Villefranche-de-Lauragais to Carcassonne – 65km

As we had expected, the surface of the canal path soon deteriorated now we had passed into the l’Aude region. After watching a couple of boats navigate the locks, we reached the summit, where the waters divide,  At that point the path changed to a dirt track which we followed for a while, but then had to revert to roads. The traffic  was reasonably heavy and with no hard shoulder, which was a bit of a shock after the very pleasant ride along the canal. Eventually, we saw the Cité of Carcassonne in the distance.

Parkinson’s note: A couple of recent news stories (1, 2,) highlight the importance of exercise, including cycling,  to persons affected by PD (thanks Lorraine and Mish for forwarding). In addition to the benefits of exercise in maintaining strength, balance and prolonging independence,  research suggests that aerobic exercise may actually slow the progress of PD. There is no consensus, however, on what types of exercise may be most beneficial.