France! I don’t know what it is but I’ve been in a great mood since I stepped foot in this country. Border crossing days are always memorable - good or bad. This was a good one. The jont up to the border and the start of the -section of EuroVelo 8 begins at the Pannisars ruin site at 567m on the crest of the Pyrenees range overlooking the busy highway to the east. The airmass flowing through this relatively low-elevation section of the range seemed to have been funneling the airflow strait to my forehead and chest I was struggling to keep the average speed of 13kph all morning, and the final hump turned into a hike-a-bike as I followed the trail markings of the Camino de Santiago - a pilgrimage foot path. Once in France though, I enjoyed a long decent to the sea with the same wind, but now on my back and pushing me forward. My average speed jumped, cruising along at 25kph and more. At long last I united with the Mediterranean coast once again.