Tag Archives: Aquitaine

Day 25 – Pau

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(15km)

Today was really my day off and I didn’t do much. I woke up, did my laundry and had a massive sandwich for breakfast, with that sausage I am eating for the past 3 days and I am really sick of.

I cycled the 5km to the town center and started wondering around. Most of the city is relatively newly build and without much interest. I walked down the Pyrenees boulevard, which has a nice view of the mountains, but unfortunately the day was a little hazy, so they were not visible at all. On this road there are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy the view. It also leads to the highlight of the city which is Pau‘s spectacular castle by the river. This is also the area with the most interest, as the neighborhood still has old medieval buildings.

Cafes in one of the plazas

Plenty of cafes in one of the plazas

The Pyrenees Boulevard

The Pyrenees Boulevard, but unfortunately it wasn't clear enough to see Pyrenees

Pau's Castle seen from its gardens

Pau's Castle seen from its gardens

The courtyard inside the castle

The courtyard inside the castle

The back entrance

The back entrance

Alleys next to the castle

Alleys next to the castle

And even more cafes

And even more cafes

After my sightseeing, I spend a few hours inside the city’s cultural center where there is free and fast wifi! That’s very good, considering two days ago I payed  €4 for an hour in a dark internet cafe, without wifi, using a French layout keyboard which made me type as slow as my grandmother. The guy not only didn’t let me plug my laptop into his network, he didn’t even let me charge it in case his fuses go down!

The cultural/exibition center with the wifi. Not bad eh?

The cultural/exhibition center with the free wifi. Not bad eh?

Day 24 – Saint Palais to Pau

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(80km)
I woke up this morning from the heaviest sleep ever and I could barely move my legs. It took me at least half an hour and two cups of tea to completely open my eyes and start feeling my legs again. I should have probable taken the day off, after yesterday’s ride but I didn’t. I wanted to make it to Pau and take the day off there, as it’s a city and it will probable have a few more things to see.
Usually it takes me about 5 kilometers in the morning to get my legs warm enough to start cycling at the usual pace. Today it took about 30 and it was only after my lunch break that I started catching up. I know I should have taken the day off, but I didn’t. Pau wasn’t that far away, I knew there was a camp site and as I wasn’t in a hurry, so I just took my time.
The lunch break took place in Navarrenx, which is another fantastic town within a medieval fortress. I crossed the gate, had my sandwich on a bench looking at the nearby river and then had a short walk around the walls. It should be quite nice living in a house within such a landmark.

Approaching ...

Approaching Navarrenx

The main gate

The main gate

The view of the river by the walls

The view of the river by the walls

Inside the fortress

The houses inside the fortress

I started pedaling again to the next city of Mourenex, where I didn’t find anything interesting to make me stop apart from a self service car wash. It was time again to clean the bike and remember that my gears and chain are nickel and not black. After the wash I put some fresh lubricant and the ride was once again as smooth as when I first bought the bike.

Hi, my name is kitsch!

Hi, my name is kitsch!

The road from there onwards, was running parallel to the Pau river, which means it was entirely flat and easy for my legs. I got to Pau early enough to go via the tourist office for a local map and a supermarket for supplies.