Off to the Beach!

This past Saturday the day dawned too lovely to ignore its outdoor possibilities. One thing I had not yet done was to ride a bike along the river to the beach and back. A couple of weeks ago, I had taken a tram part way, then hopped on a bike to ride the rest of the way. After a quick look at the ocean, I had headed back to Montpellier along a bike path that mostly followed a road.

This time I was determined to find the path that followed the River Lez, bound to be more scenic, all the way to the beach (about 11 km). The weather was glorious at 60 degrees and sunny. This week’s post will be mostly pictorial, as you accompany me along the bike path to the beach and back. Off we go!

This arresting building was one of my first sights, as I set out.
A close-up of the building, the reflections of which bathe the path...
...in these wonderful yellow patches of light.
I decided to take only a few pics on the way there, and many on the way back. So, at this point, I am only .5 km away from my goal, Palavas des Flots!
There were loads of activities available, for young and old. And, yes, that IS the Mediterranean hovering above the back wall.
Fun parcours alongside the beach. Overseeing it is the flamingo, a bird plentiful in this area. In the foreground is an elliptical apparatus.

I loved watching this little girl at play (ha! that’s work, especially the third time around (or was it her fourth?) on this apparatus.

As an aside, I’ll just note how pristine the beach looks, with little to no trash visible on the sand. A sign you see upon setting foot on the beach tells you that there are no trash cans, so you must carry your own trash out. Which, evidently, people do. Contrast that with people who don’t pick up after their dogs, a phenomenon common in many French cities. It is thus necessary for walkers to be on their guard at all times. Hard to reconcile the two behaviors…

And then, below, a new game for me, maybe paddle badminton?

And, of course, whiling away the afternoon in a cafe never gets old.

But, time to go back…

 

 

Water on the left side
Water on the right side
Oh, and flamingos galore in this area (I'll try to get some better pics of them)!
This body of salt water is called L'Etang de l'Or (The Lake of Gold). Locals catch mostly eels here. The water looked quite clear to me, unexpectedly, as the area appears quite marshy.
Some grey herons seen along the way
It's Saturday, mid-day, but few users of this path
Fun riding by this mural.
Such lovely building colors!
An inviting place (above) to stop for lunch at the end --- maybe next time! Finally (right), home, sweet home, a comfortable, high-up, corner apartment (for now, moving to a new place soon).