France by Bicycle | PART 16: INTO TOULOUSE

Leaving Valence d’Agen, we ride through gorgeous countryside to the town of Moissac, checking out the world famous abby known for it’s Romanesque (and to be honest, rather creepy) Romanesque artwork. Then it’s across the Pont-Canal du Cacor, another long and beautiful aqueduct, and after a short day, spend the evening in Castelsarrasin before continuing on to Toulouse which, we discover, is a vibrant, beautiful city. We find a lovely hotel right on the banks of the Canal du Midi, our route out of town, and explore the city by night, thoroughly enjoying what is, to this point, the largest city of our entire trip.
Music:
Accordion and Glockenspiel Comedy - JK Productions
Pond Five
081716572-accordion-and-glockenspiel-com
a href="www.pond5.com/royalty-free-mu..."Stock Music/a provided by JK_Production, from a href=“www.pond5.com/"Pond5/a
Wake Up With Me - David Celeste
Epidemic Sound
Godsend - Johannes Bornlof
Epidemic Sound
Right Size For Me - Headlund
Epidemic Sound
Our French Cafe - Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions
KZbin-AudioLibrary
Lonely No More - Leimoti
Epidemic Sound
Let Me Introduce Myself - Rune Dale
Epidemic Sound
Diffused Aura - Dream Cave
Epidemic Sound
If These Trees Could Talk - Cristophe Gorman
Epidemic Sound

[@westpacificmarketanalytics2384]

A thank you is not enough I so enjoy when one of your videos arrive, your such a kind couple with a wonderful story and full of life! God Bless and again thank you for the hard work and sharing! G

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Thank you so much G! We love to put these together, its truly a labor of love!

[@atmrtwbike]

I am so loving this video series! I almost don't want it to end!

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Still got a ways to go! But hopefully we'll have something interesting to follow up. Still looking at options...

[@e-BikeLife]

almost?!?!? Definitely is the correct response.

[@TorstenLif]

Another great video. thanks! The trees along the canals actually fulfill another important function rather than just providing shade. Their roots bind and stabilise the soil of the canal banks and prevent erosion. Sure, the occasional (sometimes very frequent!) roots will have found their way across the tow path and into the water, but just remember that without them the canal might not even have survived to our time and bear the tooth-rattling bumps with gratitude.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Exactly. Bank stabilization. They have done their job, the canal is still in great shape after so many years.

[@stevebailey7633]

A Water Slope. Only 2 in existence in the entire world and you stumble on one of them. And now I learned something I never knew, How Cool !

[@TheBicycleTourists]

We were totally mystified. I had to do the research once we got home. Very cool!

[@MarcelBijl1]

Beautiful! One of our next destinations. Thanks!

[@TheBicycleTourists]

It belongs on the bucket list for sure.

[@dennispiciullo8060]

Thank you guys for these videos, I look forward to these at the weeks end.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Thank you so much, Dennis! Truly our pleasure!

[@rodofortier5166]

Oui Oui quel bonheur !! Here's episode 16 of that charming trip of yours. Another pleasure for us R&J fans. You make it so inspiring for me to go out on those paths...i can also hear my Trek 520 say ''ok, so let's go !!!'' ;-)

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Love to hear that! It makes our day! (Our bikes are calling us right now!)

[@dondonner1095]

On top of being another great video, Julianna again made the latest edition of Cyclosource. Getting famous you two. Thanks.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Yep, they sneaked that shot in somehow when we visited the office in Missoula.

[@maxdugan5319]

Always great video and top notch information on the high points of the route!

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Thank you Max!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Riding on those canals was so spectacular and most of spoiled you both with such beautiful riding conditions. To bad the bike shop didn't work out. So much history over there. Thanks for the video and take care, Al

[@TheBicycleTourists]

We found a shop in the morning and got everything taken care of. There's always tomorrow!

[@alanwilliamson6421]

What a great opportunity

[@alanwilliamson6421]

To pedal around France

[@TheBicycleTourists]

We tell ourselves that every day on these trips. We feel so lucky to have the time and the health to do it. We don't take it for granted.

[@kasinyvr9781]

We cycled this route in 2021 and loved it! The aqueducts over the river freaked me out and I refused to ride across them, gingerly walking my bike across. I asked my husband what I should do if I fell into the aqueduct - his response? Let go of the bike!!! We still laugh at my inane question. But it shows you how intimidated I was by the narrow path, oncoming pedestrians and cyclists and my navigating it all with my pannier-laden bike. Luckily for us, we found a fabulous bike shop in Toulouse. We had called ahead and Laurent, the owner stayed open for us. Our ride into Toulouse from Moisssac was pelting rain the entire way. Luckily it was flat! So it’s a treat to see the route under sunny skies. Toulouse is an amazing city - we enjoyed our 3 nights there and would heartily recommend it. Moissac was memorable for the train that runs right through the abbey that is behind that beautiful church. The train to Paris took precedent over keeping the abbey, the convent and the church intact. Hard to believe! We are really enjoying your videos. Excellent videography, editing, narration and music. Do you have a professional background in this area or are you self taught? We would love to capture our trips as brilliantly as you do but are unsure if we could ever master the necessary skills. So perhaps we will stick with our iPhones which do a very credible job of documenting our trips.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Thank you for the comments and insights. It is a great route full of great scenery and interest. Was the train in the abbey the same abbey as what we filmed? We totally missed the train! I was in advertising for my working years, an art director who came up with TV spots, but hired out the film direction, production, photography, and editing to experts. So I've had to learn the various crafts on my own, but always had an opinion about the entire video process. It takes an incredible amount of time, and if I wasn't retired and super passionate about learning a new craft I would not be able to do them. As it is they are truly a labor of love. We don't use anything to shoot besides iPhones and GoPros by the way.

[@kasinyvr9781]

@@TheBicycleTourists From the Michelin Guide Languedoc Roussillon Tarn Gorges p 462: Abbey St Pierre was built in the 7C and was most influential in the 11 and 12C when the abbot of Cluny affiliated the abbey to Cluny and set up priories throughout the region. Occupied twice during the 100 Years War, secularized in 1628 and suppressed during the Revolution. During the Reign of Terror the archives were dispersed, art treasures pillaged and sculptures were disfigured. And, it was almost demolished in the mid 1800s to make way for the railway line to Bordeaux. Very little of the original abbey remains. The Cloisters, from the 11C, are accessed through the tourist office and are apparently worth a visit "most beautiful in the world"… and are the "oldest in the world" as well. www.abbayemoissac.com/en It really is quite amazing to walk around to the back of the abbey and stand on the bridge over the train tracks to watch the trains hurtling between the abbey buildings. All in the name of progress apparently.

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Absolutely, progress, and much needed. For context, Moissac is 8.8km away of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, which is the birth place of one Antoine de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac. Yes, “that” Cadillac 😉 A region from where French emigrated for lack of perspective. As late 1884, poor Aveyronnais, Aveyron is 2h drive North/East of Moissac emigrated to Argentina and also the US. Ditto, the Basques. Railways were perceived as a way to breathe some economic life in a region where people were poor. Old stones were just that, old stones.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Wow, great information, wish I'd have known!

[@dreuxdemack1417]

Another fine installment from a grand bike tour from two fine cyclists! Nothing worse though than a lousy mattress on a bike tour. Well, maybe headwinds! Well done you two.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

You kind of have to learn to cope with the changing mattresses. And in the morning you get on the bike and all your pains are washed away!

[@michelesauret7779]

Our new ambassadors of the french cuisine I hope 😁

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Haha, yes indeed! Love the French cuisine. (But a fair warning - when we ride along the tourist zones on the Med, we had much harder luck finding good French dining.)

[@michelesauret7779]

@@TheBicycleTourists Normal, in september a lot of restaurants along the Med coast, very sunny touristic region

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Yeah, tourism brings down the quality everywhere you go. That's shy we spend so much time outside of the usual tourist traps.

[@maxdavies9327]

WOW... What a great find. I just stumbled across this Part 16 on utube and started watching then I realised how many Parts there were to your France trip so I stopped watching, Then Down loaded the whole series and went back to Part 1 and I am working my way through the whole trip now. ( it may take a couple of weeks to finish watching ). Im particaully interested in the Canal Du Midi section. My wife and i want to do a Cycle/ Barge trip on the Moselle River in Germany next year. Thank you for this great trip in France and shareing it with the world... Max. Australia.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Oh, I see you answered my question. The Moselle is amazing, I've done a cruise down the river many years ago; would love to cycle it someday. My mother came from that part of Germany (along the Rhine actually) so it's near and dear.

[@lindahowes5949]

Another fantastic episode. The canal riding seems so peaceful. The canal bridge over the river an interesting engineering feat. The sculptures in the beautiful church seemed a bit frightening! Thanks for taking us along. 💜

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Yes, some of these old Romanesque churches and abbeys are so full of mystery and fear. they speak to the dark ages, and fears they had way back when. We of course love them.

[@juiceqc7716]

Well done you two. Inspirational.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

thank you!

[@e-BikeLife]

I had to go back to episode one to rewatch the map. Looks like there are several weeks yet of content, but I am going to be so sad at its end. Moissac! We were there in 2019, and found that church and abbey as interesting as you. The town was pleasant, but nothing really remarkable. à bientôt, mes, amis!

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Haha! I'll be glad when I'm done editing, as it's starting to crowd my cycling time! You're right, the town was nice but the abbey was exceptional, as was the aqueduct nearby.

[@e-BikeLife]

@@TheBicycleTourists Right now my cycling time is impacted by my recent nose surgery. Hoping it pays off with easier breathing. That's the plan anyway.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Hoping for a speedy recovery!

[@gogorobandles]

We have been following your journey with particular interest as we will be touring through France mid Aug till mid October approximately. I was curious to see what the weather was like in the fall in the south of France and also if campgrounds would be open. Love the look of this canal ride. Very beautiful and serene.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Hello! Thanks for watching! The weather was awesome last fall, probably too dry (they were in the middle of a terrible drought) but very pleasant from the cyclist's point of view. I've had great luck in the past with autumn weather in Europe, it seems that it's the most predictable and calm. It seemed to us that a lot of camping had been closed but since we weren't looking for campgrounds that's not an educated opinion.

[@gogorobandles]

@@TheBicycleTourists thanks for the reply. We will have to do some research into this and our options available. Cheers.

[@colinwellman9480]

Sorry but I had to chuckle when you mentioned the height of your attic room. I'm 6' tall and taller than most where we live. Many houses have low doors and I've cracked my head many times. When we moved here 20 years back it seemed everyone in the village was tiny and related. There are about 4 surnames that ran and owned all the businesses. It is changing and many more people have moved here in recent years. I hope the bike shop visit wasn't for something important. Looking a Julianna's bike she seems to have a lot of handlebar furniture. I guess it's phones, satnavs etc. Is it a problem keeping everything charged? Many thanks for another lovely episode of your journey.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

I find myslef hunching a lot in these rooms. There was more than one with the low ceilings. Julianna keeps a GoPro mount, Garmin mount, a light, a bell, and a hedgehog. We use extenders (about $10 on Amazon) to lift devices out of the hand positions. We bring an electric charger , that we plug in once we get to the room that we plug all our devices into. 2 GoPros, 2 iPhones, 4 lights, extra battery chargers, drone, Garmin. Yes, it's a lot!

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Bonjour Roland et Julianna, Early hours of Saturday, here, no better way to start the day than with a steaming mug of coffee and a R&J video. Here is wondering if the hikers you saw weren’t pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela ? I am afraid you missed an opportunity to have a chat with them. Had great conversations (not about religion) with Scots, a Norwegian lady, Germans about what it’s like to walk from Edinburgh, Trondheim or as far as Berlin, all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Bonjour, and merci! I bet you are right about the hikers, just like the young woman we spoke with in Blaye. But Europeans in general seem to have a culture of long distance walking, don't they? In America hiking is something typically done in the wilderness, but in Europe is often enjoyed town to town, like our bike touring. I love that!

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Few Europeans tackle the Appalachian, let aside the PCT or the Colorado Trail, walking “el Camino” is in comparison, literally, a walk in a park, no high elevation, no terrifying (for us) wildlife like bears, short distances between resupplies, and a warm bed, every night in monasteries and presbyterères and dedicated accommodations catering for pilgrims. Nothing comparable, you have a first hand experience on both side of the pond, with cycling (or walking) for days on across the huge expenses of the US.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

One of my daughters did the PCT and both hiked the Colorado Trail; what we do is a walk in the park compared to that. Had I recognized how much freedom I had when I was younger, that would appeal to me, but now I like being not too far from civilization.

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Same here, if only I had known .... That’s the tricky thing with freedoms, we are inclined to take them for granted, to consider that they’ll always exist and that we have time, until we realize that they are gone and that it’s too late. ☹️

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Yep. Gotta get while the gettin's good. It's the fact that things don't last that makes them precious.

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

@15:32, Well spotted Roland, interesting, indeed. Il s’agit d’un hommage to Italian designer Ettore Sottsass ( iconic Wolf house, Ridgeway.... Colorado😉) founded “Memphis Group” of Italian designers + French Martine Bedin (born in Bordeaux) and American architect and designer, Michael Graves amongst others.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Interesting! Next time I make it down to Ridgway I will have to look for the Wolf House!

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Ridgway not ridgeway, Sorry for the typo. More about the “Memphis Group” at the Art Institute of Chicago, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Yep, I've lived here forever but still misspell that one.

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

That was me who misspelled the name ! Amazing, what were the odds that one random follower of yours, from across the pond, could by pure chance establish a connection between an artsy “Memphis Group” style, paint pattern painted on a piece of industrial machinery, in France, in Martine Bedin back yard, by a canal, and an architect designed house in *your* backyard in Colorado ?

[@robertsao6511]

Love ❤your videos, Roland. What month was it ? I’m planning my ride in mid-June. Thank you both for great videos.

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Thank you Robert! This was in early October when we rode through this stretch. Enjoy your trip, it's an awesome route!

[@lesleykenwood2715]

Would you consider doing a packing vlog? What you bring in your panniers?

[@TheBicycleTourists]

I've been wanting to do one for a long time but just haven't had the time yet. Someday, hopefully soon!

[@lizzievanhetland1485]

Goodmorning on this Beautiful day!! We are Marc and Alice (chanel:Lizzie van het Land) and like to know wheater you two are wearing microfones during the recordings. The sound of your voices is amazing and we struggle with that. Thanks for the answer. We wish you happy trails in 2024!!🎉 M&A

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Good morning! It's a great question, one which I continue to work on. When we are riding we use GoPros, which have a pretty good mic, but I have a foam cover (about 25 cents on Amazon) to keep the wind noise down. I've been experimenting with a Lavalier mic set-up through DJI which is a mic (also with a wind screen) that attaches to your shirt, which produces great sound but it is not as reliable. You can see this on my Driftless Region videos kzbin.info/www/bejne/qILQq4KvgbyEadk. The real challenge, I've found, is in editing. I take a lot of time working on the volume levels and filters to block out background noise, wind, etc. without destroying the voice quality. It has been the single biggest learning curve in doing these videos, and also seems to make the biggest difference in overall quality of the videos. Hope that helps! Happy trails!

[@klasjansson5814]

👍

[@TheBicycleTourists]

Merci!

[@evanlouis8853]

what do you think your bikes weigh all loaded? thanks

[@TheBicycleTourists]

We weighed them before our US trip, which included camping equipment. Then it was roughly: Julianna's is 60 lbs., mine is 100 lbs. Less on this trip in France.

[@GatherKrelt]

What dates were this ride? Thanks!

[@TheBicycleTourists]

We were in Toulouse late September/early October of last year.

[@GatherKrelt]

@@TheBicycleTourists Thank you so much!

[@noelpf]

Sex work is legal and the oldest profession

[@TheBicycleTourists]

I understand that to be true in France. Whether its truly the oldest profession or that's just a euphemism is hard to know.