The Pyrenees Run Part 4. Scarey dummies and Disney Castles

After the rigours of yesterday we got off to a gentle start…Thumper knocked up a hearty breakfast, I wondered around to the local shop got chatting to the English owner who informed me that there was a bike shop only a few klicks up the road in Pouzac. It might not have the right parts for the CBF but it had to worth a bash.

The offending lever on the CBF

Champs had decided to go off mountain biking for the day on one of the bikes that was included in the accommodation and by the time we eventually got to the bike shop it was closed for a 2 hour lunch break! So we chilled in Pouzac at rather pleasant cafe bar and enjoyed watching the world go by for a while.

Chilling in Pouzac

We got back to the dealership to find a group of German bikers had beaten us to the only mechanic and got him working on fixing a puncture on a Busa. So we chatted and chilled with them for a while. Eventually the mechanic, a man of few words wondered over took a glance at the broken lever on the CBF, mumbled something about ‘non-stock’ whilst shrugging his shoulders. We thought that was it. He wondered off back into the dealership…bugger. Only he remerged a few moments later with a lever in his hand and promptly fitted it without fuss. It was second-hand and slightly different shape to the original, but it fitted and worked perfectly. What a result! Initially he wouldn’t take any payment but Ses got him to take a few Euros for his trouble. What a top bloke!

All fixed…Ses is a happy man once more…

The dealership even stocked the all new ‘Thumper’ range!!

The German lads who all insisted on chanting ‘Aston Villa’ as I took their picture…

So we were back on the road again. We headed off to check out some of the local historic buildings as it was now mid afternoon. First up was the renovated Abbaye Cistercienne De L’Escaldieu…a former Abbey for monks that was now being used as an art gallery. The trip was developing something of a religious and cultural twist when you combine this with our visit to Lourdes only a couple of days ago. The road from Pouzac to the Abbey gently sliced its’ way through the countryside and with a gentle sun on our back it was a surprisingly pleasant ride. The Abbey and grounds have been immaculately renovated but still maintain that calm cloistered air that only religious and old University buildings seem to enjoy. There was an art exhibition on so we wondered into the main hall to check it out…and what a shock I received…The main exhibit was contained in high ceilinged room and consisted of a series of full size figures made from what appeared to be old white cushions and material. All were depicted naked, some were hanging from the ceiling and all had a pained, haunted expression on their faces. There was also a gallery landing around the top of the room and this was lined with just bare heads made in the same way. I found this all very strange and not a little disturbing to a simple Brummie lad like me. I can’t deny that it was thought provoking though. 

Abbaye Cistercienne De L’Escaldieu

The somewhat unsettling art exhibition

From here we moved onwards and quite literally upwards to the magnificently situated Chateau de Mauvezin, that stands proudly over the surrounding countryside in a perfect defensive position. The castle like the monastery has been extensively renovated, but unlike the Abbey which had retained its’ monastic atmosphere the castle had an almost Disney theme park feel. It was almost like it had been built from scratch, which when we saw the pictures of it pre-restoration, it pretty much had.

Chateau de Mauvezin, dominating its’ surroundings

The Marx Brothers…

Still an interesting diversion for a couple of hours and I especially enjoyed checking out the siege war machines they had on display within the walls of the bailey.

The day was rounded off with Thumper finding yet more roads with grass up the middle as we took a somewhat convoluted route back to Campan. My energy levels had dropped off by now and was apparently acting like a proper Diva until Ses and Thumper bought some chocolate and coke and force fed me a sugar rush..bless them! Champs meanwhile had some fun exploring on the mountain bike and found some odd water courses and what looked like a WW2 gun emplacement of some kind.

So we enjoyed another excellent evening fireside having a few beers and talking shit, as you do. I cooked this time, again the kitchen wiz Ses was my right hand man…boy that lad can cook! I knocked up his favourite meal from the Assen run… the legendary ‘Riz avec la merde dans elle’ or Rice with shit in it to you and me!

Ses about to tuck into his ‘Riz avec la merde dans elle’

So not much riding today, but an interesting day all the same…