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Breakfast at 7:15, served by a very cautious (face mask, disinfectants, one-serve-one-fork) hotel owner. Good breakfast; large croissant artisanal, two of which would have been (more than) a whole meal. Gorgeous day outside, when I leave around 8:45h, clear blue sky, risk of heat in the afternoon. First the almost straight way along the Pique (with a nice view back to Superbagnères, still difficult to photograph because of the contrast between the high mountains in the sun and the road still in the shade). It's slightly downhill, so shortly after 9:30 h I have already more than 20 km in the pocket when I reach gray Saint-Béat, charmingly located though on the Garonne.
Saint-Béat
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On the river Garonne
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The shortest route east would be via the Col de Menté, but that I save for another day (in another life); one steep climb is enough for today. Heavy road work on the N125, it seems like they're busy constructing a new tunnel to the south, and during the short stretch that I follow the N125 to the north it feels as if I'm on a motor way. Though there is hardly any traffic I'm glad when after 4 km I can leave it for the much smaller D825A. After four more flat km the road starts to rise, gently, with unremembered nice views, well, the blue sky certainly helps, to the Col des Ares.
Like a motor way
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Unexpected nice views during climb to Col des Ares
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Follows an easy descent, 300 m down, and then a little up again till the Col de Buret. But first, just after 11:30 h, a short coca cola break on the balcony/terrace of Auberge du Cagire in Juzet-d'Izaut, with baguette and Roquefort (just in time before it gets too smelly) of my own. Which is better than in the restaurant with a grumpy older woman I vaguely remember from 2003. In my mind there's already the climb I most apprehend for today, which starts ten km from Juzet.
I'm okay
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Beautiful preamble
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Next project
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Are we ready for it?
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Let's see how that happens! The preamble is very nice, especially the five km through the curvy, narrow valley along the Ger, during which I already regain some altitude, and near the end of which behind every bend I expect the steep road to the left. Which eventually comes. It's 430 m up in 4.5 km, and I recall I got pretty exhausted there in the past. So I (try to) take it easy, shift down to lowest gears immediately, and just keep going without overexerting myself.
Still along the Ger
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I even manage a photo while creeping up
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The route is in the woods almost all the time; no great panoramas, but shade is more welcome now! Just keep going, looking for shade, looking for the next panneau (sommet à 3 km, sommet à 2 km, . . . .) and in about 40 minutes I'm at the top. Quite satisfied. I'm welcomed by a Belgian couple of whom the male half addresses me: Vous êtes léger. That I don't hear so very often and I'm a bit pissed off: I did not feel so very light. It's true, they seem to carry one and a half times the weight of my luggage (on a three months' journey), but then, they tell me they walked all of the 4.5 km. (LOL, my students would say).
Me at the top
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And the others
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And down again
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After a few minutes to catch my breath and put on my helmet I start the short, steep descent (210 m down in 2.3 km) to Portet-d'Aspet, during which the landscape opens up. It's around 1:30 p.m, time for lunch, but on Monday the restaurant in Portet d'Aspet is closed, as are the restaurants (not that many) in the other villages along first the Goute de Sipet and further down the Bouigane; a small smudge on an otherwise fantastic day. I have given up about lunch when, close to two o'clock I spot two motorcycles in front of a terrace. "Plat du jour?" "Non", "Sandwich?", "Non."
"Quelque chose à manger?" "Gâteaux." I just order both kinds (one of the "aux myrtilles", the other has slipped out from my memory).
Vallée de la Goute de Sipet
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et de la Bouigane
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With that I think I can make it to the last col of today, the one with the highest gain in altitude, 850 m. The climb starts out from Castillon-en-Couserans, where in 2000 I met a nice companion for the rest of the day. Then a rainy day, now a nice warm day, which makes it a bit harder. For a long while the grade is lenient, the road through the wide valley leads sort of straight to the top (which is visible from afar).
Close to the col the road makes a big zigzag, at the beginning of which I take a short sidestep to the small road leading to the Lac de Bethmale. There's a big parking place, and a public toilet, and many people. And, most importantly, shade and a place to sit, watch tourists, and enjoy the last three pancakes from the Peyresourde.
Climb to the Col de la Core
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Lac de Bethmale
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Last bits and pieces
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Up to Col de la Core
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Views to
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the north
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Another mission accomplished
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View to the south
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Gentle descent
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Down there: Seix
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I definitely needed that break before I venture to the last, steepest (8% on average) 4 km. And it also helps that the sun disappears behind the clouds every now and then. At the top I only stop to put on my helmet and in half an hour lose the 850 m gained in almost two hours. In Seix it's warm again and I enjoy a guilty ice cream pleasure (with a lot of chantilly) and hope to finish the last 18 km to Aulus-les-Bains (situated 250 m higher) before 7 p.m. (to be in time for some shopping). This I manage, I do buy some stuff (yogurt for one thing) which is meant as a dessert after a warm dish at the other side of the street. The gîte is quite hard to find (I remember it must be close to the church), and I have to ask twice. It's derrière la porte jaune. I'm welcomed by a friendly and enthusiast Christophe (who already ran the place in 2003, but whom I have no remembrance of; I can only remember the porticoed entrance, the enclosed garden and the four up four down bunk bed (that in covid time gives room for four people only).
Between Oust and Aulus-les-Bains
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La porte jaune
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When I called two/three days ago to book a bed for two nights, I had been told I could only stay one night; the good news: after cancellations (tout le temps avec covid) I can stay two! My roommates: a Frenchman on an old racing bike and a Frenchman that recently retired and is now walking the complete GR10 (Hendaye – Argelès-sur-Mer). Two very fit Frenchmen, at least five years my seniors. The restaurant 'across' the street is almost fully booked; I'm lucky with a table for two. The bronze hiker arrives ten minutes later and is lucky that I pioneered to take possession of a table. It is nice to practice my French a little more elaborately. And later I share the picnic table in the gîte's garden with the cyclist, who appears to be a great fan of the Col de Saraillé and the Col d'Agnes, which both happen to be on my programme for tomorrow. It is also quite cozy to share a dormitory (cozier than in Le Vigan!) And, what's also nice: I'm not at all bothered by the church (bells) this year.
Lovely day again!
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