Back into France - Millau and Sainte Enimie

Now a full days drive north still avoiding motorways, my route takes me past a couple of selected waypoints to view the Millau Viaduct and an online hint from a RhoCar friend, and Soctland run veteran means I added Sainte Enimie to the list...

Google Maps Link

Before long the border at Le Perthus, a strange town, still asleep around 9am as I go through but looks much more like it wakes up after dark - plenty of night clubs.

Passed two seven style cars headed south - best guess, via the RhoCar members, is they are Dutton Melos, or something similar. We exchanged waves and then focus back on the drive north.

The route then in sight of the Mediteranian across sand flats, and the country all below the tree line and green, but still impressive distance on the views.

The Tomtom brings me to the Millau Viaduct viewpoint - I'm not driving over it, I have heard there is more to see looking at it than from it. Spent some time wandering, snapping photos and watching the parascenders...

Millau in the valley.

Panorama

(Top left of this picture - Parascenders everywhere!)

The sun is back...

Then down towards Millau istself, slow going sharing the road with the tail end of a running race and traffic queued up through the town meant my new route to Sainte Enimie was a little more convoluted - just head for the hills!

Towards Le Rozier and then my tip from Ian Kirkup at RhoCar to head through the Gorges du Tarn area towards Sainte Enimie... Think cheddar gorge, then multiply it by 10!

Mostly empty roads that have blessed most of the trip.

...and another pause under the bridge at Sainte Enimie.

Some French tourists take an interest in the Zero and one lady drapes herself across it for her husband to photograph, so I offer her a sit in the car - her grandson in the drivers side. Smiles all round.

Great day, great relaxed atmosphere by the water.

Should have gone for a paddle too the water did look cool and inviting... I bet it was icy cold.

Heading up - out of the gorges and towards Le Puy for my next overnight...

Selfie on arrival - black with dust from the road and tired after nearly 300 miles. Another good run though and buzzing. I joke to my wife on my daily Facebook checkin - I have a tinge of the Carl Fogarty 'mad staring race eyes'  :)

View from my window...