Full sunshine back again, and a travelling day, to Alet-les-Bains. We made an early start, feeling pleased that we would gain useful time by not lingering lazily over breakfast. Breathtaking mountain views all the way up to the Col d'Aubisque and then to Col du Soulor, with very frequent photo stops. Steep climbs up fairly narrow roads, rock one side and steep drops the other, in places, but not as hair raising as the Pass of the Cattle. Around 10.30, at Col du Soulor, we briefly scanned a notice and discovered that to go onward was forbidden, or interdit, as the French say. Would we have to go back, adding several hours to our journey? Reading more, confused, and asking advice from the shop, no, we could continue, but we would have to wait till one o'clock to go forward down the mountain, in the direction we desired. Motorhomes may climb the mountain in that direction in the morning, they may not descend. In the afternoon, they may descend, but they may not climb. We decided to wait, to admire the magnificent surroundings, drink coffee, walk, watch the vultures and choughs and the many cyclists who gathered for the fast run down the mountain having toiled up the steep slopes thus far. The Tour de France comes through here and, at intervals, the names of the heroes of the Tour de France are written on the road surfaces. Especially pleasing were the sheep with bells tuned to different notes as they roamed the car park and surrounding hillsides. Musical and memorable. One Motorhome sneaked down the mountain early. Kate, indignant, checked with a neighbouring van, the owners being French. They shrug; 'il est Francais', meaning, we French, we do as we please, but me, I wait here, that road is narrow and the man is a fool. As we descend at 1.30, law abiding Brits, we are glad we did not sneak out too, we would not want to meet one of us, coming up.
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