Day 17 in the Pyrenees

Today the six of us went our separate ways after a group breakfast.  Paul & Pam headed to Provence, stopping in Carbonne, where Paul's parents lived after their retirement.  Bill & Rosemary soared up to the 9,000 ft. Pic du Midi on a cable car.  Joni and I resumed Tour watching in the village of Laruns, where the climb up to Col d'Aubisque begins.

It was market day in Arreau, so before leaving town each of us visited the market.  Although we each visited it independently we all were impressed with it.

Paul &Pam picnicking outside Carbonne, and dining at La Terrace in Joucas, in the Luberon

Bill & Rosemary on the top of the Pic du Midi

Hang-glider seen from the Pic du Midi

Joni and I had a two hour drive to get to our viewing site along the Col d'Aubisque.  We arrived at the foot of the Col around 11:00 am.  The posted signs indicated that the road was not closing until noon, but unfortunately it was already closed, so we made a U-turn, headed to the western edge of the town of Laruns, where the Tour de France sprint line was located.  On each stage of the Tour a sprint line is chosen for which points are awarded to the first riders to arrive at this line.  It's a way to create a competition within the completion for the Yellow jersey.  The rider with the most cumulative sprint points is awarded a Green jersey, and this year's sprint champion will most likely be Wout Van Aert who has more than double the points of his closest competitor.

Wout Van Aert

Our viewing spot today was unique for us.  We have never had a viewing spot that afforded us unobstructed views of the Tour route for probably 1 km in each direction; and 360° views of the mountains in every direction!

Today's temp's soared into the 90°'s so we were very happy to have our 36 Euro pop-up sun shade for protection.

Since there were mainly flat roads until the Col d'Aubisque, the caravan and the riders were moving at a very high pace and actually arrived 15 minute before the anticipated schedule.

And here come the riders!

...and just as quickly, within five minutes, all 143 of them, were gone!

Our return to Arreau took about two hours.  We arrived around 5:30 PM, showered quickly and then Rosemary and Joni headed into the center of town for some quick shopping before dinner.

Dinner was outside and delightful:  pea soup or calamari for starters, duck for our main course, and fruit salad for dessert.  We had our usual bottle of rosé too.

Arreau to Col d'Aubisque