Carcassonne 2009
Please see some pics in the gallery.

This was an early season trip organised by Steve Donnelly for the Dundee Wheelers. I’d chosen to go along as I couldn’t make the Thistle Majorca trip and was glad I did. Along on the trip was Steve Donnelley, Joe McFagan, Frazer Millar, Brian Wilson, and me Ali Chisholm.

The roads surrounding are excellent cycling, a mix of very rural and tiny villages. And as usual the French are just more patient when they come across cyclists.

Carcassonne is in the southern east corner of France not that far from the Pyrenees and the border with Spain. La Cite, Carcassonne's UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, is an atmospheric medieval walled city on the banks of the Aude. Restaurants and stores are scattered among a wealth of winding cobbled streets, turrets and towers. On the other side of the Aude, La Bastide neighbourhood offers all the charms of a French country town. In contrast to that there was an area of scruffy tower blocks that seemed mostly populated with Algiers French.

Day one Saturday.

3am meeting at the Stack Leisure Park carpark for the mini bus to take us to Edinburgh Airport. The bus driver kept us entertained with tales of cycling around the world. None of us believed a word he said and Frazer took delight in trying to get him to remember how far it was, how long it took and how many punctures he had. None of which he could remember! Made for a short journey down to Edinburgh though.

Despite swearing I’d never fly with Ryanair again I can’t complain about any part of the flight. Left on time, arrived on time and with our bike bags. Which is always the big worry.

The first challenge was getting two taxis. Step forward our bi-lingual Steve Donnelly who with a mixture of French and pointing at the big cases got the taxi driver to order up a people carrier. It was a tight squeeze but we all got transported in two taxis to the villa, which turned out to be only 15 minutes from the airport.

Having left early we arrived early so we planned to unpack the bikes, take in a quick run to the shops for some basics and then get out on a run.

The villa had everything you’d need - big garage for the bikes, telly, washing machine and four bedrooms. Sadly the swimming pool never got used.

The first run was a bit of just follow our noses so we headed south out of Carcassonne to Pradelles on-Vel. It was about a fifty mile round trip.

That night we headed out to wander round the town and the ancient walled castle. Called ‘La Citié’ it has at its heart a little village of shops and restaurants.
After the meal the rain came on really heavy so we headed to one of the bars to wait for it to go off. We headed back fairly early, still in the rain, not least because each pint cost around £6!

Day two Sunday.
The rain from the night before never gave up the following day so cycling was a non-starter. So the day was spent hanging around the villa eating. Frazer took control of the kitchen and rustled up a very acceptable tagliatelle at night.

Day Three Monday
110 miles
Carcassonne – Marcaret – Angel – St Pons – D612 – D620 – Lespinassiere – Cituo – Cannes Minervios – Villegly – Carcassonne.
Weather mostly showery all day.

The route headed out from Carcassonne in a north-westerly direction to the ‘Black’ mountains that run around the back of Carcassonne. The climbing was steady and fairly steep and dragged on for ages but even what looked like major roads turned out to be fine for bikes. Over the weeks cycling we got virtually no hassle from French drivers even from the lorries or when we were lost in the city centres.

On our first day out we also discovered everywhere shuts between 12 and 2 so we were getting a bit desperate for coffee when we found a betting shop open in Marcaret. It was an odd mix of coffee shop, bar with disco lights set up in the corner and about four individuals sitting at table studying their betting slips. And of course us five very damp and cold cyclists. And although the coffee was good there was very little to eat. The girl behind the bar asked if we’re English, in French, as we were leaving, to which I replied in the only French I know that we were Scottish. It was amazing how they all looked at us with smiles on their faces after that! Not English.

Back out side the rain had stopped so we headed onwards and upwards.
Of course after all the climbing came the downhill bit. 19 km of winding downhill, which in dry conditions, would have been excellent but I was quickly frozen, as we had once again got soaked.

I should say we eventually got lunch when we met two Americans from Dallas as we wondered lost around Angel. They came there every year so took us down to the local butcher where you bought your meat, cheese and bread. They then showed us where the café was, which we had of course already cycled right passed, even now I thought it was shut. But no we were welcomed in for coffee and they were more than happy that we eat our bread and meat etc. A little local knowledge goes a long way as we found out for the rest of the week finding somewhere open was never that easy. We got a lot of shrugged shoulders when we tried to ask locals or pointed to the next village.

The journey back had one low when we passed a sign that suggested there was only 8km to go. As we were all getting tired by then it was very welcome but that only lasted until we got to the next sign that said 17km to go!

Day four Tuesday.

Joe’s route downloaded from net.
Carcassonne – St Hiliare –Montjol – Arques - Carcassonne
70 miles took six hours.
Weather sunny and warm only clouding over later.

After a quick run to the supermarket to stock up on essential supplies, mostly French sticks of bread and beer. We were off on a run Joe had found uploaded by local Carcassonne cycling club on the net. It was described as hilly and about 50 miles but clearly something got lost in translation!

The route headed south to St Hiliare where we then did a big loop returning to St Hiliare. The scenery was as usual very beautiful and the hot sun on the back was making us all feel very cheery.

As the day progressed, and Joe assured us we done all the climbs we all joked about such an easy route being called ‘Hilly’. We laughed too soon. What followed was not funny but it was three summits each giving us a climb of around 700m one after the other. Steve eventually cracked as Joe kept going to the front to set the pace despite complaining of a sore back he gave us all sore legs. I think it was the following morning we had to drag Steve out of his bed. He was one very tired cyclist.

Again we struggled to find anywhere to eat until late in the day where we found what looked like a pizza or fish and chip bar. Although I doubt they did fish and chips they did do coffee. And as we sat there we watched locals come in to the café and go into the closed supermarket next door so Frazer and Steve did the same and got a selection of goodies to eat.

Day Five Wednesday.
42 miles
Carcassonne – Villeneuve-Minervois – D118 – Salsigne – D111 – Rieux- Minervois – D620 – Carcassonne.
Weather cloudy again but mostly dry.

Headed out north east of Carcassonne. Route was again mostly up on the way out rolling through loads of picturesque villages. We explored several of these looking for a café stop. So we did a fair bit of climbing up and down narrow winding streets stopping off at an old windmill, which if you visited in summer is probably open. Steve’s stomach was feeling a bit delicate at this point so he had to make use of the bushes. Apparently it was the hard cycling the day before and not the wine and beer from the previous night that had upset him.
We eventually had lunch in a café that was open at lunchtime! Some excellent coffee and bacquets or sandwiches as they were described which cost us 42€.
But on thinking back we misunderstood what they’d said so had basically left a ten euro tip. Which is probably why we got such a big smile from the daughter who served us!

At night we headed round to a Kebab type café the guys had spotted earlier to watch the football. When we first entered it all went very quite and everyone turned to look at us. It was in the area of Carcassonne that seemed to be mostly people from Algiers or similar. So the café was full of men and young boys who were mostly watching the football or playing cards.
After a moment silence a wee boy came across and shook us all by the hand in welcome. They then offered to clear a table for us which we declined choosing to sit by the counter and order up a round of beers. Not only were we the only white people there we were pretty much the only ones buying alcohol. The locals were clearly football daft and one turned up with his Man U shirt on.
The whole night was a procession of guys coming and going with much greeting and hand shaking. Despite the lack of any women it still felt a fairly relaxed place which was probably due to the lack of booze.
As we left Frazer couldn’t resist a kebab for the walk home.

Day Six Thursday
100 miles
Carcassonne – D31 – Gruissan – Narbonne Plage (The beach) – D168 – Carcassonne.
Weather was hot all day.

This was planned as the day to run to the coast and the med and it turned out to be a day of hot weather blue skies and of course sunburn! None of us thought suntan cream would be required based on the rest of the week.

We got going at 8.30. The run out was very much on the main road with no hassle from any drivers so it was actually OK although I was worried about it to start with. You’d definitely don’t get the same abuse you get from drivers in the UK.

Got to Narbonne via a long drop on a fast winding descent and headed to the waterfront and beach. A typical holiday seafront with restaurants and shops lining up behind the beach and behind that lots of holiday accommodation.

Settled down in to a fairly posh looking restaurant and all ordered from a French menu so there was some doubt to what we were going to get. Treated ourselves to a beer for the tired legs. I’d ordered pasta because it was safe but even that came with a raw egg sitting on top which tasted really good. I did however offer to swap with Steve who looked decidedly ill when what he thought was a thin cooked steak turned out to be very thinly sliced raw steak covered in oil!

We all survived and took a wonder around the marina before heading back up that fast descent which was now a long drag and then on to the D6113. For some unknown reason, perhaps because it was a fairly busy road, we ended up lined out riding like it was a team time trial.

We eventually pulled into Trebas and a canal basin on the River Aude just outside Carcassonne. It was still warm so we settled down by café tables right on the canal for coffee and lager shandies. We were entertained by a swan chasing what looked like a beaver around the various boats.

Day seven Friday
30 miles
Short run around Carcassonne.
Weather was very wet and windy.

Didn’t get out on the bikes until 2.30 due to the weather and with our very tired legs from the day before a short run was all that was required.

Finished the day off back in a restaurant in the ancient walled castle ‘La Citié’.

The following day was just a matter of packing up and a fairly easy return journey and flight home.