Friday 23rd May Douillhac to Vinca Via Mont Louis, Grimbsby and just about everywhere else

We are off to Quillan today, or so we thought. Upon arrival we discover that the Aire we had hoped to stay in has been commandeered for the whole weekend for the annual Horse Fair. Quillan has nowhere left to park that is anyway enticing and we don’t fancy being snuggled up to horses and hoards of people all weekend – especially with a certain something’s propensity for barking. We go for plan b which is to move onto the start of a big loop south towards Mont Louis. This loop becomes something of a mission as nobody warned us that once you start you literally can’t stop, there are no laybys, aires or anything. Not even any passing spaces it would seem. Very eek roads…

When we finally get to the end of this rather tortuous drive everyone is somewhat done in and, loathe though we are to say it, the end is totally not worth it. The landscape is barren and bleak and resembles nothing so much as an abandoned mining site. We push on manfully to Mont Louis which also turns out to be somewhat disappointing – think bleak Alaskan outpost. 

Despite hours on the road we make the executive decision to scarper. We beat a not-so-very hasty retreat (13km of hairpins anyone) and reach the sanctuary of the N116 and zoom to Vinca. We arrive safe and in one piece and have a major collapso onto camp chairs outside in the late afternoon sun. Vinca has a glorious lake/reservoir with beaches and campsites dotted alongside, the town itself is small with a Spanish feel to it, we admire all from afar and rejoice in being back in the land of the beautiful scenery and civilised accessibility. Phew.