Today was never going to be a rest day, but we surprised ourselves on how far and how much climbing we did. The main aim of today was to go to Le Mas d’Azil, which we did achieve, but it was sometimes a bit of a slog as we went up and down ranges today. On the other hand, we went through what I now see as typical Pyrenean countryside - lush meadows, contented cows and snow covered peaks in the background. Most of our route was on small, quiet roads. At the small town of La Bastide we came across a market, and also crossed a ‘Voie Verte’, in this case the Foix - St Girons cycleway. And we talked to a fellow cycle tourist (French), who has a friend who lives in Hobart! (On the way back to our accommodation we spotted him again in Foix- it really can be a small world). At the top of the highest point today we came across a church, all on its own, but with a picnic table, that had magnificent views all around. This decided our lunch spot! The highlight of the day was Le Mas d’Azil. At this location the river Arize flows into and out of an enormous grotto, which is pretty cool, but the piece de resistance is that the road enters and leaves the same grotto by a tunnel carved out of the rocky sides. A pedestrian walkway goes for about half the length, leading to an underground ticket office and souvenir shop for the tours that can be done of the cave system, of which the river and road are only a part. The Grotte du Mas d'Azil is a "supersite" with rich remains of human usage from about 30,000 years ago, and is also a key site for the preceding Magdalenian culture. The D119 road runs right through the large cave, which is a natural tunnel 420 metres long and 50 metres high. After walking as far as we could, we had to get on the bikes and ride out of the cave on the road - not every day you get to ride through a natural cave! On the way back we took the section of the Voie Verte near to Foix. After starting out well, the unsealed but good track ended up with sections of rough uncompacted gravel. Not loose, having been tamped down by bikes, but rough enough to cause jarring and to be unpleasant. This appears to be the pattern of bike ways - this one being built on an old rail line that’s been converted to a rail trail. All in all, a pleasant day out on the bikes! Ride link https://ridewithgps.com/trips/35917549