and into the mountains

After a late night getting back from Rocamadour, the last thing we really needed was another early start, but that was what we got. Afterall, le tour beckons. Our destination today was Audressien but we detoured to Cugnaux for the start of Stage 12. Given it was Bastielle Day, the people of France seemed to have nothing to do except for heading off to the Tour. There were people everywhere. We walked around the team buses for a bit and only just made it back to the start in time. Since we were late in arriving all the best spots were taken so we couldn't see anything. Just hear them set off and then see the tops of all the team cars as they follow behind.

The tour start at Cugnaux

We went in search of a McDonalds in the hope of getting wifi, but at the one we found the Internet wasn't working so we continued on the road to Audressien. We were venturing into the Pyrenees so the roads were rather narrow and windy. Every now and then we'd come across a lovely village and leave it a few metres later. We didn't climb as high as I thought we might, but I think the roads just snaked around the valleys.
Audressien turned out to be a tiny tiny village. We booked this hotel in the hope of accessing one of the mountain stages nearby and what do we find when we arrive? Signs warning of a road closure on July 16 because the tour is going straight past our hotel. The exact stage wasn't released when we booked so this is pure luck at work.
The hotel isn't open until 5.30 so we head back to a village we passed on the way in and have a drink and use their wifi. Nothing much was open anywhere because of the public holiday so we had dinner at the hotel.
The hotel itself is fairly basic so we weren't expecting much, but dinner turned out to be the best meal I'd had in France so far.