It's. Only a short drive from Dax to Biarritz but a fairly scenic one, Biarritz is probably the largest town I've headed for so far with the exception of my jaunt through Bordeaux so I was surprised how easy a place it is to navigate so upon finding the Aire full I parked up nearby and set about having a little explore. I had other back up places to stay further down the coast if needs be but I thought I'd have a look around first. I'm glad I did because it was only during my little cycle that I spotted a poster for the "Rugby summer cup" with tonight's match being Bordeaux verses Stade Toulouse, now I couldn't miss that could I ! I plumbed Stade Aguilera into the sat nav and cycled over to buy a ticket, 18 euros later I was the proud owner of a grandstand ticket.
I'd heard good things about St Jean De Luz, Bidart and Hendaye further down the coast so my plan was to have day exploring the three of these smaller seaside towns and return later for the Rugby and hopefully a parking spot in the Aire.
So I had a day people watching along the coast, it was hotter again today, 31 degrees, that's hot enough for me if I'm honest, especially riding around on the bike ! All was very pleasant along the coast, nice beaches, clean water and the Pyrenees in the not-so-distance.
When I got back to the Aire there were indeed a couple of spaces so I parked up and set about sorting my bed, knowing that I wouldn't be back from the Rugby until gone 11. As I was doing so a German man from a rather posh motorhome opposite came over, smiled and said, "Were you in St Malo last week ?". Apparently his children had recognised my van from my first night in France and made dad come and ask if it was me ! Big country, small world ! We chatted while I sorted the bed, he was heading for Barcelona and I told him of my plans for Pamplona.
I cycled the four or so miles each way to the Rugby ground, not all that far but I arrived sweating, we'd had some thunder and lightening but it was still warm and muggy, I really wouldn't want to play rugby in this heat. So there I was, in the heart of Basque country doing one of the most Basque things you can do, all whilst enjoying a cold beer and having an entire conversation with the guy next to you using nothing but names of rugby players, their clubs, numbers and "tres bein" or "pas bein". Imagine how pleased the guy was when I came out with, "Wesley Fofana, Clermont, 12, manifique!". We were doing well until he mention Vincent Clerc who had just come on for Toulouse, I mimed the dump tackle, "le carte rouge" and Sam Warburton and stopped smiling. He got the
message and anybody else who watched the semi final of the world cup in 2011 between Wales and France will as well.
Toulouse won but Bordeaux were brave.
I have very much enjoyed today, in fact I have very much enjoyed the last 8 days travelling down the western coast and I've met some nice people along the way, the more I see of France the more I like it. Tomorrow I start my brief folly in to Spain but I am already looking forward so seeing different parts of France on the way back, including a drive over the Pyrenees ! Before all that I still had to make it back to the Aire, it was gone 11 and when I arrived back I was sweating, this place really is warm.
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