23 avril 2011 - Millau to Sarlat

SAMEDI

The viaduct from our hotel room.

 Driving back to the A75 in order to go across the Millau Viaduct.

The Millau Viaduct was built in 2004 and spans 1.5 miles across the Valley of the Tarn River. At a height of 1,125 feet and the highest clearance below is 886 feet, it is the tallest bridge in the world.

 Stop in Rodez to gas up.

 Urbanisation NON. Agriculture OUI.

Guy crossing the street with his baguette in hand.

 Crossing over the Dordogne River. 38 km to Sarlat.

 Souillac. Entering the département of Dordogne.

Back to my abode.

 My roundabout has gained some color over the past two weeks; the tree has leafed out.

Banners hanging over the viaduct are in protest of shale natural gas.

 Take a trip to the grocery store with Mom. Then we walk into town.

The cutest little truck and, in French fashion, it is parked on the sidewalk.

In the late afternoon, the city is still bustling with the Saturday market.

 We go to a patisserie to buy a gâteau aux noix (walnut cake).

 Dried fruit shop that opened a couple weeks back. City Hall.

 

Mom preparing French onion soup.

22 avril 2011 - Antibes to Millau via Nîmes

VENDREDI

 Mom finds a Rick Steves book to gander through at breakfast.

Packing up and leaving Antibes.

Heading northwest of Antibes toward Millau. Des hommes travaillent. Soyez vigilants (Men at work. Be vigilant).

 Attention bouchon (traffic).

 Symbol of Nîmes. Arènes de Nîmes, a Roman amphitheater built around 70 AD. An interesting thing I learned from the audioguide, arena is Latin for sand.

 Good Year blimp overhead.

We were fortunate enough to see some activity going on in the arena, as historical actors rehearsed for the Grands Jeux Romains, the Roman Games, taking place on the 23rd and 24th. 

Seats 25,000.

 Maison Carrée, a first century Roman temple.

 Friday holiday traffic. Sign reads: fin du bouchon à 4 km (End of traffic in 4 km).

 Wonderful geographic formations.

Stop at a service station; Dad gets a coffee from a drink dispenser. Elephant statue.

Millau and the Tarn Valley.

The Millau Viaduct. In Romance languages there is a distinction between a viaduct and a bridge. A viaduct spans land while a bridge spans water.

Arrive at our hotel in Millau. View from the hotel room.

It is just past 8pm when we walk into town for dinner. Pass a window display of gloves, Millau being the glove capital of France.

Dinner at Bocareva.