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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 CBFChamps 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 PouzacWe 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 exhibitionFrom 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…
Chilling out at the cafe was really pleasant, the french mechanic turned out to be a real hero – spot on!
Aston Villa……yep enough for even the Germans to laugh at.
Thumper has a Sat Nav that chooses grassy lanes for fun (no really – not my choice this time!)
Radar wins the Blue Sparkley Dress for Diva of the Day before we got him some choccy!
proper eerie art show…. think that would have freaked me out in the dark lol
top show from the mechanic. The abbey and chateau look amazing!
Little things like that mechanic helping out really help to make it a special holiday. I remember trying to fix a puncture on a rental bike over in Kefalonia one year at 9:30PM and it took me on the weirdest adventure up in the mountains with the locals who were all really happy to help. Found a backstreet garage who were extremely helpful then too.
On another note, I tried making people say ‘Aston Villa’ instead of ‘cheese’ on my photos, but for some reason I got an album full of people rolling on the floor laughing
I started off this day on the bike but after a fuel stop I wasn’t completely in the mood; so I headed back to the house and switched horsepower to pedal power. I do enjoy a spot of mountain biking and took the chance to explore the back streets of campan and up the sides of the valley.
Back in the early days, from what i understand the locals used these water troughs, the streams running off the sides of the valley can be channelled into here
After my explore I headed straight up the valley side
I found this building which looked like an old turret of some sort over looking the valley
The view from half way up
The mechanic turned out to be amazing, was so shocked he didn’t want anything for it, had to give home 20 euros, was well worth it in my eyes. It could have been so different without him as the bike was barely rideable with the broken lever. Could have turned into a very expensive problem or a trip ender so big massive thanks to the French mechanic!
proper eerie art show…. think that would have freaked me out in the dark lol
It freaked me out on the day!
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