FRANCIA - Langudoc-Roussillion

29/3 Languedoc - Roussillon region

oldies turn-take riding up & over the Espana-Francia border whilst kids school. Spectacular small rail/commercial costal towns either side of the mountainous border, each with enticing blue beaches.

Drive onto Collioures along the Cote Vermillion where vineyards on one side and precipitous ocean cliffs on the other pinch the scenic highway. 

An indescribable feeling as we set off on our family bike ride past seaside cafes nestled beneath a fort.  Motionless soothed diners dot the broad esplanades, listening to accordionists & watching French frogmen doing exercises off the beach in black wetsuits.

Into Perpignan for groceries/fuel/gas then back to the mountains for the next stop - La Train Jaude in the Pyrenees foothills.  Sadly however, we’ve struck the month of track & train servicing.  No problem - thoroughly enjoyed seeing pink blossomed trees further softening ancient pink granite stone walls & buildings as they sit timelessly & diminished beneath enormous snow peaks.  I think I’m in heaven.

Weaving up a steep windy road and onto a roadside “aires de chainages” for the night. All is so much more camper friendly this side of the border.  Relaxed night again by a cascading brook.

30/3 

Dreams punctuated by rusty grade 8 French.  Woke at 0400 to brush up!

Slinky, busy highway too scary for Jen to follow after Jeff’s morning bike ride, 30 min ascent with minimal shoulder, thankfully Euro drivers so much more aware and respectful of cyclists than ignorant/arrogant Aussies, although still a bit edgy, crisp Pyrenees air, sun over the snow peaks, winding steeply up, then a crazy/fun 8min descent back to the motorhome for breakfast, school finishing, and rev up Eddie to take on the mountain.  

Easier for Eddie (than Jeff), amazing how the diesel engine pulls so easily up the hills heaving the big tortoise shell with the Connberries and all their stuff, thru Mont-Louis and downish, to our left on the other side of the valley a ski resort sits, end of the season?? 

 Any skiiers up there?  Came to the turnoff to the resort ....... 

“how ‘bout we turn left here?”

“OK”

Why not?  Up to the resort of Les Angles, we’re in shorts and thongs but there are skiiers up there, got some info, decided to stay and have a crack tomorrow - ski lesson at 9 and then we’ll see after that.

Afternoon spent riding bikes off road on the tracks around the campground, early bed for an early rise (early is 7:30!)

31/3 slept in till 7:47!!  Hurried breakfast, packed up Eddie and up to meet Olivier our English speaking instructor.  Picked up the gear, awkwardly clomping about in our boots, dropping skis and poles all over the place,wearing nothing that matches (unlike the surrounding smoothly dressed skiers) down the hill to the Magic Carpet where Olivier met us and in very broken English got us started on the basics - how to slow down mostly.Not convinced of more skiiing - icy snow; inexperience;illness BUT Paul in rental shop utterly gorgeous and encouraging sooo...

Bought a 4hr lift pass and headed up on the Gondola, J&J set the kids on the gentle slopes outside the restaurant where their intention was to have a coffee and enjoy the vista.  

Calmly sipping and chatting when we noticed Wil getting onto the “poggle” lift (the one with the disc b/w the legs) and heading up the mountain - too far away for him to hear his pathetically worried parents so just let him go.  Watched him get right to the top without mis-hap, gracefully dismount the device, spin around to the crest of the hill, point his skis downhill and take off.

J: “He’s mad!”

J: “He’s going to fall.”

J: “He shouldn’t get fast enough to break anything.”

J: “He only ever learns from his own mistakes.”

And at that he deftly zips down the slope, gently snow-ploughing from left to right and back again till he gets to the bottom and skis straight back into the poggle lift to do it again.  Kids!!!

Jen struggling with illness (URTI) and the insurmountable guff/gear,continued to plug on with the snow plough and her sticks. Finally confident enough to take the poggle, first she tries to sit on it & flaps all over the place to regain balance whilst being yelled at by attendant to ‘no sit,no sit!’ and then at the top,dismounts with such grace, that she tips over the side barrier snapping the electricity that powers the ski lift temporarily disabling the service! Steady but very purposeful,never, never give up around and around she goes until she has more speed & “mais seulement un peu elegance”.

Massive, expensive,delicious buffet lunch that even Wil couldn't finish ( but then all he wanted to do was strap on the skis again!)

Kel more cautious after a fall on her 1st poggle lift attempt, also finally gets the bug and once up, off she goes almost effortlessly down short green runs.Jeff doing the rounds with Wil who is exploding in confidence but happy to stick with the green runs, together they do 2 full mountain descents to end a magic day at the bottom where they meet the gals who have ridden the gondola down. 

Jeff’s itching to power down more challenging slopes but his generosity keeps him skilling & supporting his wee family - bring on Austria at Christmas.Pink cheeks, sweaty feet, all on a euphoric high (except Jen who is struggling with URTI), gear back to Paul and back to the campsite for an hour or so of school.