Another standstill day, another lovely sunrise and another lie in. By lunchtime all the other vans have gone, leaving us all alone. It's a bit cloudy in the afternoon and humid as if a storm is brewing, but by mid afternoon the Marin wind is blowing hard again keeping things nicely cool. Ali tidies the lockers and cupboards and soogees down Mary*Lou's bodywork to remove some of the dust of five weeks on the road. Dinner is pasta and a bottle of Freddies Red. ...

With no one to overlook us we left the cab curtains open last night and this morning we lie in bed watching a beautiful, colourful sunrise. We've decided on a couple of rest days here so nothing is going to be hurried. Harvesting [vendanges] is in progress and we can see the grape pickers moving among the rows of vines as soon as we are up. Ali goes to take some photos of the workers and is invited to join them. It only takes a few bunches before she is left ...

At first light the hills are still blanketed in mist. With the cool and damp weather we decde not to visit Foix or Mirepoix, but drive to our endpoint near Perpignan. We have to drive through Foix for the service point. It has a large chateau [not accessible] and a busy bustling centre which would be nice on a sunny day. The route out follows the river for a bit then we rejoin the D117 and will stay on that road for the next 80 miles. The scenery along its l...