We cross the southernmost border between France and Spain. The road winds up and down along high hills that cut into the sea – it is one of the most beautiful roads that we’ve cycled to far. Also, it is nice to leave touristy south France for the more relaxed northeastern corner of Spain.

Just like the customs office by the previous border, the one here has been closed with cardboard covering the windows. The “cambio/exchange”-signs have been scrawled over. Instead, there is a new EU-sign “España.” Very windy. The winding roads are tough uphill, but downhill refreshing with the wind, whilst both hands rest steady on the handbrakes.

From Llanca, we continue inland to Figueras. There, after much searching, we are finally let to camp in some farmer’s field, just outside town and right next to the N11-road.

We continue south and for a good part of the day, we cycle along a canal. It is nice to once again cycle in peace; without sharing the road with cars. In Argelés, Camping La Marende (www.marende.com) let us shadow some of their grass for the night.

Camping La Nautique (www.campinglanautique.com) sponsor us with a nights camping.

We finally reach the Mediterranean and with it a pleasant, cool breeze. After passing a maybe fifteen kilometer long road along the beach – lined on both sides with parked cars; tourists looking for a swim – we reach the outskirts of Agde. Sponsored camping at Mini Camping Sokol.

We camp by a harbor along the road to St Gilles.

There is heavy rain, but the owners of a campsite in Bourg-Saint-Andéol let us stay in a small house – in the daytime used as a playhouse for visiting children. It also happens to be the National Day – la Fête Nationale. The campsite arranges a small disco in the evening; there are fireworks by the river at midnight.

We continue for just a few kilometers southwest up into the mountains to St-Julien-en-St-Alban. We’ve been invited to join Leo and some friends of his for a party in the outskirts of the small town. We are not on the road again until three p.m. the following day.

We continue south along river Rhône to Valence, where we have been invited to stay for a night at Florent’s friend Leo’s place. Just before reaching Valence, on the other side of the river, a pouring rain begins. We take shelter under the extended roof of a smaller office building; eat a few pieces of bread with olive oil. On the other side of the small tarred suburban street, residential villas lay side by side. A lady spots us, comes running out of one of the houses, and calls on us to come over to her place.

We cycle as fast as we can through the mad rain – soaking us wet despite the short run across the road. The woman opens her knee-high gate, and we cycle through and place our bicycles underneath a party tent on their front yard. Thierry and Stephanie invite us to a great dinner – steak and potatoes, some red wine and finally a good cup of coffee. We have some really nice time together, and since Leo won’t reach Valence before midnight, we stay for a few hours. By eleven, we cycle the last few kilometers across the river to the train station in Valence, where we meet Leo at midnight.

Meeting wonderful people like Thierry and Stephanie, who act spontaneous enough to invite some by-passers, is worth many days of camping, rain, etc.

In Lyon, we stay with Florent and Kasia through the Hospitality Club (www.hospitalityclub.org). Big thanks for the stay, and to Florent for a new shirt.

We camp on top of a small hill, in the midst of some vineyards in the southern outskirts of Milly-La Mertine.

Just past the city of Baune, the map shows us to some beautiful bike routes, that wind through the district’s famous vineyards. We end up camping in a young couple’s garden, next to the canal just south of Chagny. Pouring rain during the night.

There is rain during much of the day, but as we reach Licey-sur-Vingeanne the sun is shining. As we ask a woman to refill our water bottles, we are invited for a coffee with cookies on her veranda. Cheers to Monique and her husband Roger!

We continue south, and halfway through the dense forest between Drambon and Longchamp, we camp outside the house of the forest caretaker (Maison forestière du Tertre).

We cycle along a canal for much of the day. There are no cars, and trees that line the graveled path give us a pleasant shadow during most of the day.

Come late afternoon, we reach the two thousand year old city Langres, situated on the top of a steep hill. As we enter the central square, a pouring afternoon rain begins, and we seek shelter under the awnings of a grocery store. It is a picturesque town – the houses; the church; the cobbled streets. As the rain abates, we cycle the last few blocks to Camping Navarre, who’s owner kindly sponsors us with a nights stay.

Yannick and Sylvie – our hosts the other night – give us breakfast before leaving in the morning. The summer heat of eastern France has arrived. The temperature has risen to a choking 40 degrees Celsius – not the most comfortable, but possibly something to get used to before more southerly climates?

After being denied a sponsored stay at the municipal camping in Andelot, we are instead invited to pitch our tents in the garden of a mother and her daughter, who live in the very outskirts of town.

Just before reaching small town Trondes, we ask a couple if we can pitch our tents somewhere near their house. It is situated beautifully, high up on a steep hillside. A rocky graveled road leads up to the house from the tarred road below. The ground between the road and the house is fenced as pastureland for a couple of horses.

Yannick and Sylvie invite us to sleep in a four-bed chalet next to the main house. A Che Guevara poster inside their kitchen can be glimpsed from the outside. Both the chalet and the main house is built of solid logs. The view over the fields, the horses and the road below is beautiful.

Yannick tells us that in the old days, the farm was also a resort for those that passed by; people traveling on horseback could stay overnight on long journeys. We are invited for a salad of mostly homegrown vegetables for dinner.