Arles, start point for the Camino Frances

Land and water shifting from one to the other on this section of coastline and still busy with French holiday makers as it's the last weekend of school holidays. Relentless traffic for the first time since my journey began. 

Wild bulls running the streets in Le Grau du Roi and water combat of a sort I couldn't understand. I waited so long to see those bulls but gave up knowing most of my day's riding was ahead. The modern bull ring on the edge of the town was some compensation and the ranch riders galloping through looked in charge....

Another festival in Arles which is the start point of this (Chemin d'Arles) camino to Santiago. And tomorrow time to investigate the Roman amphitheater and maybe there's a Compostella office here?

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Montpellier

Flat easy cycling alongside the canal passing at one stage the French summer holiday camps, all looking decidedly tired these post covid days, and of course reaching the Med. And without particularly realizing it, this is a classic ride in France. The French have a wealth of routes regularly walked or cycled and many are knowledgeable of the French caminos linking up with Santiago.

Euro Velo 8 (Cadiz to Athens) is signposted and shares the section to Montpellier. Roughly following the old Via Domitia now, a path probably taken by Hannibal, I think I can safely say the term Via Tolosana is unrelated to original Roman roads. The Via Domitia being one of Rome's oldest roads.

Presently, slithers of land radiate deep out into the sea linking 'Venetian' style Sète with Montpellier. So busy is the latter that there is little room in the main square for sightseeing.

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Beziers, nearly the oldest city in France

The numbers of French cyclists travelling the Canal du Midi is inspiring. The photo shows one of them who lives in Limoges and we met as he was searching new routes as his trailer was problematic on some canal paths. A link from the Midi to the Garonne Canal connects the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux with the Mediterranean near Montpellier. Its relatively flat obviously. Tolouse is the place where both canals meet and it seems the name Tolosana derivates from Tolouse and the name Via Tolosana is simply a Latin translation for road to Tolouse. Other camino routes in France are also given Latin names like Via Podiensis etc

Vine growing takes off soon after Carcassonne and an abundance of  black grape is ready for gathering. In some wineries grape hand pickers happily gathered whilst in others the grapes were being collected mechanically. The mechanical system missed very little fruit from my inspection.

In Beziers the canal can be seen from the high point of the Cathedral of Sant Nazzaire. Although a little rough around the edges Beziers is nearly the oldest city in France, Marseilles being a bit older established about 100 years BC. 

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Carcassonne

50 kms of cycling alongside the Canal du Mudi is an easy route out of Toulouse. Vineyards are appearing and the Pyrenees in profile again. The land rises in conical lumps approaching Carcassonne. The Citadel is a big attraction and the Albergue de Jeunese is within.

Sadly today the Queen of England has died.

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Toulouse

The lady in the photo can walk. Seriously long walks. She is on her way to Santiago and expects to arrive in November. She started in Rome in May. Her pilgrim passport stamped in St Peter's sacristy. We were able to share stories about the difficulties of getting access to the Sacristy. Most wanting the completion certificate for finishing the Via Francigena but  in her case a stamp to mark her starting point. By the way her name is Noël and she should get home by Christmas. She's Dutch.

A little cooler rising to 30+ later in the afternoon. Tolouse was swamped with students and the River Garonne offered a good view of sunset. The Hotel de Ville is a big attraction in this 4th biggest city in France but the buzz of student life is what I'll remember most.

La Petite Auberge de Saint Sernin is covered in ivy. It is 'complet' but my dormitory bed is booked in advance. I'm not surprised now I see the numbers of young people in the city.

Tomorrow my route takes me off the camino but I'm interested in visiting Carcasonne.... and the terrain is less challenging than the camino paths.

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