Day 7. Le Mont Dore to St Flour.

66.42 miles, average speed 10.5 mph, ascent 1814 metres (5951 ft), elapsed time 6 hrs 17 mins.

The weather is becoming very disappointing. As we set off from The Grand Hotel the temperature was in single figures with little prospect of it increasing to well into the morning. I had packed my longs and warm gloves as a last minute thought and I am glad I did – I had everything on.  The morning started with a 5 mile climb up to the Col de la croix St Robert at 1451 metres.

We were in the clouds so no decent views until we descended on a fast smooth road surface. Our morning coffee stop was at 14 miles in the village of Verrier, a chance to get some warmth back into the fingers. After coffee it was back up again, this time to the Col de la Chaumoune at 1155 metres. We were now enjoying better weather and the views stretched for miles. This is a beautiful area of France with lots of cattle, many of them with bells around their necks – which must be very annoying! Lunch was taken at Marcenat. We had a Peak Tours picnic in a cafe run by an octogenarian lady. Met a young couple who are riding through France, Italy and Croatia carrying all their camping kit. Rather them than me. After lunch we enjoyed a wonderful 15 miles of downhill to the coffee stop in Neussarges at 55 miles. The last section to St Flour was remarkable for the heavy rain in the last few miles including the climb up to the town where we mingled with fairly heavy traffic. Our hotel, Les Planchette, was an old Monastery, basic but comfortable. I ate in town with friends Pauline and Mick. We had delicious strips of beef which the waitress delighted in telling us were from Scotland! A surprise after all the cattle we have seen.

I must apologise for the lack of photos. I have been taking quite a few but they just take so long to upload. I hope to upload some once I have caught up.