I was up very late again last night (0230) booking today's accommodation in Tarbes - a Premiere Classe hotel on the South West edge of the city at 39 Euros. Weather forecast for today was 32c and cloudy. I knew today's route to Tarbes via Lourdes wouldn't be too long (71km in the end) so decided to be a tourist in the morning and visit the big Chateau in Pau. I opted for the guided tour, which was great (see photos), but when the tour finished as scheduled at 1...

I was up quite late last night checking emails and booking tonight's accommodation in Pau. I got a room in the Hotel Altica Pau for 39 Euros. Before leaving Salies, I bought a few items for lunch, then headed towards Orthez, but didn't cross the river Ousse, rather heading South beside the River Laa, along the D947 then D110. Along the way I spotted a gite with tables and benches outside, which looked like a nice spot to eat my packed lunch. Indeed it was, and...

Over the past few days I had been in contact with my friend Jennifer in Catllar, firstly about a mislaid phone charger (which was found) then kindly offering suggestions as to where I might stay for a night. One suggestion was her friend who lived in Salies de Bearn. This was only about 44km away, so I had plenty time to explore Dax first. I spent a while in Dax Cathedral (see photos) and was interested to see the connection with St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) ...

I left Donostia/San Sebastian at 0930, and after just 20km I was crossing the Rio Bidasoa into France, just upstream of Pheasant Island (uninhabited), which changes its nationality every six months! (Treaty of the Pyrenees, 1659). Soon I was passing golden beaches, then a slight uphill into Biarritz (see photo), where I did a bit of exploring before lunching in a cafe well to the northeast of the expensive central area. After 7km I was crossing the River Ardour i...

I set off from Catllar 10am. Dry, sunny & warm. At Serdinya I realised I had left my sunscreen behind. I bought some at Olette, where I also had a croque monsieur & a coffee. Just as well as the next meal opportunity was not till Bolquere which I reached at 5pm. (Jennifer had forewarned me that in France one has to stop for lunch before 1330 at the latest, otherwise expect to go hungry. In Spain the eating hours are much more relaxed, and generally much...