Another cathedral.

Not like any other. Final work of Gaudi. Also his final resting place.. This was our last night in Barcelona. We walked home in the cold rain and had a warm meal in our cosy flat overlooking the busy Barcelona street known as La Rambla.

All class here in Barcelona.

We like to think that we are pretty good at choosing the right places to stay.
This our next door neighbour. Same level as us and just next door.
Gets quite a crowd.
T couldn't understand why the crowd was looking up at us and cheering until she went down and found out for herself.

Barcelona

I hadn't heard of the term modernista until arriving here. The Parisians call it Art nouveau. Catalunyuns call it Modernista's.
If you google the work of Gaudi you'll get the idea.
Staying in centre. With a balcony overlooking the river of people and the Market.
We shop for fresh food at the amazing  market in mornings.  Store it away. Go walking through the city and gape at the sights. Then home and cook up our goodies for dinner, which we eat at a balcony table .
It's nice.
This morning (after discovering that if we entered before 8 am we could spend the day inside for free) we checked out an old failed residential estate called Park Güell. Google it.
Enough said. Speechless.
Could fill many pages with pictures. But here is a sample. The first would are Gaudi buildings in town. Next a sample of the market. Then a non Gaudi modernista building. Finally the old failed residential estate. Next stop. Another cathedral.

Catalunya. Besalu. Coffee and another bridge

 Any place that sells good coffee is worthy of a stop. 

Besalu. 

UNESCO World heritage town for good reason. 

After coffee we played on the bridge. 

Yeah another bridge. This one from 12th century and it has survived. 

Gotta love UNESCO sites. They never disappoint. 

We got here before the buses so it was a great way to break from driving on the wrong side of the road.

Next stop .... Barcelona.

Millau and Roquefort

Mid Pyrenees. Deep gorge cut by the river Tarn. Enough to do here to keep us occupied for more than a week. World heritage region. We were greeted with warm afternoon sunshine and para gliders circling overhead.
Home cooked meal on the patio provided by our gracious host.
View was delightful. Up early for rum through town. Running early is a great way to see the sites before tour buses arrive.
Then off to see a big bridge. After realising that we had to travel over 40 km each way to view big bridge from above, we decided we were content to view from below. Then we high tailed it to the world heritage village of Roquefort where we met with master cheesemakers and toured les grottes de Roquefort.
Learned alot. Sampled the best.

Now off to Narbonne for a quick overnight and then to Barcelona.

Paragliding over Millau 

Big Bridge from below.

Millau viaduct from about 5 km away.

World heritage in the caves of Roquefort.

Sault to Ventoux to Millau

Provence. Lavender Fields ready to bloom, but we are too early for that. Out of the Alpes. Rolling countryside dominated by the géant de Provence, the infamous Mt Ventoux. 20 km of 5% climb with no let up, followed by the final 6 km at 8%. The final 2 km really bite because the oxygen levels at 2000 m are a little less than sea level. Basically you work harder for the same gains. The feeling upon reaching the summit is exhilaration. This is multiplied because it's shared with the dozens of other keen and fit cyclists who are also elated to have made it. Support team of T provided much appreciated pick up which means that M did not have to descend.
We packed up on le sommet and headed for Millau.

Someone recently stole the iconic sign on top of Ventaux

A

Leaving the Alps.

Now in mediaeval Sault. 

Ready for M to climb the giant of Provence. Mt Ventoux.

The ancient lane builders did not envisage that Peugeot wagon would have side mirrors.

A last pic of one of the Giants of the French Alps.

Col du Glandon

Turn left ride up for 20 km. How hard could it be on such a lovely spring morning? After three hours pedalling in my lowest gear up and up, I stopped for drink, food bar, and a quick pic. Then onto the top. Minus 3 and awesomely spectacular. A quick selfie on top and then the hard descent. 20 km under constant braking took its toll on my arms and wrists. A great day out.

It was hard to smile at minus 3 with numb fingers.

Carbing up for big ride next day

The view from our table. Watching the snowflakes dance about us.

Alpes

Arrived at a beautiful timber chalet at Vaujany. T very impressed with scale of it all. We even had snow flurries in the afternoon. Kinda like cane ash but much prettier said T. Here is the view from our very spacious and well equiped chalet.

Lyon mignon.

Not a typical scene in 2017. 1965 perhaps?

Place of Peace and Contemplation

Notre Dame Ronchamp
A beautiful interior. No central altar. Alcoves for personal reflection. Very human and stunningly brilliant design.

Big day

Up for a quick run. M didn't bring mitts so after 20 mins his hands became cold, then numb, then painful. Beautiful run around the grandest isle in Strasbourg.
Then into the car and drive toll free (the long way) to Ronchamp. Le corbusier has built a beautiful chapel. Church reimagined!
A beautiful walk through the forest for 400 metres brought us to the top.
After Ronchamp a 5 hour drive to Lyon. We arrived at 9pm and straight to bed. (A waste of a kitchenette) note to selves. Check toll free times. Cheaper not always better.
We are of for coffee and a steep climb to a basilica the T has scoped out. It's close to "best coffee near me"

Room with a view

Strasbourg: 2 degrees. Had to cut the morning run short. Next time it's sub five I will wear my mitts. T (the cold frog) was ok with it. M had to call it short. A quick coffee inside and now off to see the clock. World heritage listed. Google Strasbourg clock.

St Remi Reims

Calm quiet peaceful nice.

Big Organ

Mass at Notre Dame Reims on Easter Sunday did not dissapoint. Big kickass pipe organ 4 stories high reverberated through stone and flesh. Heart and mind. Choir was ethereal. Amazing to hear music written for these spaces actually performed live. Beautiful.
After mass we took a stroll down another avenue to the church of St Remi. Quiet peaceful and empty. A lovely place.
Here's another Joanie pic. Followed by the standard OMG isnt it awesome pic of the west facade.

Easter Sunday

Off to Mass today. Hoping the good people of the community of believers will fire up the 4 story tall pipe organ.
Of the three great cathedrals.....This is in my opinion the grandest and most elegant. Words cannot do justice to this magnificent monument.

Inside is the most beautiful statue of Joan d'Arc. This is her riding her horse to the cathedral. It's easy to miss. She is tucked away in a garden in the corner.

Champaigne

I didn't think there was better than Bolly. My gosh. I was wrong. Heaven in a bottle. Reims rocks.

Veuve Clicquot

Reims. Beautiful city. Hundreds of km of limestone caves 20 m below the city. All full of Champaign in various states of readyness.
Phone died halfway through so T took over and has great pictures on her sd card. For now I'll post an unedited one from the cave.

Ay. Home of Bollinger

Say no more.
Beautiful town. Spring flowers. Farmers market. (And Bolly)
T drove on the wrong side of the road today and did well. She will be on her P plates soon.

Epernay

Google it.
Home of Moet (pronounced Moe ett) and countless other houses.
In the main street tastings are offered.
Well, someone has to do it so it may as well be us.
Both M and T found a drop to our liking. We walked out with a bottle each. They are now living comfortably under the back seat of the Peugeot.

Lightshow

Chartres cathedral. After crepes. 5 deg c. Wow.

Travelling light

Not.

Leaving Paris

For a while.
Early run where M discovered the swimming pool. Got home and told T, who then changed and went for a swim. She showed the Parisians what real swimming is.
Then we packed and navigated our luggage and the bike through the metro to the airport where we picked up our car and drove to Chartres. They do a light show here. Think vivid....Think Chartres cathedral. Google it. We have checked in and are about to hit le petit bistro for a meal. Then enjoy the lights then home for a well earned rest.
I'll post some pics of the light show (and our car) tomorrow.

Quiet places

A few streets back from the mad crowds.  Espressos and quiet charm.

Hi guys

Bonjour

This is probs the best way to keep you up to date on what we are doing and where we are. So many people all on different platforms. Cest la vie.

We'll see how this goes.

M is hoping to update daily . (Or less)