Grey Wolf in France: 30th October........we're 134 today! (and a few pics of St Bertrand de Cumminges)

Happy birthday to me (56) Katy (49) and Lewis (29) today!!!

Stayed in Montrejeau on the 29th and used this as the base camp for our cycle trip so the hill top village of St Bertrand de Cummings. The sun was out, the sky was blue and most of the time it was warm enough for t-shirts when not on the bikes. The ride was lovely and the countryside here is very 'French rustic' with lovely old barns and houses etc. The hill top village has a famous cathedral which overlooks the surrounding area. The village is built on the remains of a former Roman Town and many of the remains are openly visible today.

After our 'grand day out' we set off for St Girons about 38 miles away. Imagine the shock when we arrived to discover the aire and the car park was FULL of Gypsy travellers!! So we decided to go back the way we came to another aire 18 miles away (!) when 3 miles down the road we saw a France Passion sign for free parking! (remember we are paid up members?) so we pulled in and got ready for our birthday meal.

Whilst Kate was preparing this I walked around the farm to find the owner but to no avail. What I DID find however was a lovely old Manor house and some scary barns that looked like something out of 'Bleak House meets Hollywood Horror movie'!

Anyway, we had a lovely meal with salmon, blini's, fish roe and 2 big fat entrecôte steaks! followed by Pyrenean blue goats cheese, all washed down with a bottle of local white and a bottle of Chateau Neuf du Pape (yeah, we did push the boat out on that one!)

We had a fantastic day, spoke to Lewis on Skype (sorry Poddy, couldn't get hold of you!) rang our mothers before we got too drunk (I think) and fell into bed into deep sleep (well I did, Kate apparently helped the washing up fairies first but I was in a coma by then!)

Woke up with a little hangover to find the van covered in frost!

St Bertrand de Cumminges