Hard to believe we have completed our first Eau de France. Today we crossed the divide between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The most obvious change for us along the canal is that we now get a short downhill coast at each lock, instead of a climb.
The two locks along the highest part of the canal were named after each ocean, and on the Atlantic side (the lower plaque) was a dedication to Thomas Jefferson, who apparently had made some contribution in the history of the canal.
But as exciting as this was, it paled in comparison to our best news of the day. At breakfast we met some cyclists coming from the west who told us that 13km past Castelnaudary we would have a paved trail the rest of the canal!
Of course from their perspective the news was, “starting 13km before Castelnaudary the trail became HORRIBLE!” We wonder what they think now, since that section was only a taste of the last 200km we had already cycled.
Jon was excited enough to kiss the pavement when we arrived. We went from a struggling 58km a day, to 80km our first day of partial pavement.
It was only tarnished by our first experience of “French” attitudes about food – or a lack thereof. It was our first day (since our 2005 tour of France), that we were totally unable to find any food between 11:30 and 4:00. One restaurant was still open at 3:00 but refused to serve us anything. The one we found at 4:00 would only serve dessert. But as we learned in 2005, we always carry emergency rations now. Despite their reputation, we find it can be very difficult at times, to find food in France when you’re on a bicycle.