The Motorcycle Ride

One day last week, my school's chef, Olivier, asked Carely and I if we wanted to ride on his motorcycle to see some pretty views of Aiguillon and the nearby towns this weekend. Carely wasn't able to because she had other plans but I said sure, I was free. So this past Sunday, Olivier took me on his motorcycle throughout Aiguillon and a few other towns. Was it fast? Yes. Did I like it? I liked it but it was definitely thrilling. I felt like I was riding a rollercoaster on the ground! Would I do it again? ...probably not. But thanks to Olivier, I had the chance to see some pretty cool sights. So thank you, Olivier!

Our first stop was a nice viewpoint of Aiguillon and the surrounding countryside. From this view, you can also see the Lot river and the Garonne river. These two rivers make up the name of the department of France that I live in: Lot-et-Garonne. Olivier told me that the surrounding farms grow kiwi, corn and tomatoes.

Our second stop was the Canal du Midi. This canal is the initial part of the Deux-Mers Canal project which aimed to link the Mediterranean and the Atlantic by connecting several sections of waterways. The Canal du Midi refers to the section that runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau (second largest lake in France) near the Mediterranean. Jean-Baptiste Colbert authorized the start of work in October 1666, with the aim of developing wheat trade, under the supervision of Pierre-Paul Riquet. Construction lasted from 1666 to 1681 during the reign of Louis XIV. The Canal du Midi is one of the oldest canals of Europe still in operation.

Our last stop was Pujols, a medieval town that is located north of Agen and halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse. Across from Pujols is a nice viewpoint that overlooks the Lot valley and the city of Villeneuve-sur-Lot. As we walked through Pujols, we saw the old town center and marketplace, Saint Nicholas Church and the remains of a once-fortified castle. Pujols was peaceful and quiet on a Sunday afternoon, making it a very nice place for a leisurely stroll.

Stop #1. See the Lot River on the left.

Stop #2, The Canal du Midi.

Stop #3: Pujols. Saint Nicholas Church is the middle picture of the top row. The well (un puits) is the middle picture of the bottom row. See the beautiful French countryside on the bottom right.