Day 37 - Toulouse to Valence

We have now passed the halfway point on our trip. Today, we drove from Toulouse to Valence. As we headed east from Toulouse, we saw a lovely sunrise, which set us up for a great day of driving.

We took a detour south to drive over the Viaduct de Millau. The Viaduct de Millau is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Tarn River in southern France. It is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast reaching a height of 343 meters (1,125 feet) above the base of the structure. We first drove the bridge in both directions and then stopped at the viewing point for the bridge. From here, we could also see the town of Millau in the valley, which is bypassed by the bridge.

The view of the underside of the Viaduct de Millau provides a better idea of its scale and engineering achievement, and it is a massive bridge. We drove over the bridge one more time as we set off to the northeast, so Rob could say he drove over the Viaduct de Millau. At €12.50 for each trip on the bridge, we paid a bit for the privilege.

On our way to Valence, we drove through Mende, Lagogne and Aubenes. Rob said the mountain descent was like the last toothpaste being squeezed out of the tub, as the road wound down through the valley with two huge mountain ranges on each side. We finally were squeezed out the end into Valence. Another great driving day.Read more