We left Rocamadour at 7.30 without breakfast and cycled up the valley in the half light to catch the 9.12 train. We had planned to eat while we were waiting, but the station is in the middle of nowhere. The train didn’t arrive. After half an hour there was an announcement. We couldn't understand it, but a waiting passenger told us the train had been replaced by a bus. After another hour or so a minibus arrived.

The driver at first refused to take the bikes on the grounds that he had to pick up more passengers at the down-line stations. We insisted and he finally allowed us to put them in the narrow aisle; or rather he didn't physically prevent us.  As it happened there were no more passengers.

This delayed us over an hour and we had to cycle the 50km to Cabrerets in 30+ heat with little shade. The river valley was flat with beautiful scenery but it was just too hot to appreciate it. The places marked on the map were tiny with no shops and we were thirsty. We were happy when we finally found a tiny cafe where we could drink some cold beer and top up our water bottles.

After settling in to our accommodation and recovering somewhat from our exhaustion we strolled to the village and managed to buy the last loaf of bread and a couple of cakes just as the bakery was closing.

We ate a makeshift picnic dinner at a table on the terrace with a great view along the valley and the village with the houses built into the cliff.