Sunday, 29 April Gradignan to St. Paul-les-Dax

DISTANCE: 149.6 k/92.9 mi; TIME: 7h 36m; AV: 19.6 kph/12.2 mph; ODO: 1220.4 k

After breakfast, I left Gradignan at about 8 am to cross Les Landes. It was raining slightly, but it increased to continuous light rain. All day it rained except for short pauses when it was still very damp. When I got to Pissos, I considered lunch, but it was not quite midday and on Sunday they tend to lunch later. I decided to continue direct to Sabres. The first two restaurants I tried were full. At the second the concierge told me where there was a Pizza Restaurant. I found it without difficulty on my route out of Sabres. I had a Three Cheese Pizza and Apple Tart.

I continued on to Rion des Landes in various weather conditions, which were all wet! I considered stopping, but the “Relais de Landes” looked decidedly shut. The same was true of the “Landais” at Laluque. At Buglose the “Hôtel Les Pèlerins” said they had no rooms at all. I continued on to Dax, but in St Paul-les-Dax I spotted a one star, the “Hôtel du Rail,” just before the railway bridge on the road to Dax. It was cheap and I had a very welcome greeting from the proprietor. The bike had to stay outside round the back, but I anchored it to a rain water pipe.

I found a cheap restaurant, “Etape Tachoires,” not far from the hotel. It was an adequate if not inspired meal. The Hors d’Oeuvres were very good. There was a very jolly party of workmen, Italian I think, in the restaurant. The restaurateur seemed to know them, so they were probably regular customers. It looked like they were returning to Dax from a weekend at home and may have been building workers.

Site created by Shane Badham