The night was cold and so we wait for the sun to rise above the mountain before we get out of bed and the car. Christophe moves the car a bit so it’s in the sun and he prepares breakfast. I had found blackberries nearby yesterday and return there to pick some for our muesli. Since we have nothing to heat water, we drive to the nearest village with a bar and have coffee and hot chocolate there on a terras in the sun. The village happens to be La Canourgue, a lovely and lively little village.
Driving along the river Tarn
We decide to drive back to Millau and follow the Tarn from there, but in the other direction. It turns out to be a wonderful trip. I think we stop at least 20 times to admire the view and take pictures. I try to take pictures, but my phone takes the fun out of it when I compare the result with the pictures Christophe takes with his phone. So I am content just admiring the views in the here and now.
We have lunch at a completely deserted beach at the bank of the Tarn where the river is so broad that you can actually take a 50 minute boat trip. But that’s only in July and August. Today, even though it is approximately 30 degrees, we are the only visiters. There are canoes lying on the beach and the terras is strewn with tables and chairs, but there’s not a soul in sight. Unfortunately, the Tarn flows very slowly there (if at all) and the water is full of algae. Otherwise, it would have been the perfect place to go for a swim.
The reason for the lack of flow it that there are many barrages in the river. They are all constructed and owned by an energy company, which is of course a very sustainable kind of energy. But it does take the flow out of the river in many places, which is a bit of a pity.
Swimming in the Tarn at Trebas-les-Bains
It isn’t until Trebas-les-Bains that we find a suitable place to swim. I actually know the place very well, for it isn’t far from La Balme, the house where I spent my childhood holidays. We used to go to Trebas with inflatable canoes and canoe down to the house from there, passing several rapids on the way.
We swim and wash our hair in the Tarn, and play catch with a lovely dog while drying.
La Balme; a trip down memory lane
And then we drive on in the direction of Ambialet. 5 km before reaching the village, I recognise La Balme. We drive down the driveway, but there’s nobody home. There must be people there, because there is a mobile home parked before the house, and there are several open windows on the first floor. They must be out exploring.
We tour the place and even walk towards the river, but can’t get close. It’s a pity that nobody is there, or we might have been able to see the indoors. They have made many changes to the house, and it would have been nice to see.
Ambialet
We leave La Balme and drive to Ambialet, which is actually a tourist attraction, though there isn’t really a lot to do nor see. It’s very small. We look around and drive to the other side of the barrage and back, but that’s mainly it.
We drive on in the direction of Albi and buy a pizza in Saint Juéry. After that, it gets dark quickly, so we seek and find a place for the night. Not as quiet nor as dark as the two previous nights, but it will have to do. We’re on the outskirts of Albi, which we want to visit tomorrow, before driving to Tostat, where we are expected tomorrow afternoon for our next pet- and house sit is.
