October 27, 2010
Lavaur to Villefranche de Lauragais
WEATHER: COLD AND SUNNY, THEN WARM AND SUNNY
There was frost on the rooftops when we got up, but the sky was completely clear. We stopped at the local boulangerie to pick up some apple pastries, then headed southwest out of town. The first two km were flat, then we started going uphill. It warmed up and we had to shed layers. Downhill, then up again into Caraman, where we circled around looking for a lunch spot. Finally settled on a pizza place decorated with US license plates, where we perched on high metal chairs so that we could see our bikes just outside. The pizzas were somewhat overwhelming with slices of duck breast, ham and a big slab of foie gras at 11 euros each.
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We managed to eat most of the protein-packed pizzas and then took off south uphill and down through more small villages and lots of plowed fields. A nice downhill run brought us into Villefranche de Lauragais, an unprepossessing town with the highway running right down the main street. It reminded us of many small towns in British Columbia, strung out along the highway (but of course without the stonework).
Our blue room at the Hotel du Lauragais overlooked a parking lot, a skate park and the train tracks. We walked through town in the sunshine looking for a place to have coffee and ended up in a bar with strange-looking characters. Dinner at the restaurant attached to the same place was indifferent except for the entree--a crayfish salade with orange vinaigrette. The service too was very indifferent--not one of our best meals. The best part was the 1/2 bottle of Corbieres red.
We were within 2 km of the Canal du Midi, strangely enough on exactly the same date as last year when we passed just to the west of Villefranche de Lauragais while riding on the canal path.
Today's ride: 43 km (27 miles)
Total: 539 km (335 miles)
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