France Has VOLCANOES?! 🌋 Massif Central; Lakes & Volcanoes

Day 236. 75km (82625kms 7yrs)

Outside the shelter the grass was frosty and crisp underfoot as I walked to the toilet. Back in the warmth of my tent I had my customary coffee before packing away a nice dry tent and heading back down to Lac Pavin. Here upon replying to their inquiry I impressed some French hikers that I was “cycling all the way to England” (a mere 600kms away now 😆) Sometimes it’s just easier not to explain myself.

There are several references to the Tour de France around here, I believe one of the stages has come through Besse in previous years. Today the alpine town was enjoying some kind of harvest festival so was a very jolly place this Saturday morning. Descending down from here I could’ve gone straight to Clermont Ferrand but the weather was perfect for a day of cycling in the mountains. So instead, under a blue sky this time, with a whiff of a tailwind I began climbing up the third 650m ascent in two days (weirdly uniform altitude difference between valley floor and pass around here). As I reached the pass I drew closer and closer to the paragliders suspended above me. Another couple of lovely lakes later it was time to descend 1000m to Clermont Ferrand.

After 30 gentle kilometres, a big town spread out before me, in the centre of which a tall thin black cathedral towered above all other buildings. Once in the centre, monorail trams traversed the huge main square. I made my way directly to my hosts’ where over the next two nights they treated me to the famous Le Puy green lentils that I’d not had a chance to try in Le Puy, an amazing cheese simply named bleu D’Auvergne, amongst many other delicious treats. I also got to understand a little about the bizarre goings on in French politics just now and feel newly re-energised by the enthusiasm of the younger generation (which makes me sound and feel so old 😆)

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