Day 40 of our 'virtual 'bike ride. Gallargues le Monteuex to Sete. 21.9 miles

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Some sunny spells this morning but also a cold brisk headwind on the way home. Today we headed through Chatburn, Rimington, Gisburn, Bolton by Bowland, Sawley, Chatburn and Worston.

Our virtual journey would be leaving Gallargues-le-Montueux and continuing on flattish roads. We stay to the south of the huge city of Montpellier but the roads are still busy with traffic. We see lots more Camargue horses and get our first sighting of the Mediterranean sea just after Lattes. We ride between lagoons and Mediterranean beaches and even have about 3km on a narrow isthmus ( a narrow strip of land with sea on either side).

The Camargue horse is an ancient breed of horse indigenous to this area. It is generally considered one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world. For centuries, possibly thousands of years, these small horses have lived wild in the harsh environment of the Camargue marshes and wetlands of the Rhone delta. There they developed the stamina, hardiness and agility for which they are known today. Traditionally, they live in semi-feral conditions in the marshy land of the region. The Camargue horse is the traditional mount of the gardians, the Camargue "cowboys" who herd the black Camargue bulls used for "courses camarguaises" in southern France.

Our destination, Sète, is a major port city and the largest French fishing port on the Mediterranean. It’s bordered by the Étang de Thau, a biodiverse saltwater lagoon. Sète is a very attractive tourist spot with canals, waterways and sandy beaches.

Photos show arrival at the Mediterranean.

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