Great view out our bedroom window overlooking our hosts and her neighbours rear yards. Ours is the one with the pool, and our bikes are in the garage at the rear.

This is our apartment, very spacious indeed. I highly recommend staying at Maison le trefle.

Breakfast included bacon, mini sausages and black pudding cooked up by Frank.

The first 30 km was a bit of a battle with very strong headwinds. Only 4.5 km in we donned our rain jackets, sweltered and took them off as the big drips of rain disappeared. After 30 km the wind disappeared too.

We were conscious today of the weather forecast. Thunderstorms were forecast at our destination later afternoon, but as the day went on, the weather improved and just kept getting hotter and muggier.

Niamh had warned us that most shops would be shut by midday so when we saw this boulangerie we stopped for a coffee and snack. It was to be the first and last place open until our destination so a good call in hindsight.

The first part of the day was dotted with wind turbines.

Lots of hills today with the first part of the day being a series of gentle 2-3 percenters. the afternoon featured steeper and longer climbs.

Another typical village view. Today we went through many little villages, mostly very quiet and no noise anywhere.

Descending out of one village there are typical high stone walls.

A nice little creek system including a lock, in what we think was someone’s private backyard.

A cute church scene.

A renovators delight on the left.

Whilst we were on some busy arterial roads (D roads) we were always relieved to turn off onto the quieter local roads servicing villages and farms.

As we approached Saint Martin l’Ars we saw this lovely old chateau. Not sure of the history but it does look like it needs some work.

This made us smile. We presume that Romain and Audrey were married yesterday.

Another old church, no history plaque obvious, but it does look like there was a former large door in the bricked in arch on the left.

My favourite photo of the day is of the Viaduct de l’isle Jourdain. quite an impressive structure.

Water was running low, no shops open, so we resorted to public toilet sinks as there was no ‘non potable’ sign. Time to put more sunscreen on too.

After 100 km we arrived in Le Dorat, a town of around 1500 people. We were too early to go direct to our accomodation so we did a cycle around the town scouring for dinner options. We found a bar open, run by an English couple. We ordered some cold drinks and sat and chilled.

The village has some interesting buildings and a link to Australia. during WWII the Germans occupied the local Dunlop factory keen for intel re tyre making. As a result the Allies bombed the village.

War time resistance heroine Nancy Wake had a resistance stronghold here, and after her death her cremated remains were spread in a local forest.

Some views around the village.

Many shop windows had painted images of sheep pertaining to their business. I quite liked them. Here are a couple of samples.

We headed off to find that church spire.

Voila! La Collegiale Saint Pierre. It appears from my translation that there was a pre existing church here around 940 AD. Something happened in 1080….but construction of the current church started around 1110 with the crypt and transept. There were major fortification additions in the 1500’s.

Much of the outside of the church is covered with scaffolding as they try to replace old timbers and the damaging effects of water. There is a fundraising campaign for more than 2 million euro to support the renovations.

I am always amazed in these old churches at how high the domes and arches are. The engineering all those years ago was brilliant. The amount of men over many years involved in the construction would have been significant.

Leaving the church we wound our way back up into the centre of the village via this pretty laneway.

In the 1500’s there were four gates to enter the fortified walled town. Today only remains, Porte Bergere.

This little electric car caught our eye. We watched lady hop in, with her child and drive away. The child was deposited behind the drivers seat.

Another day done, 14 completed now. We rode 100 km today and it is getting hillier at a bit under 1000 metres climbing. I zoomed our route out to show where we are relatively within France.

The next two days are a bit more arduous again. Thunderstorms are predicted shortly. We are hoping the weather blows over before we start.

Thanks for reading. Stay safe, smile on 😊