Pyrenean Odyssey - part1

Well two and a half weeks in and this is my first post - slight technical hitch with my iphone / iPad combo  (thanks apple for messing up Bluetooth with the iOS 5.1.1) hopefully fixed now. Most of the first two weeks were spent in the Languedoc in the foothills above the plain of Rousillon, climbing, cycling ... and a fair bit of drinking and eating ! It is an under appreciated area with some superb, rugged countryside, a fascinating history of rebellion against the French establishment including the cathars and the hugeneots, loads of vineyards and wine 'caves' and great climbing. Highlight was climbing at the famous, though now under used Vingrau and doing the classic of the region, the Petit Dru - a six pitch beauty with a real mountain feel, a classic N Wales chimney thrutch in the middle and a technical and strenuous final pitch topping out to views of hills, valleys vineyards and cathar castles - superb :-)

In between I've done some road cycling - my hill climbing is coming on - on good, empty roads and we've tried our new mountain bikes out on some VTT circuits; five punctures on two routes is not the best start, but after a swift call to Decathlon for some  better tyres I'm prepared to give it another go !

The end of the two weeks saw us head up hill to the Pyrenees Catalanes and Font Romeu at about 1700M, but it's now late so more to follow ....