So Ross, Henri and Joe headed off at 7.30am on their bikes, and we followed about an hour later after our host Danny had done the housework. Another beautiful day. We stopped at a local church, only built in 1846, but an insight into the local culture and community. Lisa our driver, has adapted extraordinarily well to driving on the opposite side of the road in the hired mini bus, although I expect being a professional driver at home is a good base to start from.
Arrived at Hauterives about 10.43, with no sign of the riders, so we went into Palais Ideal. Quite simply amazing. It has been compared to the work of Gaudi, but this fellow was a postman, not an architect. It is like a physical expression of his personal philosophy, gleaned from the post cards and magazines he delivered, and the books he read. He advocated an end to religion as an end to war. But the way it is expressed is just so unique : how did a rural postman arrive at this design, building it all by himself over 33 years.....
After we emerged and seated ourselves in a restaurant, the riders arrived to our relief, and after they changed and stowed their bikes in the van, we ordered lunch. Ross had bacon ravioli in cream and cheese sauce. Everyone else had a variation on salad steak and chips. Ross went to see the Palais, some of us had glaces and once Ross had finished we wandered back to the car for the 2 hour ride home, with much merriment at our drive ‘straight’ along the road. There are no straight roads, but we do not often need to turn, and the distinction between the two is causing much hilarity as the navigator and driver debate the issue.