To Pézenas - Three Seasons Around France: Spring - CycleBlaze

April 6, 2022

To Pézenas

It’s only a short distance from Beziers to Pézenas.  Really, if we were in any big hurry we could have biked from Gruissan to Pézenas in one stage, as we have in the past.  It’s been better this way, but still 18 miles seems like hardly a ride so we decide to take the long way around, doubling back  south along the Canal du Midi to the coast before turning north again.  

When we crossed the Orb yesterday we entered a new Department of Occitanie, the Hérault.  Today’s ride quickly reminds us of why we found the Hérault such a delight when we’ve biked through here in the past - mile after mile of minor roads lined with plane trees, Roman bridges scattered about, modest gradients, relaxed riding, and full of random surprises - one of which this morning was the realization soon after leaving town that we had to repeat yesterday’s detour away from the canal to avoid plane tree removal activities.

In a day filled with one serendipitous sighting after another, perhaps the most interesting was the Outrages du Libron, a fascinating waterworks on the Canal du Midi where it crosses the Lubron River, prone to flash flooding.  An overview, from Wikipedia:

Ouvrages du Libron (English: Works of Libron) is a structure like no other on the Vanal du Midi.  It allows the Libron River, near Agde in south-west France, to traverse the Canal du Midi. At the point of intersection, the Libron is more or less at the same level as the Canal du Midi so a traditional aqueduct was not an option. The problem was further exacerbated by the Libron's propensity to flash flood up to twenty times a year. The problem was originally solved by the building of a pontoon aqueduct known as the Libron Raft which utilised a flush-decked barge to protect the canal channel in times of flooding.  However, this was replaced by the present structure in 1855.

At the end of the day we come to Pézenas, a beautiful and stylish historical town, perhaps best known for its association with Moliere.  We’re here for two nights, so we’ll save our look around town for another day.  There was enough to see on just the rides to fill up this post so we’ll stop with that.

We liked the bright dining room and our window seat this morning. It pays to be first to breakfast.
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Eva WaltersWow! Looks like you're sitting at the same table we did in 2011 for breakfast at Hotel des Poetes. That area of France is such a pleasure to cycle through (like all the other areas).
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2 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Eva WaltersIt certainly looks like it from your description. Very nice hotel. I was looking at the park over breakfast wishing we had decided to stay a second day in Beziers so we could explore it. We might have to come back this way in the fall.

We’ll be staying at several other of the same stops from your tour - Sommieres, Uzes, Vaison-La-Romaine among others. I sure hope we have better weather in Sommieres!
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2 years ago
A felled plane tree making its way to the boneyard.
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A confused cattle egret. This was almost worth a video if my battery hadn’t been low, listening to the horses splashing through the water and ripping up mouthfuls of grass.
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Oh, my gosh. I don’t recall seeing one this young up so close. All head and legs.
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The Ouvrages du Libron.
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The Ouvrages du Libron.
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The Ouvrages du Libron.
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The Ouvrages du Libron.
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The Ouvrages du Libron.
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Looking down the final stretch of the Canal du Midi. Its termination at Agde is just a few miles to the east.
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Somehow there always seems to be a stretch like this in our days. This one ranks quite low on the fun scale, Rachael informs me.
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It’s worth getting off the beaten path from time to time though. Today, we would have missed these piglets sneaking up on an unsuspecting blackbird.
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Or this guy, plowing up the turf just a few yards from the road. This one’s feral, I think. I looked around anxiously to see if there might be others coming to defend him.
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In a day full of surprises, I give a yelp when I round a bend and see this super scooper coming out of that gap in the wall right beside me. It doesn’t look so close in the video, but I thought I was in for a ride for a second there. Can anyone translate what the driver is saying to Rachael?
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Lunch break in Ville de Bessan, propping up the Église Saint-Pierre.
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From our lunch spot I was intrigued by this window on the decrepit mansion across the square and zoomed in. It was a shock to see someone staring back.
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In Ville de Bessan - a small, pretty place; but we’re still hanging on to the idea of Narbonne.
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An old flour mill on the Hérault, at Saint-Thibéry.
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Next to the flour mill are the remaining arches of the four arched 15th century Roman bridge - part of the Via Domitia, the first Roman road through Gaul thar ran from the Alps to Narbonne. All roads lead to Narbonne, I hear in the background.
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Not all the plane trees are coming down yet, fortunately. I’ve read that one of the problems along the Canal du Midi is the bargers, who would tether their barges to the trees and unknowingly spread the fungus from one tree to another one at their next stop.
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Another medieval bridge reminds us of why riding in the Hérault is such a delight. This one, from the 16th century, crosses the Thongue at Saint-Thibéry.
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In Pézenas, an unknown (to me) species. Someone will be glad to help me here, I’m sure. There’s more than this to see in Pézenas - much more - but it can wait.
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Stewart BradyIn the UK a Black Redstart. In France Rouge-queue noir.
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2 years ago
Bill ShaneyfeltNew to me too (as are most birds) but maybe black redstart?

https://ebird.org/species/blared1
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2 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Stewart BradyA redstart! That wouldn’t have occurred to me because it’s so unlike the American redstart - not even in the same family. Thanks!
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2 years ago
Jean-Marc StrydomTo Scott AndersonRedstart of course referring to the red tail (start being an Old English word for tail coming from the Germanic word stert).
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2 years ago
Our dinner tonight - an excellent Spanish restaurant tucked on a narrow alley in the historic quarter.
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Ride stats today: 28 miles, 700’; for the tour: 479 miles, 23,600’

After checking in Rachael took a 5.5 mile hike into the hills for a view of the town from above while Scott walked around town taking photos.

Rocky round-up miles today: 3; for the tour: 11

Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 479 miles (771 km)

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