Another frustrating morning along the road with annoying traffic, two hours to Briode, where there is the largest romanesque church in Auvergne, but, it being a Sunday and services in progress, I didn’t go in. Had a coffee in the very busy nearby bar. Godless lot there I shouldn’t wonder.
After another hour I finally left that bloody road and headed up into the hills,.
I had my lunchtime sandwich here, this road was beautifully quiet, the sunshone and there was a cool breeze, perfect for cycling.
The rest of the day was like that, wonderful deserted roads along the edge of the gorge above the Allier river. There was some off-road stuff on bumpy farm tracks, but that got me closer to the butterflies, lots of yellow ones, buzzards too, taking-off lugubriously from roadside perches, unhappy to be disturbed I guess.
Finally the hotel at Langeac, more a motel really, but with a surprisingly good pizzeria attached. I had a vegetarian one that was actually full of yummy roasted vegetables, excellent.