humid!
i am going to write this one progressively because I lost my draft.
we left Bordeaux and headed west and south to creon. On the way we stopped at a small town, Sadirac, to check out a pottery museum ( there was a pottery group there working on pots. The Mairie provides the service and has restored kilns for firing). We rode up hills and through vineyards and horse pastures. Very idealic.
Then through Cadillac on to a fantastically picturesque fortified town called Saint Macaire (there was a huge pitanque competition going on) where there was supposed to be municipal camping (this is camping provided by the city and is usually cheap and tidy). But the camping did not exist anymore, so we pushed on to meilhan du garonne. (after riding through some deeply rutted farming roads with all our crap bouncing around and us trying not to crash, in order to stay off the freeway). This was a lovely camping spot( managed by a Brit) not crowded, with a town situated at the top of a hill. We stayed an extra day there to recoup because it was pleasant and private. We made friends with a retired German gentleman Andrew and his dog cleopatra from alamand who have walked and hiked all over Europe with his dog. He drives now in a cheap car since they are both getting older. From there we rode and wild camped while it poured all night. Then we made a push to serignac for camping ((free camping in town with grass and shade and hot water and a clothes line with some Spanish boys camping and singing and an older women couple who were out early) all very nice and friendly. We got up got coffee and croissant and headed out passing through Agen which is a beautiful city (canals go over the rivers and over the freeways, with bike paths alongside, so interesting to ride alongside a small river that runs over the the big river or freeway!) and camping at Moissac.
we are pacing ourselves in the heat and picking the campgrounds we like as we go. We have ridden along the canal de Garonne which is lined with fragrant blossoming plants and trees (mock orange, jasmine, roses, and many I don't know the names of). The canal has boats going up and down, passing through locks.
It is flanked much of the way by large shadey trees. After Agen it started to be more open, industry and farm land. It is beautiful and hot. Most of the campgrounds have been very good.
Except for the last one at Moissac where they close the bathrooms and showers from 7.30 to 9.30am! So we didn't get out until 10 because we had to wait to dry our laundry. Also at 9.30 the ground crew came around and trimmed the hedges that border each site.
We were both feeling a little annoyed when we hit the trail as the heat kicked in. We then had a croissant and coffee then got bad directions for a bike repair shop that doesn't exist. But we made the effort to find it ( backtracking 2 kilometers before cursing and giving up) until Moissac we have met extremely friendly and chatty and helpful people.
tonight we are in montech, a campground that caters to bikers! Although it is supposed to rain we will be quite comfortable.