It was a very misty morning as the rains evaporated in the heat but by the time we exited the hotel all was clear and sunny. Into Condom centre to visit the wonderful cathedral and say hello to the Musketeers and sit opposite with good coffee and viennoiseries various.
Hotel wasn’t bad and the restaurant was good. But the bémol as the Fr say was a group of mixed nationality folk who gathered in the gap between our table and the bar having a pretentious one upmanship chat in loud voices! No idea what they were attending - some tour or other - but finally they went and sat at their table.
The journey then took us through the rolling landscape with views to the distant Pyrenees. Endless fields and slopes of sad sunflowers, their glory faded, heads drooped, turning their poor shrivelled necks to the sun to ripen their seeds. In summer this is a glorious swathe of yellow.
Lunch was almost a failure - no river or lake or even canal appeared. So in desperation I took us down through an unprepossessing village towards the Tarn. I had almost given up hope, when I spotted the road (ie track) name…chemin du côte du port! And yes there was a bench right on the river bank - with view.
Replete and rested we set course into Albi. No trouble at all finding our way to the cathedral and even free parking. It was hot, Albi always is. We stood like mini Borrowers beneath the giant-sized austere brick edifice then into the madness of the interior where every surface is painted and decorated. Think Angel Strawbridge in manic wallpaper mode.
Could this be Tilda Swinton?!
Finally a drink to set us up for the final leg to Millau via St Affrique. Easy road and changing landscape to more rugged moorland and steep valleys. Only took 2 hours so we were under the viaduct and into Ibis Budget by 5. And I have to say this is probably the best hotel. Super new shower room, big beds and clean. Pity about the stench of muck spreading though. Home from Home.