Today we entered the pine forests to the north of Bayonne, which is in the department of Landes. The Landes region of southwestern France, bordering the Bay of Biscay, is covered by a large pine forest. In fact, it’s the largest ‘maritime pine’ forest in Europe—’maritime pine’ is a species native to the Mediterranean region. During the first part of the nineteenth century large parts of the department were covered with poorly drained heathland (lande in French) which is the origin of its name. The vegetation covered rich soil and was periodically burned off, leaving excellent pasturage for sheep, which around 1850 are thought to have numbered between 900,000 and 1,000,000 in this area. A hundred years ago, the landscape looked very different. Instead of forests, there was a great level plain that stretched from horizon to horizon. The sheep were managed by shepherds who moved around on long stilts. Using stilts had several advantages. It extended their field of vision allowing them to survey distant flocks of sheep. Tall stilts also increased their stride allowing them to cover long distances in less time. Most importantly, it allowed them to traverse the soft, marshy ground that the plains became after the slightest rainfall. As a matter of fact, practically the entire population of Landes walked on slits to avoid the soggy ground during rainy days. This system of locomotion was so effective that men on stilts could keep up with horses at full trot. The locals called this unique mode of transportation tchangues, which means "big legs". The stilts made of wood are about five feet high and are provided with a shoulder and strap to support the foot. The upper part of the wood is flattened and rests against the leg, where it is held by a strong strap. The lower part which rests upon the earth is enlarged and is sometimes strengthened with a sheep's bone. The shepherd carries a staff which he uses as a point of support for getting on to the stilts, and also as a crook for directing his flocks. The stilt is so stable and comfortable that the shepherd, perched upon the high seat, would often knit to pass his time. Stilt races were also an essential part of any merry-makings in the villages of Gascony. The young people vied with each other in speed and agility, and even the young girls, who were as skillful with stilts as the men, took part in the contests. A notable demonstration of silt walking was made by Sylvain Dornon in 1891 when he walked from Paris to Moscow —a distance of more than 2,800 km— on stilts in just 58 days. Stilt walking gradually died out in the Landes starting from the middle of the 19th century with the systematic development of large pine plantations that transformed the landscape and the local economy. The disappearance of the moors, because of the expansion of the pine plantations, brought about the end of sheep herding, and with it the iconic image of shepherds on stilts disappeared as well. Unlike many other European forests, the Landes forest is almost entirely created and managed by man for industrial purposes. This massive pine plantation was started in the 18th century to halt erosion and cleanse the soil. Our journey was not as exotic as stilt walkers, and we were joined by many others on the excellent EuroVelo 1 cycleway. This path threaded its way along the coast and for the most part, was away from the roads. At the Bayonne end, there was a few km of sealed bike path that had some root heaves that gave a slow and jarring ride, but things improved to the point that the bike path was way better than the roads we came across. The day was dreary with a heavy overcast, and for the morning, a fine misty drizzle as well. This unfortunately did not show off the towns of Capbreton or Hossegor to the best advantage - these towns are popular destinations for holiday makers to the Cote d’Argent, the long beach running along the Bay of Biscay, that is also a surfing mecca. The markets today at Capbreton were a better attraction. A long day on the bike, but a fast one, with light winds and easy going surface, and the lack of distractions - the few towns are surrounded by massive holiday camps of all kinds, snuggled away behind the dunes in the pine forests. Although there is not the massive high rise resorts typical of Biarritz, so that is a blessing! We arrived in Mimizan in time to go for a walk out to the beach, and to check out eating options for tea - being a Saturday, and the first one of the school holidays, we had a lot of company, including a band!