway, we took the old N9 (now 619) to St Paul et Valmalle, then minor roads to Aumelas and Le Pouget which took us through hills and windy roads perfect for the bike. There was a signpost to Dolmens which we were tempted to follow but left for another day. At Clermont l'Hérault we took the road to Mourèze which was the start of our tour around the Lac de Salagou.
It's a fantastic spot for sports of many sorts - water sports in particular, such as windsurfing, but also mountain-biking and walking. The soil is a dramatic red colour from iron oxide deposits and provides a colourful contrast to the much-rained upon recently green vegetation.
We drove through tiny villages - Salasc, Octon, Celles (in the photo) with their old stone dwellings and mini modern communities. We passed a good number of fishermen both on the water and sitting peacefully on the banks. The route is indicated green on the Michelin map, with good reason. The air was clear and warm - quite perfect for the bike.
At Le Puech, we stopped for lunch at the Auberge du Lac sat outside on the terrace and enjoyed a remarkably fine meal at a place we suspected was a tourist trap. How wrong we were! It was all freshly cooked and delicious, washed down with a glass of the local very dry fruity white wine.
From there we took a track above the lake to the barrage - an amazing feat of engineering as they often are - and thence, with black clouds threatening, back to Clermont l'Hérault and the motorway home.
We didn't quite manage to avoid the rain drops, but stayed ahead of the worst of it and arrived dry but slightly washed...
Future plans include a weekend at one of the campsites, with the car and mountain bikes. It's not all up and down - the lakeside track was pretty flat, with fab views for little effort.
We've done the circuit, next time we must stop and explore in more detail.
